Manhattan, New York City, New York
You can expect to be up and around within a few hours after your otoplasty surgery. This may take a bit longer for children as the effects of general anesthesia wear off.
Your head will be wrapped in a bulky bandage immediately following surgery to promote the best molding and healing. You will likely feel very little pain at all, but your ears may throb or ache a little for a few days. This can be easily relieved with medication.
Dr. Bellin will replace the bulky bandages within a few days with a lighter head dressing similar to a headband. Be sure to follow his directions for wearing this dressing, especially at night. It may be suggested that you wear a stocking cap while sleeping, for up to several weeks depending on the extent of your procedure.
Stitches are typically removed or will dissolve on their own in about a week.
Any activity in which the ear might be bent or hit should be avoided for a month or so. Most adults can go back to work about five days after surgery. Children can go back to school after a week or so, if they’re careful about playground activity. You may want to ask your child’s teacher to keep an eye on the child for a few weeks.
Post-surgical complications are extremely rare with otoplasty. Impaired hearing is practically impossible, since only your external ear parts are manipulated during your surgery. Your ear tissue heals very well, and you will almost never see any noticeable scars.
The only real risk is that your surgeon may fail to give you your ideal cosmetic result. This is extremely unlikely to happen. If it does, most problems can be rectified later on.
For more information about ear surgery, please visit our otoplasty and ear irregularities pages. If you are considering cosmetic ear surgery in the New York City area, or if you still have questions about our procedures, please contact us today to arrange your free ear surgery consultation.