The ears are made of flexible cartilage that can be damaged or misshapen from a variety of issues. Some infants have misshapen ears at birth, as the ears can be formed oddly within the womb. Other individuals have trauma or a disease that can affect the shape of their ears. At Eden Plastic Surgery Institute, our board certified ear plastic surgeon, Dr. Ali Charafeddine, can perform ear shaping surgery for patients of all ages at our clinic in Miami.
Approximately 30% of infants are born with misshapen outer ears. In most cases, the ears and hearing are completely functional, but the cartilage may be shaped oddly. In some cases, infants can have ear molding performed right after birth while the cartilage is still flexible. This is a non-invasive procedure which can reshape the ear contour while the cartilage is still pliable in the first two months. Once the ear cartilage firms, ear plastic surgery is required to achieve a balanced ear contour.
Creating Balanced, Symmetrical Ears
Trauma, disease or congenital issues can affect the shape of the outer ear cartilage. Often, only one ear is deformed, creating an unbalanced, asymmetrical appearance. Ear reshaping surgery can be used to achieve symmetrical ears that match each other and look balanced with the rest of the facial features. This surgery may require harvesting cartilage from another area of the body, like the ribs, to provide additional material to create the desired ear shape.
Ear reshaping surgery can be performed on adults and children, but children should have fully formed ears (age 5-6). Dr. Ali Charafeddine at Eden Plastic Surgery Institute is a talented and experienced plastic surgeon who has the surgical and artistic skills to create well-shaped ears. If you or your child have misshapen ears and you want to explore the options in cosmetic ear surgery, contact our medical practice in Miami. We can schedule a personal ear reshaping consultation with Dr. Charafeddine to discuss the best procedure to obtain the desired results.