Lop-earedness in children and adults: causes, methods of correction. Lop-earedness - how to get rid of a congenital defect

Lop-earedness is a congenital anomaly of the auricle, in which its shape and size remain normal. In this case, the ears do not fit to the head. Such an anomaly is not dangerous. The only reason to have surgery is to eliminate aesthetic unattractiveness.

Causes of protruding ears in children

Heredity is the most common cause of the disease. An anomaly may appear in a child if a great-grandfather or a distant relative suffered from it. At the same time, you should not panic if your spouse has protruding ears. It is possible that the baby will not inherit the pathology.

Another reason due to which protrusion appears is improper intrauterine development. During pregnancy, you should be attentive to your body, get all the necessary nutrients and try not to endure infectious diseases.

What to do if ears stick out?

There are several ways to fix the problem. If you are not ready for the operation, then try to convince your baby that his peculiarity is not a reason for dissatisfaction with himself. Will Smith and Kate Hudson have achieved unprecedented heights on the Hollywood Olympus. At the same time, they had very noticeable "auditory shells" from birth. Pathology could not break their lives and did not make them feel worse than others. You must inspire the child that he is beautiful and he will succeed!

If the child has lop-eared ears, then try to choose a hairstyle that hides the flaw. In no case do not make the girl buns and tails that completely open her ears. Stop your joint choice on mischievous curls, neat strands in front and volume in the back. These tricks will allow you to adjust the nuances of appearance.

Surgery: pros and cons

Otoplasty is an operation that corrects defects in the ear. Experts unanimously declare that such a problem as protruding ears should be addressed as early as possible. Why?

• In childhood, the ear cartilage is just being formed. It is malleable to surgical interventions, quickly and easily takes the correct shape.
• Ear cartilage recovers and heals faster after surgery.
• The sooner you eliminate protruding ears, the less the child will be injured. Mental trauma can begin in a child as early as kindergarten.

Prominent ears can be cured without any problems with a silicone mold. But it is important not to miss the moment, because such a correction is possible only up to 6 months. In the future, the anomaly will have to be eliminated only surgically. Until recently, bulges were treated with a patch or a tight bandage. This kind of self-treatment does not correct the anomaly, instead it can harm the pinna.

Otoplasty is recommended for children over 6 years of age. At this time, the auricle should be fully formed. Sometimes, on the recommendation of a doctor, surgery is transferred up to 6-7 years. If a child has protruding ears, otoplasty will permanently solve the problem.

Otoplasty helps:

• correct the position of the auricle;
• change the shape or size of the ear;
• correct the position if one ear sticks out more than the other.

How is the procedure carried out?

At the initial examination, the surgeon examines the child, learns about the patient's allergic reaction, and prescribes a series of tests. The specialist should find out if the protrusion of the shells is a factor that confuses the child. After all, without the consent of the crumbs, the operation will not be carried out.

On the day of the correction, the child is given anesthesia. The surgeon makes a small incision behind the auricle. Then natural tissues or prostheses are used, with the help of which the optimal shape of the ear is modeled. If necessary, remove unnecessary remnants of cartilage. The result is fixed with a surgical thread, which is subsequently removed.

The manipulation lasts about two hours. A few more hours the patient is under the supervision of specialists. Then he can return home.

Like any surgical intervention, the correction of protruding ears in children is accompanied by health risks. The child may have a small scar, infection or blood poisoning may occur.

Before you start treatment, think carefully and consult with your child. After all, any disadvantage can be turned into a virtue. Most importantly, just love yourself for who you are.

Lop-earedness is a congenital anomaly of the outer part of the ear, in which it is located not parallel to the temporal bone, but at an angle of 31-90 degrees.

Lop-earedness is a fairly common phenomenon: about 50% of people have at least its initial stage. This pathology is equally common in both sexes, but women can hide protruding ears with hairstyles, which makes it seem that men are more susceptible to it. Children and adolescents suffer the most from this defect, often leading to the development of an inferiority complex in adulthood.

