Archive | Ear Surgery

It seemed like a good idea at the time – getting gauges. But now, years later, you are having second thoughts. Maybe you aren’t allowed to wear them at work, or maybe you are just tired of looking at them. Unfortunately, unlike regular earrings, it is difficult with gauges to just take them out and go on about your life – but you can do something about it!

It’s not just gauges that can damage earlobes

Gauges are large cylinders placed in holes in the earlobes. The holes needed to accommodate gauges go way beyond those needed for earrings – gauges can be half an inch or even bigger. If the individual decides that he or she doesn’t want the gauge anymore, the hole doesn’t just shrink and disappear. The skin is too stretched out and disfigured.

However, earlobes can become stretched out even if you don’t have gauges. Wearing heavy earrings for many years or some sort of trauma – such as having an earring ripped out of your ear – can also cause damage to the earlobe.

Correcting earlobe damage

Fortunately, the earlobes can be repaired in a fairly simple procedure. In otoplasty (the medical term for cosmetic ear surgery), your doctor will plan the reconstruction of your earlobe so that it will look completely natural. Tiny sutures may be used to help repair the damage. General anesthesia is used, and the procedure can be performed in your doctor’s office – there’s no need for a hospital stay. It typically takes less than an hour and you can return to your normal activities right after the surgery. There will be some discomfort, but most patients find that over-the-counter pain medication is enough to manage this.

Having a gauge may get your ears some attention, but the stretched-out skin you’re left with after you take out the gauge will get you even more. Otoplasty is a quick procedure that can repair your earlobes so you don’t have to keep regretting your decision to get gauges. Contact the office of Dr. Gary J. Price in New Haven or Fairfield County, CT, for an otoplasty consultation. Call (203) 453-6635 for an appointment today!

Have your ears always made you feel self-conscious? Do you feel like they stick out too far or they are too large for your head? Or maybe you have been having second thoughts about that gauge, but if you take it out now you’ll have embarrassing and unsightly stretched out ear lobes. Whatever the case, otoplasty can help!

What is otoplasty?

Otoplasty is simply ear surgery, which is sometimes referred to as “ear pinning.” It can be used to reshape or remove ear cartilage for ears that are too big, protrude too far out from the head, are asymmetric, or are too pointy. It can also be used to fix a torn or stretched ear lobe.

Who can have otoplasty?

This procedure has a very low incidence of complications, and even children can have otoplasty. By the age of 5, the ears are nearly fully developed, but the cartilage is more easily moldable than it is in the adult ear.

Ear surgery is performed on an outpatient basis, and intravenous sedation or general anesthetic can be used. The exact procedure varies depending on what the issue is and what results the patient would like to see, and both ears can be corrected during the same procedure. Any incisions can be made on the back of the ear so that any scars will be hidden.

After otoplasty, patients report only minimal pain. However, you will probably be uncomfortable, bruised, and swollen. Over-the-counter pain medication can help. Once the swelling goes down you will notice a difference right away. Although you should avoid anything too strenuous for a few weeks after the surgery, you can get back to your normal activities within a week to 10 days. You will be given compression bandages to support the ears, and you will want to make sure to protect your ears from any kind of impact.

With otoplasty, you don’t have to be self-conscious about your ears anymore – and your child doesn’t have to be, either. Contact the office of Dr. Gary J. Price for an otoplasty consultation. Call the office in New Haven or Fairfield County, CT, at (203) 453-6635 for an appointment today!

“The past is in the past” until it’s not. If you hopped on the ear gauging trend and had your ears gauged to a size that you can practically fit plates into (or just a pen cap) but want your normal earlobes back, you may be at a loss for what you can do to repair them. Even though your skin is an incredible organ that can repair itself over time, if your earlobes were stretched to substantial limits, not even time can heal those wounds. Luckily, Dr. Gary J. Price can help restore your earlobes, so they don’t look like they’ve been stretched to their limits.

Here at our office, Dr. Gary J. Price offers a variety of ear repair surgeries including otoplasty which is performed to correct ears that protrude too far from the head. Additionally, he performs earlobe repair surgery to help restore earlobes that have been stretched, torn, or ripped.

Your earlobes are made solely of fat and skin making them an easy part of the body to work with. Without bones or cartilage, Dr. Price can typically perform this restorative surgery in about an average of 30 minutes. During this surgery, the skin lining the tear will typically be removed, and then the hole where your gauges were will be stitched up.

During recovery, your earlobes will be a bit tender to the touch. We recommend that you avoid any contact sports or activities that could harm your ears. To help ease any pain or swelling, try taking an over the counter (OTC) pain reliever. Our office will send you home with instructions regarding what OTC drugs you can take while recovering. Many patients wonder if they will be able to pierce their ears again after surgery. Depending on how big your gauges were and how well your ears have healed from this procedure will determine whether or not you’ll be able to have them pierced again.

If you didn’t properly gauge your love for gauged ears and wanted to have them fixed, schedule a consultation with our Guilford office today!