An ear reconstruction procedure includes multiple options, and the final choice depends on the needs of the patient and the condition of the ears. Otoplasty is when prominent ears are addressed while patients can also suffer from ear defects (from trauma or cancer surgery) and microtia repair (malformed or missing ears). When the surgeon is performing otoplasty or addressing ear defects, cartilage and skin is removed in order to reshape the ears and sutures hold it in place while healing. During microtia repair, a new ear is made using cartilage and tissue or an artificial ear is created.

A good candidate for ear reconstruction includes someone who is not happy with the look of their ears, and this could be a student teased by classmates or an adult that has a bad self-image due to the size of their ears. A good ear reconstruction candidate also includes someone who has suffered some form of trauma to the ears, or they have ears that either deformed or missing a section of the ears. In general, children need to be at least five or six years of age and adults of any age are good candidates.

Ear reconstruction recovery depends on the procedure choice and the amount of work that the doctor performed. The head will need to be wrapped with padded cotton bandages before moving on to a headband that will hold the ears in place. Patients need to expect a recovery time of four to six weeks. Ear reconstruction results will be visible soon after the surgery but the final, permanent, results can take a year to appear.

The average ear reconstruction cost in Los Angeles ranges from $3000-$7000. The final cost varies by the surgical technique that was used, how much work was performed, and if the procedure was on one ear or both ears.

Cosmetic Town can help patients find their ear reconstruction surgeon thanks to the number of doctors listed on the website. Each doctor is board-certified and experienced and can provide patients with the information they need about having ear reconstruction surgery.