As a rule, protruding ears are of the usual structure and size, but they are incorrectly located in relation to the head. The formation of the auricle begins to occur at 3 months of pregnancy, and all internal folds - at 6. Lop-earedness can be seen immediately after the birth of the child and its correction can be carried out in the first 6 months of his life. At this age, protruding ears can be corrected without surgery: to do this, you need to fix the auricle in a new position using a special form of silicone called a “protruding ear corrector”. Thus, it is possible to correct protruding ears at home. And although there is no 100% guarantee that the defect will disappear completely, most still manage to smooth out protruding ears. The operation is performed if this procedure was not carried out in the first six months after the birth of the baby, since after 6 months of the child's life, the cartilage of the auricle becomes stronger.

According to medical standards, the ideal position of the outer ear in relation to the head should be 30 degrees, the contours of the outer part of the ear should be parallel to the cheek, and the gap between the edge of the ear and the head should be up to 2 cm. If the head and ear form an angle of more than 30 degrees, then this is interpreted like deafness.

In total, 3 degrees of lop-earedness are distinguished.

1. If the angle between the ear and the head is 31-45 degrees - this is the first degree. With her, the defect is not pronounced, women can easily hide it with their hair.
2. The second degree is characterized by an angle of more than 45 degrees. With this degree, lop-earedness is quite noticeable.
3. In the third degree, the angle between the head and the ear is 90 degrees. In this case, the defect is pronounced.

Causes of protruding ears

Lop-earedness is a congenital anomaly. As a rule, it affects both ears, but in some cases, protrusion can be in one ear. For the most effective correction of the defect, it is necessary to correctly determine the location of the ear in relation to the head.

Protruding ears can be caused by one or more developmental features of the ear during the embryonic period. The reasons for the development of droopy ears include the following factors:

• The most common cause of droopy ears is heredity. Even if the child's parents have normal ears, the presence of this defect in grandparents can cause the baby to develop protruding ears;
• individual feature of development. In some cases, the ears may begin to develop abnormally during embryonic development. At the same time, they can be underdeveloped, characterized by a smoothness of the antihelix or have hypertrophy of the cartilage of the auricle;
• severe protrusion of the earlobe;
• deformation of the shape of the ear curl at the end;
• protruding ears can be combined with macrotia - a strong increase in the ear evenly along the entire length. The size of a normal ear is quite variable, but in some cases the ears may be disproportionate to the head. This can occur with isolated, very rapid growth of the ear or half of the face. Macrotia may be associated with Recklinghausen's neurofibromatosis or congenital vascular disease.

Basic principles of aesthetic correction of protruding ears

There are people who are not ashamed of their protruding ears and even consider it their “highlight”, while others, on the contrary, are very complex about this. And yet most people try to hide their lop-earedness. Many are born with protruding ears, but this does not mean that they will suffer from lop-earedness throughout their lives. Over the years, the bones of the skull increase greatly, and protruding ears can almost disappear. It is possible to carry out an operation to eliminate this defect not earlier than 6-8 years old and only if the parents have a certificate from a doctor indicating that the child really has a pronounced protruding ear. Correcting protruding ears at an early age can save the baby from mental suffering and contribute to the formation of normal self-esteem. By the age of 6-8 years, the outer ear of the child is formed by 90%. In adulthood, there are practically no restrictions on the operation to correct protruding ears. However, otoplasty (a procedure in which the doctor changes the size and structure of the outer ear) is not performed on patients with impaired blood clotting function, with endocrine disorders, malignant tumors, a predisposition to the formation of rough scars, inflammatory or infectious processes in the inner or outer part ear.

Although the operation to eliminate protruding ears is quite popular, and its implementation is technically simple, the approach to each patient should be selected individually.

The operation to correct the protruding ears is an aesthetic procedure, since its purpose is to eliminate a defect that does not pose a danger to the human body. However, this fact does not diminish the significance of the procedure in improving the quality of human life. If the patient seeks medical help, then he has serious psychological problems.

Correction of protruding ears by otoplasty

Before the operation, the patient should be checked for any diseases. The scope of the examination depends entirely on what kind of anesthesia the doctor will use during the procedure. Two weeks before surgery, it is recommended to give up drugs that affect blood clotting, and smoking, as it negatively affects the process of tissue regeneration. In the evening before the procedure, the patient should wash his hair with shampoo. If the surgery will take place under general anesthesia, then 6 hours before the operation, you can not drink liquids and eat. The patient is photographed before the procedure. This is necessary so that the person can adequately assess the difference before and after the operation.

