Prominent Ears (Bat Ears)
Key benefits:
- Pins back prominent ears
- Prevent children from being teased by their peers
- Restores self-confidence to adults who are self-conscious
Procedure details:
- Procedure can be done after the age of 7
- Performed under local anaesthesia in adults and general anaesthesia in children
- 2-hour procedure, bandage for 2-3 days, 1 week downtime, 3 months to
appreciate the final results
Ears are situated flat on the sides of the head and are often hidden by the hair especially in women. They are often forgotten, or unnoticed unless they stick out or when they are decked with ornaments.
What are Prominent ears, or Bat ears?
Prominent ears, or bat ears, are characterized by the presence of one or more of the following:
- wide angle between the ear and side of the head
- excessively deep conchal “bowl”
- indistinct antihelical (“Y”) fold
However, people with prominent ears may not have all 3 components.
Furthermore, the severity and extent of each component may vary from one person to another, resulting in a very different ear shape:
What are Some Reasons for Otoplasty (prominent/bat ear correction surgery)?
Having normal ears do contribute to the overall contour of the head and face so for those with prominent ears, Otoplasty can correct and aesthetically enhance appearance of the ears. The video below shows how Otoplasty can help a seven-year-old avoid being bullied.
What is Otoplasty like?
The procedure:
- Involves softening the ear cartilage, making it bend backwards
- Is performed under local anaesthesia in adults and general anaesthesia in children
- Takes about 1.5 hours
- Post-operatively patients will be bandaged for 2 days, after which they will be able to wash their hair
- External stitches are removed after 10 days.
What is the Recovery Time for Otoplasty?
It generally takes about a week for patients to heal.