Are your ears the first thing someone notices about you? Were you ever teased as a child because you had large, protruding ears? If so, you may wish to consider a type of ear plastic surgery called an otoplasty at Zormeier Cosmetic Surgery & Longevity Center in Noblesville, IN.

What Is an Otoplasty?

For those who are not pleased with the size or shape of their ears, this surgery is a good, practical solution. This is a common type of ear plastic surgery that reshapes the cartilage of the ears in order to improve their general appearance. The diversity of ear surgeries available means it’s a perfect solution to treat an extensive array of conditions related to the ears. Typically, the procedure takes around two hours.

What Are Some Common Reasons to Consider an Otoplasty?

There are several reasons that someone may wish to consider ear plastic surgery. By carefully examining each of these reasons, you will be able to determine how you can benefit from an otoplasty.

To Eliminate Protruding Ears

Do your ears stick out from the side of your head? If your ears stick out more than two centimeters, then they are considered “protruding.” Many people who have protruding ears may be self-conscious about them, and an ear plastic surgery is a great way to make your ears appear more natural.

To Transform the Appearance of Your Face

Typically, the first thing people notice about someone’s face may be the eyes or the smile. However, if you have protruding ears, these soon become the dominant feature of your face. An otoplasty can keep your ears from being the first thing people notice about you, and as a result, it can change the general overall appearance of your face because your ears are no longer the center of attention.

To Repair Damage From an Accident or Injury

If you’ve been involved in an accident that severely damaged your ears, plastic surgery is a useful tool to help restore the ears to their natural shape and contour.

To Correct Birth Defects of the Ear

Some will seek ear surgery as a treatment for misshapen ears related to developmental birth defects. Examples of ear birth defects include “microtia,” which is a partially formed exterior ear, and “anotia,” which is a completely undeveloped ear.

To Treat Split Earlobes

Sometimes, as you age, earlobes can sag or even split. Ear plastic surgery can tighten them and improve their appearance.

To Correct “Lop Ear”

This condition occurs when the top of the ears folds down and tilts forward. While this condition does not affect hearing, it can be very embarrassing for those who have it. Ear plastic surgery is a simple and effective solution.

To Enhance Self Esteem

If you were ever teased for the size or shape of your ears, then you understand how damaging this can be to your emotional development. Many who have had ear plastic surgery report a renewed sense of confidence and better self-esteem as the result of this procedure. It also helps many take pride in their appearance without worrying about how they are going to minimize the appearance of their ears.

For What Reasons Would Children Need an Otoplasty?

Yes, children can be candidates for ear plastic surgery, too. Typically, this surgery is not performed on children until the outer ear has fully matured, which typically occurs around the ages of five or six. Once it has stopped growing, it can be evaluated and considered for treatment. There are several reasons why parents would consider ear plastic surgery for their children.

To Prevent Teasing or Bullying

For many parents, it’s heartbreaking to see their children bullied or teased for the shape of their ears. These elementary school years are important ones for emotional development, and parents see ear surgery as an opportunity to correct a problem and restore their child’s self-esteem.

To Build Confidence

When children are no longer self-conscious about their ears, they develop confidence that can help them excel in their studies and in other activities.

Who Is a Good Candidate for Ear Surgery?

Typically, anyone who is in good health without a life-threatening disease is a good candidate for ear surgery. It’s preferable that candidates should be non-smokers because smoking can affect the rate of healing.

Most importantly, it’s vital for candidates to discuss their goals and expectations for the procedure. Open, honest communication between patients and all members of the health care team is extremely vital in order to achieve the desired results. Candidates should have realistic expectations and speak with the doctor about what they want from the results of the procedure.

Which Children Are Candidates for Ear Surgery?

As mentioned earlier, most children’s ears are not fully developed until age 5 or 6. Therefore, most candidates will be at least that age before being considered for surgery. In general, a child should be reasonably healthy, not have any life-threatening illnesses, and be able to follow instructions to the best of his or her ability.

In addition, if the child has chronic ear infections, it’s important that these are being treated consistently and effectively. The procedure does require one to two weeks of recovery, so it may be best to have the procedure during spring break or during a time when school is not in session.

Does This Ear Surgery Affect Hearing?

This surgery is to correct the shape and appearance of the ears, and it does not have any effect upon hearing.

What Happens During Ear Surgery?

This procedure can be conveniently performed in our office on an outpatient basis. Local anesthesia is used for your comfort. This means that the area where the surgery is performed will be numbed so you won’t feel anything.