During the intervention, the surgeon eliminates congenital or acquired defects of the auricles or changes their position. Although otoplasty is considered an easy operation, it still requires an experienced and qualified specialist to perform it. The most favorable shape and location of the future ear is chosen by the doctor, based on the anthropometric parameters of the patient. During the operation, an incision is made behind the fold of the auricle. After that, the surgeon creates such a shape of the cartilage, thanks to which the ear will fit as tightly as possible to the head. In some situations, the elimination of protruding ears is combined with the correction of the ear lobe. The duration of the procedure is from 30 minutes to 1 hour, and is usually well tolerated by patients. After the operation is completed, a roller is put on the ears, which maintains the new position of the cartilage, and on top of it - a bandage or bandage, the function of which is to fix the cartilage. You need to wear a bandage for a month after the operation.

At the moment, more and more doctors perform laser otoplasty. Thanks to the laser scalpel, you can change the structure of the shell and change its location without leaving any traces of surgical intervention.

If all the instructions of the attending physician are followed, there are practically no complications after the operation. The results obtained during the intervention remain for life: no additional procedures are required to maintain them.

Thanks to otoplasty, patients can get rid of psychological suffering and an inferiority complex, and start a full life. After the correction of protruding ears, many become more relaxed and sociable.

Lop-earedness manifests itself at an early age, and throughout life gives a person a lot of inconvenience.

This is one of the most obvious aesthetic flaws that immediately catches the eye.

You can get rid of protruding ears in both conservative and operative ways. We will look at them in more detail in this article.

Causes of protruding ears

Lop-eared refers to aesthetic deviations. It can be provoked by some congenital features of the development of the auricle:

1. Underdevelopment of the antihelix. In this case, only the upper part of the ear is in a protruding position.
2. Hypertrophic cartilaginous structure of the auricle (when the ears protrude completely).
3. Earlobe deformity.

Also, one of the reasons may be heredity - when this feature is inherited from generation to generation.

It happens that lop-earedness is pronounced due to the disproportion of the ears to the facial skeleton. Most often this occurs with a vascular anomaly.

Symptoms

From a medical and aesthetic point of view, the ears should fit close to the head, and the line of the auricle should be parallel to the cheek. An otolaryngologist can confirm the presence of protruding ears.

Such a defect is easy to determine on your own. If a problem is found in a child, it is recommended to contact a specialist who will advise the most effective and safe method of solving it.

Sometimes aesthetic pathology is accompanied by hearing loss, acute pain and frequent otitis media.

The doctor prescribes a magnetic resonance examination and a series of tests to rule out chronic or infectious diseases.

Degrees

The choice of a specific method for correcting a defect depends on its severity. There are three stages of pathology:

1. initial stage(not conspicuous) - protrusion no more than 30⁰ from the head.
2. Second stage(noticeable immediately) - the ear protrudes, making an acute angle of deviation.
3. Third stage(pronounced) - the ears stick out at a right angle.

From the foregoing, we can conclude that a seemingly insignificant cosmetic problem at first glance can lead to serious consequences and psychological trauma!

Ways to fix the defect

Elimination of the defect is possible by non-surgical methods or with the help of surgical intervention.

The most common correction technique is the use of ear correctors. A more effective way is plastic surgery (otoplasty) to change the shape, size, and eliminate any deformities of the auricle.

Surgical intervention

Otoplasty is recommended for children of older preschool age (6-7 years), when the auricles are already formed. The operation does not apply to complex procedures and practically does not cause complications.

Indications

Elimination of a defect with the help of surgical intervention is indicated in such cases:

• wrong shape;
• before the age of seven, it was not possible to correct the shape in a conservative way;
• if the angle between the ear and the back of the head increases;
• smoothness of the antihelix and the anterior part of the auricle;
• asymmetry;
• psychological discomfort;
• injuries or ruptures of the auditory organ.

Otoplasty can be performed at any stage of the development of protruding ears, both in children and adults.

