It’s no secret that children can sometimes be very cruel, they are able to notice even the most minor flaws in the appearance or character of others and mercilessly ridicule them. Lop-eared ears, as a rule, are never left unattended. The guys who have such a problem, especially from their peers.
As a result, they become insecure, notorious. Some constant quibbles and “teasers” make them angry and overly aggressive.
If bulging ears bring a lot of problems to the child and prevent him from coexisting with his peers, you should think about the need to get rid of this defect. Lop-earedness in children, especially strongly pronounced, is recommended to be eliminated in childhood also because this age is considered the best time for this.
If bulged ears do not bring any problems to the baby or are practically not noticeable under the hair, they may well be left alone, perhaps in the future they will even become a “highlight” of the grown-up child. Well, if the lop-ear suddenly begins to interfere with it, the defect can be eliminated at any time by performing a simple operation.
How to get rid of lop-eared at home
There is an opinion that the lop-ear without an operation can be eliminated at an early age simply by sticking the protruding ears to the head at night with a medical patch. Doctors consider such a procedure ineffective and even vice versa harmful. This is due to the fact that the plaster can not only provoke inflammatory processes on the very delicate skin of a child, but also provoke deformation of the auricle.
It is believed that a little correct lop-eared babies can be a different way. To do this, they need to constantly wear (even at night) a tennis band, a special elastic bandage, a thick thin cap or kerchief. All these devices should be well pressed ears to the head. Experts in the effectiveness of this method, like the previous one, doubt, therefore, do not recommend using it.
Another more benign and at the same time more effective way of removing lop-eared ears can be considered special silicone molds. Such devices fix the ear in a certain position and gradually bring the ears to the normal position. However, this method can only be used for children under six months old, since older children have cartilage already stabilized and the elimination of lop-eared hair without the help of surgeons becomes almost impossible. Ideally, such forms should be used almost immediately after birth, when the tissues are still soft and easily corrected.
At a later age without surgery, it is possible to remove protruding ears only with the help of a hairstyle. Of course, the hair laid in a certain way will not completely get rid of the problem, but will only hide it from the eyes of others and allow the child to feel comfortable in society. If the defect is not very pronounced, it will be easy to find the right haircut or styling, especially for girls. For example, it may be a bob, a Greek hairstyle, a bob, for boys haircuts that have a length up to the middle of the ear. The pronounced lop-eared, hairstyles can be worn only by those that cover their ears well, for example, fluffy curls.
We get rid of by surgical intervention
If you are tired of puzzling how to hide your child’s ears under hair or a headdress, you should think about surgical correction. This procedure is called otoplasty, today it is considered the most effective way to eliminate lop-earedness. Doctors recommend it to spend years in 6-7, when the ears are mostly already formed.
You shouldn’t do it before, because the ears and their tissues are still growing. Another age for otoplasty is not a contraindication. This procedure can be performed for both schoolchildren and adults. The reason why 6-7 years is considered the best time for an operation is that at this age all tissues heal very quickly, and the elimination of lop-eared ears just before the start of school visits will protect the baby from the ridicule of children.
Today, a lop-ear surgery is performed with a laser or scalpel. During it, an incision is made behind the ear, cartilage tissue is released through it and clipped, then it is fastened in a new place. The laser allows you to carry out all these manipulations more accurately and almost bloodless. After the operation, cosmetic seams are applied to the incision site, a bandage is put on and a compression band is put on (elastic bandage). On average, this procedure lasts about an hour. Before her children give general anesthesia, adults and adolescents carry out local anesthesia.
The bandage is removed after about a week, after 2-3 weeks the wounds heal completely and the swelling disappears. From now on, the problem of lop-ears can be forgotten forever.
Cons and pros when getting rid of lop-eared
Lop-earedness, the correction of which is carried out at home with the help of tight dressings or a patch, may well not disappear, therefore all works will be in vain. In addition, such devices are able to deliver considerable discomfort, especially as regards the plaster. The advantages of their use include the absence of special material costs (all you need to spend money on is a plaster, cap or bandage).
Special silicone forms are also not always effective, especially if they are used irregularly. Children older than six months, they will not be able to correct lop-earedness. Of the advantages of the forms, it is worth highlighting the convenience of use, as well as a considerable chance that the problem can still be solved.
As mentioned earlier, the most effective way to correct protruding ears is surgery, it gives a positive result in almost all cases. This is its main advantage. But the disadvantages of this method of eliminating lop-earedness are also quite a few.
These include:
- High cost. Although such an operation is considered simple, it is not so little.
- Contraindications. Otoplasty can be performed not by everyone. It is not done to children under six years old, suffering from diabetes, cancer, somatic diseases, endocrine diseases, as well as bleeding disorders.
- The likelihood of complications. Although complications are extremely rare with otoplasty, they are still possible. Most often it is inflammation or suppuration at the suture site. Less commonly, after surgery, a coarse keloid scar may occur, and as a result, a distortion of the ear and the eruption of the sutures may be its consequence.
- The need to prepare for the operation. To do this, you will need to consult with a pediatrician, make an electrocardiogram, consult with a cardiologist and pass a lot of tests.
- Rehabilitation. During this period, you need to wear a special bandage, avoid physical exertion, exercise and dancing, refuse to wash your hair for one or two weeks. Hematomas and edema on the ears can last up to two weeks, the first few days of the baby may be disturbed by pain.
In addition, sometimes to the ears are located at the right angle, a single operation may not be enough. There were cases when people had to lie on the operating table two or three times.
In any case, before deciding on a particular method of correcting lop-earedness, think about whether your child really needs it, and then weigh all its advantages and disadvantages. And yet, if your baby is big enough, do not forget to get his consent, perhaps bulging ears of a crumb are not at all disturbing and therefore their presence will not affect his future life.
Statistics say that about half of newborns are born with a lop-ear. It is true that the degree of manifestation of this defect is different for everyone – in some of them the ears bulge very little, in others – significantly, and in the third – only one of the ears, etc.
Lop-eared – congenital defect, so you can notice it immediately after the birth of the baby. Very often, this problem is inherited, and, not necessarily from the parents, if it is present even in distant blood relatives, it is quite possible that the baby will also appear. Another cause of lop-earedness is considered to be peculiarities of intrauterine development; less than half of all cases are associated with it. As a rule, such anatomical features arise due to the proliferation of ear cartilage tissues or the violation of the angle of attachment of cartilage.