Discomfort and itchiness is normal following cosmetic ear surgery. The discomfort can be mitigated with proper medication. The day after surgery, it is ok to return to light normal activity as long as the ears continue to stay protected. If your child goes through ear surgery, be sure to keep him / her from playing aggressively until the healing process is complete.
Dressing should be kept in tact until a follow up visit with your surgeon. Typically 5 to 7 days after the surgery, he/she will remove it for you, at which time, the wound will be properly cleansed and any external stitches will be removed. Proper care for the incision sites will need to be maintained until the healing is complete. Your doctor will give you specific instructions on how to do so. It usually takes several weeks for healing to complete and incision lines to fade. Continue to go to follow-up visits as scheduled and follow your plastic surgeon’s directions.
Cosmetic Ear surgery – Results and Outlook
While most plastic surgery procedures take quite a bit of time before results are present, the results of ear surgery are almost immediate. If your ears require multiple procedures, the results will appear in phases. It may take several months for your ears to completely heal and incision lines to fade, but the new look of your ears are present as soon as the bandages come off. During the healing process, it’s important to use proper skin care and sun protection, and keep from an injury or extreme cold.
Cosmetic Ear Surgery – Choosing the Right Surgeon
Electing to undergo ear surgery is a very important decision so it’s important to pick the right plastic surgeon. Two key things to look for in a plastic surgeon are board certification and privileges.
Board certification is granted by one of two organizations: The American Board of Plastic Surgery and the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada. Only these two organizations can certify physicians to perform plastic surgery of the face and entire body. In order to be certified, doctors must:
- Graduate from an accredited medical school
- Complete five years minimum of surgical training after medical school. This includes an accredited plastic surgery residency program.
- Pass all-inclusive written and oral exams
In addition to board certification, your surgeon should also have operating privileges at an accredited local hospital specifically for the procedure you plan on undergoing, for example, ear surgery. This is highly recommended even if your surgeon can complete the procedure at an ambulatory surgery center or an accredited office-based surgical facility.