Ear Surgery

Some individuals may notice that their ears are prominent or stick out. Others may not like the shape of their ears. Otoplasty (ear surgery) is a procedure designed to alter the appearance of the ears and is one of Dr. Shari Reitzen’s primary procedures at her Upper East Side practice.

Otoplasty and Earlobe Repair

Disliking the appearance of your ears can have a very negative effect on your confidence and self-image. This problem can be particularly rough for children, who may get teased for large or protruding ears. “Otoplasty” is an umbrella term that refers to any type of ear surgery, including ear pinning, ear size reduction, correction of deformities, and earlobe repair. The goal of otoplasty is to improve the appearance of the ears in a safe, natural-looking way.

Candidates for Otoplasty

If you’re on Manhattan’s Upper East Side area and you’re considering ear surgery for yourself or for your child, you may be curious about candidacy. Individuals who are excellent patients for otoplasty are those who:

Have fully developed ears (typically age five and over)
Have ears that are overly large, misshapen, or protruding (sticking out)
Have elongated, stretched-out, or torn earlobes
Are non-smokers in overall good health
Have realistic expectations of what otoplasty can do
Fully understand the procedure, risks, recovery, and what to expect

“I’ve recently gotten an otoplasty done by Dr. Reitzen, and the results were exactly what I wanted. The procedure/surgery was calming and not painful at all, and Dr. Reitzen explains in detail what needs to be done and also listens to your opinions if you differ from hers…overall, my experience of getting an otoplasty done with Dr. Reitzen is exactly what I expected, and I highly suggest anyone to consider her for ENT-related surgeries!”

Zabbar A.

Ear Surgery Details

Otoplasty can be performed in a day surgery procedure in an operating suite. Based on the unique condition and age of the patient, the procedure can be done with either local anesthesia and sedation or general anesthesia.

Ear surgery takes approximately two hours. With minimal and discreet incisions, sutures or stitching can be used to easily change the shape of or reduce the size of the ears and/or earlobes. The incisions are placed in the crease of the back of the ear, and are not visualized.

Otoplasty before and after

This patient underwent otoplasty (ear pinning) in the office under local anesthesia. His ears were prominent as well as flattened, with loss of the shape of the folds of the ear.

Recovery from Ear Surgery

The otoplasty procedure does not require much downtime and is very well-tolerated. Afterward, you will need to wear surgical dressings for a few days so that the area is protected. These dressings should not be removed until your follow-up appointment with Dr. Reitzen.

When the dressings are removed, it’s expected that your ears will be red and swollen. You may experience itching and/or discomfort during recovery, and pressure on the ears will need to be avoided as you heal.

Earlobe Repair

Earlobe repair is a common procedure that Dr. Reitzen performs to correct overly large earlobes, elongated earring holes, or stretched-out holes due to ear gauges. Over time, earring holes can elongate due to heavy earrings or micro-tears. This can cause an unsightly appearance to the earlobe or may make it difficult for earrings to fit properly. Ear gauges are a style choice that many make, however, later in life their earlobes become very stretched out. These elongated holes can be surgically removed and re-closed to provide a more aesthetic appearance to the earlobe. This can be done under local anesthesia in the office with no downtime. Earlobes can then be re-pierced 6-8 weeks after the procedure.

Otoplasty with Dr. Reitzen

An expert in both functional and cosmetic surgery, Dr. Shari Reitzen puts her patients first and closely listens to achieve their desired results. She is a double board-certified surgeon and ENT specialist who strives to provide individualized care and results, with the goal of achieving a natural-looking outcome. If you’re interested in ear pinning or any other type of ear surgery, we invite you to contact us to book your consultation.