Contraindications

If you cannot do without otoplasty to fix the problem, you should carefully read the list of contraindications before the procedure.

The operation can not be done with the following diseases and features of the body:

• acute or chronic form of diseases of internal organs;
• problems with the thyroid gland and blood clotting;
• cardiovascular diseases, diabetes mellitus;
• tendency to allergic reactions;
• any tumors;
• wounds or irritations in the potentially operated area;
• inflammatory processes of the auricle and jaw, otitis media;

Some contraindications are relative, which allows the procedure to be performed after the obstructing symptoms have been eliminated.

In the video, see how plastic surgery of the auricles is performed.

Preparing for the operation

If the patient is taking any medications, this should be reported to the doctor who will perform the operation.

It is strictly forbidden to take Aspirin, Citramon, Pentalgin and other drugs containing acetylsalicylic acid before surgery, because the substance helps to thin the blood, and during the operation the risk of bleeding increases.

Two days before otoplasty, it is not recommended to use cosmetics that can get into the ears. For a few weeks, you should stop smoking and drinking alcohol. On the day of surgery, you should eat light meals and limit fluid intake.

A few days before the procedure, the doctor examines the patient, measures the parameters of each organ separately, prescribes tests:

• general and biochemical blood test;
• general urine analysis;
• fluorography and ECG.

It is necessary to first agree with the specialist on the future shape of the organs. It is also important to discuss the optimal angle of departure of the auricle from the back of the head. It is possible to simulate and see the result of otoplasty on a computer.

Shift back method

This is the classic form correction method. With this technique, the specialist performs the following manipulations:

1. After sterile treatment of the operated area, an incision (no more than 2 cm) is made on the back wall of the organ, and a skin area is excised.
2. The cartilage is partially removed or shaped so that the shell has an aesthetic appearance.
3. Small stitches (no more than 3 mm) are applied behind the ear using special needles of different calibers.
4. Sterile medical napkins are applied to the operated area, a bandage is put on and cold is applied.

It is the seams that maintain the necessary shape of the auricle.

The operation lasts from 30 minutes to two hours, depending on the amount of work. General anesthesia is used in rare cases, most often a local anesthetic is used.

Method for correcting deformities of the antihelix

This technique can be performed by suturing to artificially restore the antihelix or by modifying the cartilage.

It is possible to combine these two technologies.

Suture technique

The suture technique involves making an incision on the back of the cartilage. After its thinning, several sutures are applied, which form a fold of the antihelix.

When suturing, the anterior wall of the organ is not affected. Horizontal seams should be close together to avoid shirring.

It is important to strictly observe the technology of suturing. The slightest mistake will lead to deformation of the cartilage and the upper part of the ear.

Seamless technique

When cartilage is corrugated, permanent sutures are not applied, which eliminates the possibility of rejection of a foreign body.

This procedure consists in making an incision behind the organ and injecting. As a result, the cartilage splits, and the edges of the antihelix take the correct position.

Laser technique

Laser otoplasty is performed using the same technology as the classical operation. But the advantages of the laser technique are that the incisions are made more accurately and the patient practically does not feel pain during the procedure. The duration of laser otoplasty is 20-30 minutes.

The laser scalpel has coagulating properties, so there is no bleeding during the operation.

The doctor fixes the cartilage in the desired position and sutures it in the same way as in the classical method of otoplasty.

Rehabilitation

As a rule, the recovery period does not last long. If you follow certain rules of behavior after the operation, there will be no unpleasant consequences.

Otoplasty does not involve the patient being in a hospital. A few hours after the operation, the patient goes home.

Only in the case of general anesthesia, a stay in the clinic is required throughout the day. The stitches are usually removed after 10-14 days. The final results can be assessed six months after the operation.

1. A sterile dressing must be worn for six days, and put on for another month before going to bed.
2. Two weeks after the procedure, you can not wash your hair and take a bath.
3. Up to two months, large physical exertion is prohibited.
4. You should avoid going to the sauna, swimming pool, prolonged exposure to the sun.

Possible Complications

During surgery, only the skin and ear cartilage are affected. Therefore, serious complications after the procedure are extremely rare.

