Ear Reshaping

• General
• The Consultation
• The Operation
• Recovery

When your surgery is completed, your ears will be individually covered with small dressings, which are usually worn for one week.

Following your ear surgery you will be advised to wear a tennis headband for eight weeks at night and during any contact sports. This is to prevent your ears from being pushed forward while they are still settling. During the first week after surgery, this headband should be worn on top of the ear dressings.

There are a number of things of which you should be aware during this period.

• It is normal to feel moderate discomfort following your surgery. This may be controlled by mild analgesics such as Paracetamol. It is important to avoid aspirin during this time.
• When your dressings are removed you may notice some bruising and swelling. This should settle rapidly within a week or two and the improvement in the prominence of your ears will become apparent.
• Numbness is fairly common but your ears will eventually return to normal.
• Mild infection around the stitch line is possible but this is usually resolved quite quickly.

During ear surgery, particular care is taken to stop any bleeding from the small blood vessels divided by the procedure. Occasionally, however, a small blood vessel will leak after surgery is complete. This bleeding, which is rare, may necessitate a return to the theatre.

In the two months following surgery your ears will "set in," changing shape by a millimeter or two. It is relatively rare to experience a more significant loss of correction. Should this happen, it can be readily corrected under local anaesthetic.