An incision is made either within in the inner creases of the ears or on the back of the ears where it will be “hidden” from view. After the incision is made, excess cartilage and skin can be removed or folded into the desired position. It’s then secured with internal stitches and the incision is carefully and meticulously closed.

What to Expect After Ear Surgery

It’s very important to take time to recover and heal after ear surgery. While recovery times vary, it typically takes one to two weeks.

You’ll have bandages that will need to be worn after the surgery, and it’s very important to be sure that your ears are not pinched or tugged in any way. It’s crucial to avoid rubbing or putting additional force on the ears.

Sleeping Precautions

After the surgery, you’ll need to wear a loose headband at night that covers your ears. This prevents your ears from being pulled or tugged upon during your sleep. You’ll need to wear this headband for two to six weeks.

When Will the Stitches Be Removed?

This depends upon what type of stitches were used during your procedure. Sometimes, the stitches will be removed in the weeks following the procedure, while in other cases, the stitches are the type that dissolve on their own. We’ll discuss the details with you when you’re scheduled for your consultation.

Useful Recovery Tips

It’s important to follow instructions to the letter in order to have a speedy, effective recovery from ear surgery. Here are some tips that will help you:

Avoid Touching Your Ears

While you’ve just had surgery, it’s important to realize that you can’t excessively rub your ears—and this can be difficult because it’s easy to do it by accident, especially for the first week after surgery.

Wear Your Headband Faithfully

The headband replaces the bulky bandages that you had on your ears immediately after the surgery. However, it’s vital that you follow all instructions on wearing your headband. This is a safeguard to protect your ears while you sleep and to protect them in case they are accidently bumped.

Avoid Smoking

If you are a smoker, try to avoid smoking during your recovery. Even secondhand smoke can delay your healing, so try to avoid any type of cigarette smoke during your recovery. Typically, before surgery, you’ll be urged to stop smoking in order for your body to prepare itself for the procedure.

Don’t Scratch Your Incision Lines

As they heal, these may feel a bit itchy. That’s okay. The itching means that healing is taking place and that things are progressing as they should. However, try to avoid scratching at the incisions or anywhere along the incision line.

Avoid Prolonged Sun Exposure

Because your ears have been numb, they may not feel any discomfort or damage that can be caused by extreme temperature. Therefore, be very careful when using ice packs or being exposed to sunlight. Remember that it’s not a good idea to use hairdryers, as these can cause burns if you’re not careful.

Avoid Contact Sports

It’s important to avoid vigorous, extensive activity until your ears are healed completely. This can be very challenging for children, particularly if they have had this surgery during the school year, when they may be tempted to roughhouse or play sports on the playground.

Is Ear Surgery Right for You?

Ear surgery produces almost immediate results, and most adults and children are thrilled with what they see.

Not sure if ear surgery is right for you? If you are considering ear surgery, ask yourself these questions:

• Am I pleased with the shape of my ears?
• Do my ears protrude from my head?
• Do my ears look too large for my head?
• Do I try to cover up or conceal the look of my ears?

If you are a parent and you’re considering the procedure for your child, you should ask yourself:

• Do my child’s ears protrude too far from the head?
• Are his or her ears enlarged?
• Is my child being teased constantly for the size and shape of his or her ears?

If you have answered yes to any of these questions, then you should consider ear plastic surgery.

Will Health Insurance Pay for Ear Surgery?

It often depends upon the underlying purpose of the procedure. If ear surgery is done solely for cosmetic purposes, then health insurance will not cover it. However, in some cases insurance may cover ear surgery for treatment from an accident, injury, or birth defect.

Because there are wide variations in insurance policies, you should speak with your insurance representative for more information.

Convenient, Effective Ear Surgery Is Available

Are you concerned that your son or daughter is being teased at school because of the look of their ears? Are you tired of your ears being the first thing that others notice about you? Perhaps you or your child can benefit from an otoplasty. Schedule an appointment for ear surgery with Zormeier Cosmetic Surgery & Longevity Center in Noblesville, IN today.

Everybody ages differently, and the only thing we can be sure of is that we will all age eventually. If you notice your skin isn’t as tight as it once was, you feel your face isn’t as full, or you’re seeing wrinkles and folds that weren’t there a few years ago, you have options. Cosmetic medicine has so many innovative solutions to minimize or reverse the signs of aging, you don’t have to live with these unwelcomed changes. Call Zormeier Cosmetic Surgery & Longevity Center in Noblesville, IN to schedule a consultation to discuss how Sculptra can turn back the hands of time for your skin.

What Is Sculptra?

Sculptra is an FDA approved injectable designed to temporarily restore lost volume to specific areas of the face.