A few days after the correction, the patient may feel discomfort and moderate pain in the operated area.

Edema and hematomas may appear at the incision sites (but not in the case of laser otoplasty). Sometimes there is a slight numbness of the shell.

These postoperative effects disappear after 1-2 weeks. Painkillers can be taken to relieve unpleasant symptoms.

More serious complications are of the following nature:

• allergic manifestations (may occur after the use of a local anesthetic);
• the formation of blood clots;
• inflammation of the ear cartilage, which leads to the formation of keloid scars;
• tissue necrosis;
• extensive hematoma, which can lead to ear deformity.

If the operation was performed by a professional surgeon, serious complications and the return of protruding ears are impossible!

Alternative Correction

Doctors differently estimate the age until which you can get rid of protruding ears without surgery. Some believe that non-surgical methods are effective only in the first six months of a child's life.

Other doctors suggest that up to seven years there is a high probability of effective correction of the form without surgery. There are cases when all signs of pathology disappear as the bones of the skull grow older and grow.

The most effective non-surgical method is the use of silicone correctors. Modern manufacturers have developed proofreaders for children, women and men of any age. Although doctors question the effectiveness of devices for adults.

Silicone molds are applied to dry, clean skin. They need to be fixed on a certain part of the ear and not change the location in the future.

In general, correctors from different manufacturers are recommended from birth or from the age of three months.

In young children, a positive result is noticeable, after 3-6 months of wear, older children will need to wear correctors for about two years to achieve the desired effect.

Price

The cost of otoplasty largely depends on the prestige of the clinic, the region, the professionalism of the doctor, the technique used, the materials and the quality of the equipment.

In the provinces, the price of such a service is much lower than its cost in large cities. Also, in public clinics, otoplasty is performed at affordable prices.

The most expensive technique is laser otoplasty. The average price is from 50 to 80 thousand rubles. A classic operation costs an average of 30 to 45 thousand rubles. In provincial cities, the price of the service starts from 15 thousand rubles.

If the operation was unsuccessful, re-correction is usually also paid. You should discuss the possibility of this situation with your doctor in advance.

You can learn about how laser otoplasty is performed from the video.

Protruding ears or protruding ears - a disadvantage caused by deformation of the auricle. Most often this is a congenital problem, but sometimes the curvature occurs due to a severe head injury.

Doctors do not consider this condition a manifestation of the disease, protruding ears do not affect health and do not interfere with a normal life. But if we consider the situation from the point of view of aesthetics, then protruding ears cause strong complexes in men and women at different ages.

Ideal ears: anatomical norms

The formation of the ear in utero begins at the end of the first trimester.

The auricle appears completely by the end of pregnancy. The shape of these parts of the body is individual for each.

According to statistics, every second baby appears with protruding ears. Before the age of six months, this can be corrected, as the cartilage is elastic.

More often, the unattractive shape of the ears begins to be noticed in adolescence. Parents bring their children to a plastic surgeon to correct the mistakes of nature. But surgery in childhood is performed only if there are indications for this.

Doctors have their own symmetry standards, from which they start when diagnosing lop-earedness:

• the distance between the edge of the ear and the skull should not exceed 20 mm;
• the angle of inclination should not exceed 30 degrees;
• Ideally, the ears are parallel to the cheeks.

If the ears do not stick out according to the norms, then a correction is carried out. There are several methods that can radically change a person's face.

Getting rid of protruding ears: effective methods

The human auricle has an individual structure and shape. But too protruding ears look ridiculous.

Modern medicine proposes to carry out a correction, which consists in actions of varying complexity:

1. Application of silicone molds- invisible devices that can visually transform the appearance of a person by gluing the auricle to the scalp. They give a temporary result and are not able to change the shape of the cartilage.
2. Choosing the right hairstyle- this method is suitable for girls. Long hair will cover the imperfect part of the head and transform the whole image.
3. Otoplasty- Plastic surgery. It is carried out in medical institutions from the age of ten.

Surgeons refuse to correct the auricles for children. Before reaching the allowed age, you should choose a suitable hairstyle for your child or buy a silicone corrector.

