Ear Pinning: Summer Is The Best Time For Youth Ear Surgery

Having ears that stick out can be hard for a child who has to face the ridicule of their classmates. Even in the Summer, when they should be making memories with friends, they may not want to leave the house.

Thankfully, Summer is also the ideal time for young people to get ear pinning surgery. This simple, minimally invasive, procedure spares your child from potential ridicule or feeling self-conscious.

This post explores how ear pinning works and why Summer is the ideal time to have it performed.

What is Involved in Ear Pinning?

Ear pinning is a procedure in which the ears are surgically angled closer to the head. It is ideal for young people between the ages of 4 and 14 as their cartilage is not fully hardened.

Otoplasty, the technical name of this surgery, involves reshaping the outer ear (pinna). It can address either of these two conditions that can cause the ears to stick out:

Poorly developed antihelical fold:

Also known as lop-ear deformity, the upper cartilage that normally contains a fold is flat, causing the ears to stick out.

Hypertrophic conchal bowl:

The inner cupper part of the ear (conchal bowl) is not ideally positioned or too deep.

When getting your ears pinned back, you can also have other cosmetic adjustments performed on the ears, including:

• Reducing the size of the ears
• Adjusting the size and position between ears for symmetry
• Repairing torn or stretched earlobes

Summer is the ideal time to have otoplasty performed for various reasons.

Benefits of Getting This Aesthetic Surgery in The Summer

By getting ear pinning surgery in Summer, your child avoids the self-conscious glares and questions of classmates during recovery. They can return to school in the Fall with a new look and new confidence.

Here are the reasons why having the summer to recover is a huge benefit:

1. No missed school

Ear pinning is an outpatient procedure, but recovery requires your child to remain at home for a week or so. During this week there is some pain (managed with medication). As well as wearing a gauze bandage on the treated ears.

Both the bandages and stitches are removed after a week. Glasses can not be worn for 7 to 10 days post-surgery.

2. Minimizes risks of touching, rubbing from others

It is very important that your child protects their ears as best as possible after having ear pinning performed. In the Summer, they are far less likely to accidentally brush up against their peers, and won’t need an excuse to skip gym class.

3. Give a chance for scars to heal

There will be some visible scarring when the bandages are removed, but they will subside quickly. Giving your child the Summer months to heal will help avoid awkward glances when they return to class.

4. Avoid the embarrassment of wearing a headband in school during recovery

Ear surgery patients are required to wear a headband at night for 2 weeks after the bandages are removed. However, some may also wear it during the daytime to help protect their ears. This is yet another awkward situation that can be avoided by having ear pinning performed when school is out.

5. Parents have more control over aftercare

Last but not least, by having your child at home you have far more control over assessing their aftercare. You can make sure they are keeping up with their recovery regimen, and perform all the surgical area cleaning and bandage replacement as necessary.

How Much Does Ear Pinning Cost?

Otoplasty costs $4,500 on average, though the cost varies depending on the specific ear condition and any other ear procedures being done. Otoplasty can be covered by OHIP up to the age of 18.

Consult With Toronto’s Otoplasty Specialist

Dr. Richard Rival is a prominent facial plastic surgeon who is an Otolaryngology (head and neck surgery) fellow at the Royal College of Surgeons of Canada. He is a teaching faculty member at UofT and holds a staff position at both St. Michael’s Hospital and Southlake Regional Health Centre.

With Dr. Rival, you can expect excellence in the surgical outcome and patient care for ear pinning. This procedure can also be combined with other facial cosmetic procedures such as rhinoplasty.

To meet with Dr. Rival and talk with him about your options for facial plastic surgery in Toronto, we encourage you to request a consultation or schedule an appointment.