Ear Surgery in Beverly Hills, CA
The ears may seem like a minor feature, but their shape, size, and position can significantly influence your overall appearance. Even subtle irregularities can draw unwanted attention or affect your facial balance. Dr. Chiu performs ear surgery at his Beverly Hills practice to help enhance his patients’ ears and improve their appearance, confidence, and self-image.
Table of Contents
- What Is Ear Surgery?
- What Can Ear Surgery Achieve?
- Who Is an Ideal Candidate for Ear Surgery?
- How Is Ear Surgery Performed?
- Before & After Photos
- Results That Speak for Themselves
- What to Expect During Ear Surgery Recovery
- What Can I Expect From My Ear Surgery Results?
- Why Choose Dr. Chiu?
- How Much Does Ear Surgery Cost?
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Patient Reviews
What Is Ear Surgery?
Otoplasty, or ear surgery, is a plastic surgery procedure designed to enhance the appearance of the ears. Ear surgery can reshape the ears, improve their size or protrusion, address concerns, or correct the appearance of stretched or gauged earlobes. Patients born without one or both ears, or who have lost them due to injury, can have new ears constructed through otoplasty.
What Can Ear Surgery Achieve?
Correct Ear Deformities or Injuries
Otoplasty can correct ear deformities or injuries, such as lop ear, cupped ear, shell ear, and cauliflower ear. Surgery can help your ears blend in well with your other features and balance your facial profile.
Reduce Ear Size or Protrusion
Ears that stick out noticeably from the head or that are particularly prominent may cause feelings of self-consciousness. Dr. Chiu can perform otoplasty to make your ears appear smaller and lessen the degree to which they protrude from the side of your head. After surgery, your ears will look more balanced and no longer draw attention.
Improve Earlobes
Some earlobes are naturally large or develop creases or wrinkles. Others may become stretched or develop unsightly holes due to wearing heavy earrings or gauges. Otoplasty can correct these issues and restore a more natural appearance to the earlobes.
Rebuild a Missing Ear
Some candidates for ear surgery may be missing one or both ears due to an injury or a congenital defect. Missing the outer ears may not affect hearing, but it can draw unwanted attention. Dr. Chiu can use natural tissues and cartilage to reconstruct a missing ear and restore your appearance.
Boost Self-Esteem and Confidence
Many individuals experience self-esteem issues, poor self-confidence, social anxiety, or ridicule due to the appearance of their ears. Children are particularly vulnerable to emotional and psychological trauma from the mockery of other children. Otoplasty can enhance your ears and boost self-esteem and confidence by providing more proportionate ears.
Who Is an Ideal Candidate for Ear Surgery?
Ideal candidates for ear surgery are healthy people whose ears have reached their full size and are no longer growing, which usually occurs around age seven. While adults can have excellent results from otoplasty, their ears have firmer cartilage that cannot be molded as easily as children’s ears, which have softer and more pliable cartilage.
Thus, the best candidates are younger children as their ears are easiest to reshape, and they are likely to experience the most significant psychological benefits from cosmetic improvement.
How Is Ear Surgery Performed?
During your initial consultation, Dr. Chiu will evaluate your ears and discuss your goals to determine the best approach for ear surgery. Age and timing are particularly important factors that will influence what changes are possible and recommended.
Ear Surgery for Children
- The ear cartilage is soft and pliable, allowing for excellent correction and reshaping of the ear.
- General anesthesia is recommended.
- The typical procedure length is two to three hours.
- Dr. Chiu may make a small incision behind the ear to sculpt the ear cartilage.
- In some cases, Dr. Chiu will remove some cartilage from the ear.
- Stitches may be used to reshape the ear or fold the existing cartilage.
Ear Surgery for Adults
- The ear cartilage is firm, but moderate correction is possible and can enhance the appearance of the ears.
- General or local anesthesia with a sedative may be used.
- The typical procedure length is two to three hours.
- Dr. Chiu may make a small incision behind the ear to sculpt the ear cartilage.
- In some cases, Dr. Chiu will remove some cartilage from the ear.
- Stitches may be used to reshape the ear or fold the existing cartilage.
What to Expect During Ear Surgery Recovery
The recovery timeline after ear surgery varies for each patient, depending on factors such as age, natural recovery ability, and the complexity of the surgery.
Dr. Chiu will provide you with a personalized timeline during your consultation based on these factors. However, in general, you can expect the following:
Immediately After
Soft surgical dressings will be applied to each ear to promote healing and support the tissues while they heal. Patients should avoid sleeping on their sides and may relieve any mild discomfort with pain medications. A temporary headband may be recommended for regular wear to hold the ears in their desired position.
Week 1
The stitches will dissolve or be removed. Adults can usually return to work after five days. Children can return to school after one week if they are careful about playground activity. If applicable, the headband should still be worn. Patients should also continue to avoid sleeping on their sides.
Weeks 2–3
Patients can stop wearing the headband, but should avoid any activity that could bend the ears, including sleeping on their sides.
Weeks 4–6
Patients should feel back to normal, be able to resume all normal activities, and begin to fully enjoy their results.
What Can I Expect From My Ear Surgery Results?