Suitable hairstyles for protruding ears

Protruding ears can be hidden from others. A well-chosen hairstyle will allow you to avoid complexes and grins from peers. The hairdresser will help you choose the best option. Here are some tips to follow if you want to hide ugly protruding ears:

If the defect is minor, then it is better to refuse the operation. Many people skillfully hide protruding ears and do not complex about it at all. A hairstyle can be a real salvation for girls.

Ear correctors: features of use and advantages

How to fix protruding ears with correctors? Such devices have appeared recently, but people are happy to acquire them to hide a natural flaw. You should not save and use glue or adhesive tape, they can harm, irritate the skin or provoke allergies.

Invisible silicone correctors are offered by leading pharmaceutical companies. The product is made from a safe material that is suitable even for children. If you want to hide protruding ears without surgery, then this method is ideal.

Benefits of ear correctors:

• invisible to other people - transparent silicone is not striking. Therefore, the product can be used by girls and boys with a short haircut;
• safe glue is used - multi-layer application allows you to use the corrector for a week;
• You don't have to take them off when you play sports or swim in the water.

Of course, the corrector does not eliminate protruding ears. This product masks a flaw. After a week of silicone application, it is necessary to put on a new pair of corrective overlays.

Mode of application

It is convenient to use ear correctors for adults and children. Regardless of the manufacturer, they are used in the same way:

1. It is necessary to wipe the ear and scalp with a solution. Often the liquid is supplied as a kit. Do not use oil-based products. This action allows you to degrease the surface of the skin.
2. Hair should be fastened at the crown so that it does not get under the adhesive base. Before peeling off the protective layer from silicone, you need to roughly determine the place of attachment.
3. The protective layer is first removed from only one side of the lens. The corrector is attached to the back of the ear.
4. Peel off the protective layer on the other side. The tip of the ear is pressed against the head - the latch works.

The opinion of doctors is only positive. Experts believe that such correctors can even correct protruding ears if they are used from birth.

Of course, up to six months you can put on a baby cap, the cap will press down on weak cartilage and give the ear the desired shape. After the child is one year old, silicone lenses can be used. This is an excellent prevention of protruding ears.

People's reviews

Anna, 18 years old:

I use correctors when doing my hair or high ponytail. You have to buy about 20 pairs a year. This suits me, since an operation in Moscow to correct protruding ears costs 50,000 rubles.

Andrey, 40 years old:

I bought correctors for my son, the first time he began to wear them at 3 years old. By the age of ten, protruding ears were not so conspicuous. I am glad that there are such devices, they really help to deal with complexes.

Ekaterina, 35 years old:

I have always suffered from protruding ears, correctors have become a salvation for me. At work, they generally thought that I had an operation.

Changing the shape of the auricle with surgery

Lop-eared teenagers especially suffer from complexes. Therefore, parents often bring their children to a plastic surgeon to correct the situation.

Ideally, surgery is allowed from the age of seven, at this age the cartilage tissues are fully formed.

Preparation for the operation is carried out within a week. The patient needs to pass tests, ECG and fluorography. If no abnormalities are found, then the person will undergo otoplasty. But this intervention has contraindications:

• diabetes;
• inflammatory diseases;
• tumors.

It is also necessary to inform the specialist about what medications are currently being taken by the patient. It is possible that some of them will have to stop drinking.

For example, Aspirin thins the blood, so it is forbidden to use it before any surgical interventions, so as not to provoke blood loss.

Otoplasty and postoperative period

The operation is performed using local anesthesia. For children, surgery is done under general anesthesia.

If the child has problems with the work of the heart, otoplasty will have to be abandoned.

The operation consists of an incision in the area behind the ear. Excess cartilage tissue is removed, the shape is corrected. In modern clinics, a laser is used for manipulations.

Otoplasty lasts no more than an hour. During this time, excess cartilage is removed, correction is carried out and a suture is applied. After surgery, patients complain of tingling, but there is no severe pain.

A slight swelling may occur two days after the intervention. An increase in temperature and severe pain is a reason to go to the clinic where the manipulations were performed. Even to achieve the desired result, the patient wears special rollers. The stitches are removed on the tenth day. During recovery, it is forbidden to wet the area where the incision was made. You can't cool off yet.

