As a craniofacial surgeon, Dr Hunt performs a number of ear procedures, also known as otoplasty. The most common reason patients will have ear surgery is because they have particularly prominent or sticky-out ears.
Commonly patients will have their ears “pinned back” as a result, at around about 7 or 8 years of age or decide to undergo the surgery as a young adult, leaving school or university, moving into their chosen professional field.
Otoplasty is better performed under a general anaesthetic in a hospital that is fully accredited with the anaesthetic given by a fully accredited anaesthetist. An incision is made behind the ears so it is hidden and through that I can access the cartilage underlying the skin and manipulate that to reposition it so that the ear is not prominent.
Downtime from the surgery is approximately 7-10 days with a bandage in place. You’ll begin to notice significant improvements in the appearance of your ears in just 2 to 3 weeks and you can return to normal physical sporting activities after 6 weeks. You should plan to take about two weeks off to recover from otoplasty as your ears will be swollen and discoloured. Full recovery usually takes around six weeks and a support headband must be worn at night for four weeks after surgery to prevent damage.
There are a number of things you can do to speed up your recovery time, like lots of bed rest, limiting physical activity, eating well, drinking plenty of fluids and getting lots of sleep. Reduce your work social commitments for the advised length of time and follow Dr Hunt’s recovery instructions to ensure you recover speedily and with no complications.
Dr Jeremy Hunt is specialist plastic surgeon performing breast, body, face and nose surgery in Australia.
He is a member of FRACS & ASPS and has over 20 years of experience providing cosmetic and plastic surgery in Sydney.
Careful, considerate and honest, Dr Jeremy Hunt works with you to find a solution that is optimal for your body and your lifestyle.
Dr Hunt’s personal, one-on-one service and attention to detail has given thousands of women and men from the Sydney & Wollongong NSW area and across Australia the aesthetic results they desire.
Dr Jeremy A Hunt MBBS FRACS graduated with a Bachelor of Medicine degree from Sydney University in 1990 and is a Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons and member of the Australian Society of Plastic Surgery. He completed a Fellowship at the prestigious University of Texas in the United States, where he learnt from some of the world’s very best plastic surgeons.
Want more information before scheduling your consultation?
If ear correction surgery is something you’re considering, Dr Hunt can thoroughly explain all the options to you in a one-on-one consultation.
Any surgical or invasive procedure carries risks. Before proceeding, you should seek a second opinion from an appropriately qualified health professional.