Otoplasty Explained for Celebrities and the General Public

Whether a person is a celebrity or a member of the general public, the look of the ears can impact the self-confidence of a person if they are perceived as being too large compared to the other features of the body. The ears of a person can stick out so from the head that it can be distracting to those that view the appearance of the ears. In order to change the look of ears that are hard to miss because of their prominent appearance, patients often turn to otoplasty to achieve changes in the look, size or overall shape of the ears.

In order to answer the questions we receive on a regular basis regarding otoplasty, the Cosmetic Town TV team recently took an in-depth look at how otoplasty is performed. Our team also identified the type of patients that are considered to be ideal candidates for this cosmetic ear procedure.

Otoplasty Procedure Explained

Otoplasty, AKA cosmetic ear surgery or ear pinning, is performed on patients to reduce the size or shape of the ears as well as make a change in their position on the head. Otoplasty surgery can:

Change the shape of ears that are prominent
Alter the position of ears that stick out too far
Enhance and improve the look of ears that are misshapen due to an injury or a birth defect

Otoplasty can be performed to make changes in their appearance on patients ranging from teens to adults. In addition, otoplasty can be performed on newborn babies with overly large ears. These very young patients can have ear molding performed on the ears to change their shape.

Celebrity Otoplasty

Celebrities also turn to otoplasty to make the desired changes in the shape and size of their ears. Here are some celebrities that are suspected of undergoing otoplasty:

Ben Stiller is a comedian and director known for his comedy and drama skills. He is also suspected of undergoing otoplasty to pin his ears back. Many celebrity watchers feel that his ears are much smaller than in the past thanks to cosmetic ear surgery.
Brad Pitt is one of the biggest stars in Hollywood. He also used to have a bigger set of ears that were known for greatly sticking out from his head. The changes in his ears are subtle but it obvious that his ears do not stick out as much anymore and are in perfect harmony with his face. Hollywood gossip says the changes were made by otoplasty
Paul Stanley is a member of the rock band, KISS. His otoplasty procedure was performed to correct a medical condition. Stanley was born with microtia which is a condition where the outer ear is underdeveloped. Microtia can happen with one or both ears and can be either a small portion of underdeveloped tissue or the total lack of an external ear. Paul Stanley only had the condition in one ear so he had that ear rebuilt with otoplasty.
Beyonce is considered to be one of the most beautiful women in the world, but she used to have ears that stuck out at an angle from her head. Her ears are now more adjacent to her head which helps to create a more harmonious look between her ears and the rest of her features.

How Otoplasty is Performed

Otoplasty is normally performed on both ears to make sure the ears of the patient enjoy a great amount of symmetry in their appearance. However, otoplasty can be performed on only one ear if so desired by the patient.

When it is time to perform otoplasty surgery, cosmetic surgeons have two techniques they can choose from to achieve the desired changes in the look, size and shape of the ears.

The two types of otoplasty techniques are:

Cartilage scoring is when the surgeon makes an incision in the cartilage of the ear to add, rearrange or remove any tissue located in the ear. The surgeon has to make an incision in the ear so patients have a greater chance of getting a scar after the surgery.
Cartilage sparing is when the surgeon uses sutures and stiches to alter the shape, size and position of the ears. This technique is less invasive so there a smaller chance of the patient having scars after the surgery.

The technique used to achieve the desired results depends on the condition of the ears and the amount of work that needs to be performed by the doctor. Depending on the otoplasty technique performed by the surgeon, the incisions in the ears can be made in the inner creases of the ear or on the back of the ears.

Otoplasty Recovery and Results

At the start of the otoplasty recovery period, the ears will be covered by bandages for additional support and protection from trauma or injury. Patients will sleep on their back, with their head elevated, in order to not damage the results as the healing process continues. The bandages are removed after a few days and then a loose headband is worn at night to cover the ears and prevent them from being pulled forward while the patient sleeps.

The patient will see some immediate results once the bandages are removed. As long as the patient does not suffer any type of injury or trauma to the ears after the surgery, the results of otoplasty should be permanent.

Otoplasty Consultation Appointment

It doesn’t matter if a patient is a celebrity, or part of the general public, when it comes to wanting to make a change to the appearance of their ears. Anyone that wants to undergo otoplasty should schedule a consultation appointment with a board-certified doctor experienced in providing long-lasting and natural looking results. The cosmetic surgeon will determine if the person is an ideal candidate for the surgery as well as the otoplasty technique that will provide natural and long-lasting results.