When we’re young, our faces are naturally full, making our skin tight and smooth. As we age, the structure of our skin breaks down and we can lose areas of volume. The cheeks, cheekbones and temporal areas are typical places that can hollow with age. Sculptra works by getting our bodies to rebuild the skin’s structure from the inside out.

How It Works

Do you have unwanted wrinkles or expression lines on your face that cause you to feel self-conscious? Perhaps you are seeing the effects of aging in your skin and would like to look more youthful and energized. If you deal with any of these problems, then you are not alone. Many are looking for a non-invasive, fast-acting way to diminish the signs of aging within their complexion. If you are seeking a solution, you may have heard of Dysport, which is just one of the many skin treatments we offer here at Zormeier Cosmetic Surgery & Longevity Center.

You may wonder what Dysport is and what the key benefits are of this injection. In this article, we will address these common questions. We will also discuss some other conditions it can treat, who qualifies as a candidate, and what you can expect from your treatment.

What Is Dysport?

Dysport is an injection of a neurotoxin called BobotulinumtoxinA, or ABO, that causes a temporary reduction in muscle activity by blocking the nerve activity in the muscles. This injection can be used in different areas of the body, such as the face, neck, arms, and legs.

How It Works

ABO is a neurotoxin, which means it inhibits neuron control over the communication between neuron across a synapse. This simply means that it keeps neurons from being able to communicate with each other. It achieves this by binding to nerve muscles to block the transmission of signals between the brain and the muscle, keeping the muscle from contracting.

It is injected into the affected area directly by one of our qualified doctors and works to relax the muscles instantly, softening the surface of the skin and preventing further development of wrinkles or occurrences of spasms.

Uses

This injection has many uses that can help with both cosmetic and health conditions. These include aging skin, cervical dystonia, and limb spasticity.

Aging Skin

Dysport is more commonly used as a cosmetic treatment for wrinkles and lines in the face as a result of aging. One of the most commonly known conditions is glabellar lines, which are the vertical lines that appear between the eyebrows as a result of scowling, frowning, or even intently focusing while listening or reading. The injection will keep the muscles involved in these actions from moving, preventing the lines from worsening.

It can also be used to prevent and get rid of crow’s feet, droopy noses or mouth corners, and sagging neck skin. The injection will fill in the area around the muscles, reducing and eventually eliminating their appearance for a more youthful, smoother look.

Cervical Dystonia

There are many neurological disorders that can cause involuntary muscle spasms, and these spasms can have a major detrimental effect on one’s quality of life. One of these conditions is cervical dystonia, which is also known as spasmodic torticollis.

This painful condition causes the muscles in the neck to contract involuntarily, which causes your head to turn or twist to one side and even tilt forward or backward uncontrollably. By using the injection to block the movement of the muscles, you can avoid the painful sudden muscle spasms that come with this condition.

Limb Spasticity

Limb spasticity can occur in both children and adults when the nerve cells that are responsible for carrying messages from the brain to different body parts are damaged. This can cause the affected muscles in the limbs to receive the wrong signals, making them tense up and contract. This leads to tightness and stiffness in the muscles and can affect your ability to perform even the simplest of tasks. Some common health conditions that cause limb spasticity include cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis (MS), and stroke.

The botulinum injection can be used as therapy for this condition. It is injected directly into the affected leg or arm muscles by one of our qualified specialists, allowing it to block these wrong signals from the brain temporarily. This keeps the muscles from tightening or contracting for months at a time. It can be used for the upper and lower limbs for adults and for the lower limbs for pediatric patients over two years old.

What Are the Key Benefits of Dysport?

Now that you know what the Dysport injection is and how it works, you will also need to know the benefits of this treatment. This will help you further in your decision-making process. Many users choose this treatment because it is non-invasive, safe, convenient, and effective. It can also help improve the quality of your life and provide a pleasing cosmetic result.

Non-Invasive

There is no need to have any surgery using this treatment because of the nature of the injection. The doctor will inject the ABO directly into the muscles of the affected area, so there is no need to cut through any skin or tissues to get to any muscles. This also keeps the post-treatment downtime and recovery period to a minimum.

Safe

Neurotoxins are safe when injected in small amounts, and each injection typically only contains up to 0.05 milliliters of ABO. This ensures that you will not receive too much and prevent negative effects on your skin and muscles.

Convenient

The treatment is all done in-office without requiring hospitalization or an overnight stay. In fact, one treatment may take only 10-20 minutes, allowing you to move on with the rest of your day!