The cost of correcting deafness

Protruding ears are a problem, but they can be dealt with. The cost of each manipulation is different.

The cheapest and easiest way is to mask the ears with a hairstyle or hats. Teenagers often do this, especially when their parents cannot afford to pay for the operation.

Ear correctors can be bought for 250-400 rubles a pair. It is more profitable to buy a pack of 8-20 pieces. It should be borne in mind that one pair of silicone lenses will be worn for no more than ten days, you need to buy 3-4 for a month. 30-40 pieces are spent per year, the amount is rather big.

The cost of surgical intervention depends on the region in which the clinic is located. The price for otoplasty does not exceed 60,000 rubles. In plastic surgery, such manipulation is considered simple, so the cost is affordable. But this method will save you from problems and complexes for life.

Attention, only TODAY!

Lop-earedness cannot be called a disease. It is rather an anatomical feature that in most cases appears in children from birth. It does not harm health, but contributes to the appearance of complexes. Most people with protruding ears are embarrassed by their appearance and hide a "cosmetic flaw" under a long hair. If you notice protruding ears in your child, consider taking the necessary measures. In the article we will tell you what are the causes of this defect, how to correct it in children and whether it is possible to do without surgery. Read carefully!

Degrees of protruding ears

Statistics tell us that about 3% of the world's population has protruding ears. The size of the auricles in most of them is normal.

Lop-earedness in children is different. In medicine, there are 3 degrees of a cosmetic defect:

1. First degree. The ears are protruding at an angle of 31 to 45 degrees. Such a defect is very easy to hide with a hairstyle.
2. Second degree. The angle can be 45 degrees or more. The protrusion becomes noticeable and difficult to hide.
3. Third degree. The angle is 90 degrees. This is the last degree of lop-earedness, which is almost impossible to hide.

Causes of protruding ears in childhood

Lop-earedness in children may appear due to:

1. Bad heredity. This is the most common cause of a cosmetic defect. Most lop-eared people have relatives who live with the same problem.
2. Trauma Some injuries can cause your baby's ears to stick out.
3. Incorrect position of the fetus or narrow pelvis in the mother. These factors can affect the appearance of the future child.
4. Unsuccessful childbirth. Sometimes it happens that the cause of protruding ears in children is an unsuccessful birth, or more precisely, a caesarean section.

Elimination of protruding ears in children without surgery

There are two news. One is good, the other is bad. The good news is that you can remove protruding ears from a child at home. The bad news is that ears can only be corrected in infants up to 6 months old. If your baby is older, only surgery can correct the situation.

To eliminate protruding ears in children under the age of 6 months, you need to wear a special bandage on your head. It must be worn for six months. She will press the ears to the head in such a way that the cartilage will get used to the correct position and will forever be fixed in it. Also for this purpose, special silicone proofreaders were invented.

It is worth saying that fixing at home may not help. Many doctors recommend against resorting to such treatment and consider it harmful. Guarantee 100% result is possible only with surgical intervention.

Operation

Elimination of protruding ears in children is guaranteed only through surgery. Surgery to correct the shape and size of the ears is called otoplasty. The procedure is carried out for children from 6 years old.

The operation is quite easy and almost never gives complications. The essence of surgical treatment is that the doctor changes the shape of the cartilage, cutting out its extra parts. Then the surgeon stitches and puts a bandage on the patient, which must be worn for several days. Babies under 12 years of age are operated under general anesthesia, and older children under local anesthesia. The consequences of surgery remain invisible, since the scar is small and hides behind the ears. The procedure can also be performed with a laser method. It is considered less traumatic and leaves no traces at all.

Not everyone can get rid of protruding ears with the help of surgery. Before the procedure, it is necessary to pass a lot of tests, since surgical intervention has contraindications. It cannot be done with:

• diabetes
• syphilis;
• HIV infection;
• hepatitis B;
• oncological diseases;
• infectious diseases, etc.

Is the game worth the candle

Recall that protruding ears in children are only a cosmetic problem. It doesn't need to be corrected at all. If you do not want to resort to surgery, teach your baby not to complex about appearance. There are many people in the world with a similar problem, and this does not prevent them from living in any way.