Getting Back to Normal

Adults and children are usually up and around within a few hours of surgery, although you may prefer to stay overnight in the hospital with a child until all the effects of general anesthesia wear off.

The patient’s head will be wrapped in a massive bandage immediately following surgery to endorse the best molding and healing. The ears may pulsate or ache a little for a few days, but this can be relieved by medication.

Within a few days, the heavy bandages will be replaced by a lighter head dressing similar to a headband. Be certain to follow your surgeon’s directions for wearing this dressing, especially at night. Stitches are usually removed, or will dissolve, in about a week.

All activities in which the ear might be harmed should be evaded for a month or more. The largest parts of adults can return to work in about five days after surgery. Child can go back to school after seven days or so, if they’re cautious about activity in playground. Ask your child’s teacher to supervise the child for some weeks.

Other Ear Problems

 Except protruding ears, there are a variety of other ear problems that can be helped with surgery. These include: "lop ear," when the tip seems to fold down and forward; "cupped ear," which is usually a very small ear; and "shell ear," when the curve in the outer rim, as well as the natural folds and creases, are missing. Surgery can also improve large or prolonged earlobes, or lobes with large folds and wrinkles. Surgeons can even build new ears for those who were born without them or who lost them through injury.

Occasionally, however, the correction can leave a scar that’s even worser than the original problem. Ask your surgeon about the effectiveness of surgery for your specific case.

More Natural-Looking Ears

The majority of patients, both young and old are pleased with the consequences of ear surgery. But keep in mind, your aim is improvement, not perfection. Don’t expect both ears to match absolutely - immaculate symmetry is both unlikely and unnatural in ears. If you’ve discussed the procedure and your expectations with the surgeon before the operation, you’ll be quite contented with the result.