Q&A: His ears worry me
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Q: My darling little boy who just turned 4 years old, has inherited his ears from his grandpa. They are huge and stick out, and the edges don’t have that little curled edge that most ears have – they are rather flat, like a mouse or elephant. My mom says he will grow into them, but I don’t think so, as grandpa’s ears were exactly the same. To me, he is gorgeous, but I really fear that he will be teased at school. At least little girls can let their hair grow, but we aren’t really the type of family that has longhaired boys. I don’t want to make him unnecessarily self conscious about something that at this point doesn’t bother him at all, but on the other hand maybe it is a good idea to have them “fixed” sooner rather than later. I mean, after all, if he has crooked teeth we would definitely go for braces. So this isn’t really any different, right?
A: DR MARETHA COMBRINK ANSWERS: The outer ear has a minor function in hearing. However, it also contributes to a person’s appearance.
Prominent ears can cause embarrassment and psychological distress. In fact, some research shows that having prominent ears can lead to low self-esteem, isolation and a lack of confidence.
For this reason, most people opt for surgery. Some parents and caregivers may even seek surgery for their children before they start school.
Treatment is not always necessary. Some irregularities will resolve without intervention. A suitable time to have an otoplasty is when a child is 5 to 6 years old and 90 percent of their ears’ growth is complete. This is the earliest recommended age. However, a person can undergo treatment at any age after this.
A nonsurgical technique known as ear moulding or splinting can be effective if the child starts receiving treatment in the first two to three weeks of life.
Otoplasty refers to the surgical reshaping of the outer ear or pinna. A plastic surgeon will usually carry out an otoplasty. If you are considering otoplasty, please contact your paediatrician for a referral to a reputable surgeon. You should, however, be aware that most medical aids do not cover all the costs involved for cosmetic procedures.
The surgeon will use a general anaesthetic for a child and a local anaesthetic for an adult. The procedure will take around one to two hours.
The surgeon will then make an incision behind the ear and apply stitches, which may be permanent, to hold back the outer ear. In some cases, they may remove some cartilage.
The incision will leave a thin scar, but this is behind the ear, and it will fade over time. The recovery process will depend to some extent on the type of surgery. After the procedure, the person may notice soreness for a few days, numbness and tingling for several weeks, and slight bruising for around two weeks. ●