Specialized Surgical Ear Repair Solutions in Utah
Barr Aesthetics offers specialized surgical solutions for ear repair, addressing damage from piercings, gauges, and genetic issues like protruding ears. Led by Dr. Lucy Barr, Utah’s first female board-certified facial plastic surgeon, our focus is on providing natural, long-lasting results that harmonize with your unique facial structure.
Schedule a Consultation
For a consultation or to schedule an appointment, call or fill out the form. During your consultation, we will listen to your goals and spend time educating you about your treatment options, and develop a customized treatment plan.
Comprehensive Ear Repair Options
Barr Aesthetics offers two primary surgical procedures to change the appearance of the ears:
- Otoplasty (Protruding Ear Correction): Surgically corrects ears that stick out, whether due to genetics or trauma.
- Standard Ear Gauge Repair / Earlobe Repair: Undoes damage from heavy earrings, tears, or gauges to reconstruct a natural earlobe contour.
Otoplasty: Correcting Protruding Ears
Otoplasty is the medical term for the surgical correction of protruding ears. The protrusion is often due to the antihelical folds of the outer ear cartilage not developing a certain way before birth, or if the bowl-shaped space (concha) is too deep.
- Procedure Details: Incisions are placed behind the ears to help hide any scarring. Depending on the cause of the protrusion, cartilage may be added or removed to augment how the ears lie on the head. The procedure may take one to five hours and can be performed on patients as young as four years old.
- Outcome: The dramatic change and quick recovery time make otoplasty one of the highest in patient satisfaction among cosmetic procedures.
Ear Repair from Barr Aesthetics
Our plastic surgeons offer two types of surgeries to change the appearance of one’s ears: Otoplasty and Standard Ear Gauge Repair.
Standard Ear Gauge & Earlobe Repair
Earlobe repair addresses damage from heavy earrings, accidental tears, or stretched earlobes due to gauges, restoring the natural shape.
- How Damage Occurs: Earlobe damage is often caused by heavy earrings, gauges that stretch the tissue, or accidents. Earlobe tissue is made of skin and adipose connective tissues, not cartilage, making it susceptible to stretching and tearing.
- Procedure Details: For torn or stretched lobes, the edges of the lobe are incised to create fresh wound edges, which are then stitched back together. For larger gauges, a more complex repair is needed, often involving small rotation flaps to reconstruct the earlobe. The surgery is typically done under local anesthesia.
- Recovery: Patients usually return in 10-12 days for reassessment and suture removal. It is typically recommended not to re-pierce the earlobes until six months after the repair.
Who is a Good Candidate?
Dr. Barr will personally review your health history and aesthetic goals to determine the best path forward.
- General Candidates: Ideal surgical candidates are typically non-smokers, free from medical conditions that could impair healing, and hold realistic expectations.
- Earlobe Repair Candidates: Patients with physical trauma, a permanent hole from a large gauge, or asymmetrical lobes due to aging are good candidates.
- Protruding Ears: Anyone concerned about the appearance of protruding ears is encouraged to look into options with Barr Aesthetics.
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