Effective

Though it only takes a short time to complete the injections, most patients see improvements in as little as 2-3 days. And you won’t have to retreat often, because initial results can last for up to four months before you may need another injection.

Improved Quality of Life

Having wrinkles, lines, or sagging skin can cause you to feel self-conscious as you live your life. Using this injection can help to improve the way you feel about your appearance and make you feel more self-confident. And if you’re looking for the treatment as a means of therapy, you can have relief from painful muscle stiffness and spasms for months at a time.

Cosmetics

Because such a small amount of solution is injected, you can achieve a very natural end result. The more you exercise the muscles after the injection, the more the solution will work into them, softening them and smoothing out the skin. This prevents the development of the notorious “frozen look” that keeps your muscles from moving naturally when nearby muscles are engaging. You will still be able to keep smiling, frowning, and laughing naturally without any wrinkles or lines.

Who Is a Candidate for Dysport?

There are several factors that decide who qualifies for the treatment and who does not.

Who Is a Candidate

If you have wrinkles or sagging skin on your face or neck and would like to achieve a more youthful look, then you can benefit from this treatment. ABO is typically recommended for people who have moderate to severe glabellar lines. If you’re looking to the injection as therapy for a muscle condition, then you may qualify as long as you are two years of age or older depending on your health condition.

Who Is Not a Candidate

Though it can be used for other conditions like spasticity for children, this injection can not be used on children younger than two years of age. It also can not be used on adults with a cow milk protein allergy, an allergy to any of the ingredients in the ABO, or an infection of the skin at the injection site.

There are some conditions, however, that you can consult with your doctor over to see if you can still undergo treatment. Some of these conditions that may or may not prevent you from being a candidate include:

• Pregnancy/Breastfeeding
• Active cold sores
• Neurological Disorders
• Muscle weakness
• Surgery in the affected area
• Deep facial scars
• Sagging eyelid folds
• Droopy eyelids
• Mild glabellar lines
• Inflammation at the injection site
• Oily, thick skin

It is always important to have a consult with your healthcare provider before the treatment to discuss all medications, allergies, and conditions before proceeding with treatment. This will help you determine if you’re a candidate or not so that treatment can be completed safely and effectively.

The Treatment Process

If you feel that Dysport will benefit you and you qualify as a candidate, then you can successfully begin treatment. There is a process to follow to make sure the treatment is safe and efficient.

The Consult

You will first need to have a consult with one of our qualified doctors in which you disclose your medications, past and current health history, and past surgical and treatment history. In this appointment, the doctor will also conduct an examination of your skin and use this information to determine if you are a candidate. If you are a candidate, the doctor will answer all your questions and give you pre-treatment instructions.

Before Treatment

You will be directed to avoid any over-the-counter blood-thinning medications as well as some herbal supplements like Ginkgo Biloba, garlic, vitamin E, and omega-3 capsules for 5-7 days before treatment.

You will want to avoid any anti-aging products like AHAs, glycolic acid, Retinols, Retinoids, and Retin-A 2-3 days before treatment, as well as any hair removal products or actions like tweezing, waxing, or bleaching. You also want to avoid drinking any alcoholic beverages for 24 hours before treatment and arrive at your appointment with a clean, bare face.


During Treatment

During treatment, the doctor will apply a mild anesthetic before the injections. The doctor will then inject 0.05 milliliters of ABO in up to five areas around the eyebrows and forehead to treat frown lines. If you are having other areas treated, the doctor will inject directly into those muscles using a safe, pre-determined amount of ABO.

After Treatment

There are several steps you can take after treatment to make sure it is as successful and comfortable as possible.

Things to Do

After treatment, it is recommended that you exercise the muscles around the area(s) treated to help work the solution into the muscles. You may take Tylenol or another acetaminophen if needed. You also want to make sure you apply plenty of sunscreen in the days afterward.

Things to Avoid

You may be instructed not to lie down for a few hours after treatment. You also want to avoid strenuous activity and long periods of bending over immediately after the injection. Do not put excessive pressure on the area that was treated for the first few days, especially when applying makeup or cleansing.

Avoid any extended UV exposure until any changes in the skin have subsided. Don’t receive any other skincare or laser treatment at least 24 hours after your injection. You also want to avoid alcoholic beverages for at least 24 hours.

Your Journey to Younger Skin

We understand how important your skin is to you and how much having wrinkles, lines, or unwanted spasms can impact your life. It is our goal to help you achieve the skin that you desire. If you have any further questions about Dysport or want to see if you qualify as a candidate, set up a consult at Zormeier Cosmetic Surgery & Longevity Center in Noblesville, IN. We look forward to helping you with your skincare needs.