Prominent ears that stick out from the head can be a truly difficult problem for many people, including children. Most of those who have this issue (or misshapen ears in general) have some history of bullying or people making fun of them. This makes prominent or disfigured ears more than just a physical problem; it can be an emotional problem as well.
Fortunately, ear surgery (otoplasty) can correct the issue. And depending on what specifically is causing the protrusion or malformation of the ears, there are various types of otoplasty that can be performed.
Incisionless otoplasty, as the name implies, is a form of cosmetic surgery that does not require incisions. Instead, permanent sutures are stitched into the upper ear to manipulate the ear tissue and underlying cartilage in the desired manner. In this way, there are no scars, and most of the time, the surgery can be performed with IV sedation and local anesthetic only.
Who Is a Good Candidate for Incisionless Otoplasty?
When it comes to otoplasty incisionless otoplasty is only for a certain type of patient. These patients typically have well-shaped ears, but they lack a well-formed antihelical fold, and this creates a flattened out appearance on the upper ear, which lends itself to sticking out away from the head.
For these patients, incisionless otoplasty can work quite well. Your surgeon will use sutures in and out of the upper ear to create an antihelical fold. This, in turn, pulls the ear more toward the head. Sometimes, a single incision (or just a few incisions) may also be needed, but often, the entire improvement can be made with only sutures and no incisions are necessary.
Benefits of Incisionless Otoplasty
Local anesthesia only
Most facial plastic surgery procedures need to be performed with general anesthesia. However, if incisions are not needed for ear surgery, in the majority of cases, we can use local anesthesia and IV sedation only. This usually leaves the patient feeling more comfortable right after surgery and can speed up recovery in general.
Minimally invasive
When surgical techniques can be performed without incisions, the risks are simply fewer. Although most traditional otoplasty surgery procedures go very well and there are no complications, we always like to reduce the risk as much as possible.
Outpatient procedure
No one wants to have to stay in the hospital or surgical facility overnight just because they’re having surgery to fix protruding ears. Now, for the most part, even ear surgeries that require incisions are outpatient, so the majority of patients can go home on the same day as their surgery anyway.
But when an even more simplified incisionless otoplasty procedure is performed, you can be sure that you’ll be able to be back at home in a matter of hours right after your operation.
No scars
Most cosmetic surgical procedures will require incisions, so the patient will have scars after surgery. Incisionless ear pinning, on the other hand, will not result in any scars, except for some very small dots, where the surgical needle had to go to insert the sutures and manipulate the ear cartilage and create ear folds. These will hardly be noticeable over time.
Easier recovery
The recovery period after incisionless cosmetic ear surgery is often a bit easier because incisions tend to cause more swelling and trauma to the cartilage, tissues, and blood vessels. Ideally, if you can undergo a cosmetic procedure without incisions, this will be your best option in terms of recovery.
Wonderful improvements
Facial symmetry and ears that are situated closer to the head will result after incisionless otoplasty. When compared with traditional otoplasty, no one should be able to tell that a patient had ear surgery without incisions.
FAQ: Incisionless Otoplasty
Does incisionless otoplasty leave scars?
Many types of ear pinning surgery (otoplasty) will result in scars because incisions are necessary to manipulate the tissue and cartilage. However, for incisionless otoplasty patients, because incisions aren’t necessary, you won’t have scars either. We recommend looking over some incisionless otoplasty before and after photos to get an idea of what you can expect in terms of post-surgery appearance.
How much does an incisionless otoplasty cost?
Often, incisionless cosmetic ear surgery will cost less than traditional otoplasty surgery because the procedure is less invasive in general and requires less risk, only local anesthesia (as opposed to general anesthesia), etc. However, this is not always the case. You’ll want to schedule a consultation appointment with an incisionless otoplasty dr to get an accurate quote.
Where can I get an incisionless otoplasty near me?
If you plan to get an otoplasty in Houston, please call today to set up a consultation appointment with Dr. Ashley Steinberg. Dr. Steinberg is a board certified plastic surgeon who performs various types of otoplasty surgery, including revision surgery for protruding ears that were not fixed with initial otoplasty.
Is incisionless otoplasty painful?
The surgery will not be painful due to local anesthesia. After surgery, you may be sore, but the pain is typically less than with an otoplasty that requires incisions. Pain medication can be prescribed.
Incisionless Otoplasty Before and After
Book a Consultation Appointment for Otoplasty
Ready to address your protruding or misshapen ears with incisionless otoplasty? To find out if you’re a good candidate for this surgery, please contact us today to set up a one-on-one consultation appointment with board certified plastic surgeon Dr. Ashley Steinberg.
Dr. Steinberg and her team would be happy to discuss your surgical options with you. Call today!