You’ll notice an immediate improvement in your ear position after surgery, but swelling will temporarily affect their final appearance. Most of the swelling subsides within a few weeks, with final results becoming more visible over the following one to three months.
Otoplasty results are considered long lasting. Once your ears have healed in their new position, they typically maintain their shape permanently, provided there is no trauma or injury to the ears.
Why Choose Dr. Chiu?
Dr. Gabriel Chiu possesses exceptional skill and experience with ear surgery; people in Beverly Hills and Los Angeles seek him out for his surgical precision, masterful techniques, and remarkable ability to consistently provide natural-looking results. He utilizes his thorough understanding of facial anatomy and aesthetics to develop a customized surgical plan that meets (and often exceeds) his patients’ needs and expectations.
Dr. Chiu regularly performs successful ear surgeries and has the unique skills and expertise to deliver results that his patients appreciate. Otoplasty deliver excellent results and frequently gives patients a renewed sense of confidence.
How Much Does Ear Surgery Cost?
Dr. Chiu uses different approaches to ear surgery, depending on your goals and individual anatomy. The cost of ear surgery depends on the complexity of your surgery, as well as other factors, including facility and anesthesia fees. At your consultation, Dr. Chiu will provide you with exact pricing details depending on your surgical plan.
Frequently Asked Questions About Ear Surgery
At what age is otoplasty typically recommended?
Otoplasty can be performed once the ears are fully developed, usually around age five or six. At this stage, the cartilage is still soft enough to reshape easily, and early treatment of the concerns can help prevent teasing or self-esteem concerns.
Is ear surgery covered by medical insurance?
Insurance coverage may be available for your ear surgery, depending on your reasons for undergoing the procedure. Insurance will not cover ear surgery performed for cosmetic reasons; however, it may partially or fully reimburse surgery performed to correct injuries or congenital defects. If you are considering ear surgery, check with your insurance provider to learn what coverage options may be available for you.
Will ear surgery affect my hearing?
Otoplasty manipulates only the tissues of the outer ear. Therefore, it does not affect your hearing at all.
Will I have scars after ear surgery?
Otoplasty leaves only a thin white scar behind the ear. This scar is hidden within the natural creases of the ear and will not be visible.
Can otoplasty fix asymmetrical ears?
Yes, ear surgery is commonly used to correct asymmetry between the ears. The procedure can adjust the shape, size, and position of your ears to create a more balanced, harmonious appearance.
Will my ears look completely symmetrical after surgery?
While ear surgery can significantly improve the symmetry of your ears, perfect symmetry is not always achievable. The goal is to create a natural-looking balance that complements your facial features rather than giving you identical ears.
Do I need to wear a headband after otoplasty?
Yes, Dr. Chiu may require that you wear a supportive headband, especially at night, for several weeks after your ear surgery. This helps protect your ears and maintain their new position during the healing process.
When can my child go back to school after their otoplasty?
Most children can return to school within about one week, as long as they avoid rough play or activities that could impact the ears. Dr. Chiu may still recommend protective measures until the ears are fully healed.
How should I prepare for otoplasty surgery?
Before your ear surgery, patients are typically advised to avoid smoking, alcohol, and certain medications or supplements that can increase bleeding, such as aspirin or anti-inflammatory drugs. Dr. Chiu will provide a detailed preoperative checklist to help you prepare safely.
What risks are involved in ear surgery?
There are few risks associated with otoplasty. Rarely, patients may develop a blood clot or infection. A blood clot may dissolve on its own or be resolved with a needle. An infection can be treated with antibiotics or, in even rarer cases, surgery.
Patient Reviews
J
Being a patient at BHPS has been an amazing experience. Everyone here has been extremely sweet and welcoming. The whole process from beginning to end has been very pleasant and I am happy that I decided to get my “girls” here. I have already started recommending you guys!
Julianna
Beverly Hills Plastic Surgery® is awesome! I had my breast augmentation done with Dr. Chiu, and just after a week I was driving and felt physically great! I have very natural results; my friends and family love it and told me that my new “friends” can’t look any better!…
Kelly
I would first like to thank all the staff at Beverly Hills Plastic Surgery®: Dr. Chiu, Chammy, Suzy, and Mallory. I appreciate everyone’s professionalism, accommodation, and kindness throughout my breast augmentation. I found Dr. Chiu through a Google search for top plastic surgeons in the area…
Aliaksandra
Dear Dr. Chiu, You are an amazing, skilled and talented surgeon. Truly, I feel blessed to have been your patient. From my initial consultation up until today, you have been warm, genuine, caring and professional. What I appreciate most is the time you took to guide me through the process of planning my breast augmentation…
Lisa
Dr. Chiu and his staff are the absolute best! My consultation was done thoroughly and he made sure to answer all my questions and let me know that he was there for me if I needed anything else. Every followup appointment, Dr. Chiu and his staff made me feel at home, I’d highly recommend him to anybody who is interested in pursing a cosmetic procedure!
Ariel
Dr. Chiu and his staff have been more than amazing to work with. The surgery process was effortless and I felt fully prepared for everything. I am more than happy with the results and Dr. Chiu and his team was with me every step of the way. Dr Chiu is very professional and I never once felt uncomfortable…