What you call your ear is only one part – the pinna – of a complexity of structures that turn the movement of air molecules into sound. When the pinna is too prominent, damaged, or missing, it can look odd, affect your hearing, potentially affect what hairstyle you can have, and seriously impact your self-esteem. If you’re unhappy with any aspect of your ears, the talented plastic surgeon at Nuance Cosmetic Surgery may be able to help you with otoplasty in Sacramento.
What is Otoplasty?
Otoplasty Sacramento is ear surgery, specifically on the outer part of the ear. It can be cosmetic or reconstructive, and occasionally it’s both. The goal of otoplasty is to reconfigure the pinnae so that they look more conventional and are symmetrical.
For many patients in Sacramento, CA, this procedure is purely cosmetic. Maybe their ears stick out too much for their liking, or one appears larger than the other. They may have had a minor injury that didn’t affect their hearing but did affect how one of their pinnae look; a plastic surgeon can try to fix any damage. A typical procedure for pinning ears back, for example, involves reshaping the cartilage at the back of the ear. Reconstructive otoplasty is appropriate for those patients who’ve had a serious injury that has left only a partial pinna or no pinna.
Earlobe Repairs and Reshaping
One common form of otoplasty is an earlobe repair. Many people, especially women, have stretched earlobes after wearing very heavy earrings or plugs that stretch out the lobes. In these cases, the loose skin can be removed and the lobe re-positioned to resemble a smaller but intact lobe. Otoplasty is also appropriate for people whose earlobes were torn or injured – for example, when an earring gets caught on something and is pulled out.
Otoplasty can also include earlobe reshaping. If the earlobes are particularly large – not stretched, but actually too big – the excess tissue can be addressed.
Nuance Cosmetic Surgery in Folsom, CA offers otoplasty and can help you modify your ears so that they look pleasing and don’t have visible damage. Your ears make an impression and are the first stop in the chain of structures that help you hear. You can make them look as good as you can and repair damage from injury. Contact us today to book an appointment and learn more.