People with symmetrical and proportional facial features look the most attractive. Protruding ears are one of the most common congenital deformities in the craniofacial region. This defect occurs in approximately 5% of the population. Some people have ears that are out of proportion to the rest of the face, while others stick out a lot. Protruding ears do not cause any physical problems such as ear loss. But this defect can not only cause discomfort, but also have a psychological and emotional impact on a person.
Reasons
Deformation of the auricles is the most common anomaly in the development of the ears in children. The defect occurs due to excess cartilage, an abnormal location, or due toimproper folding of the ear cartilage during the formation of the organ. The pinnae can also appear asymmetrical as a result of a large deviation from the head, giving an unattractive appearance. The normal value of the angle between the head and the ear ranges from 10 to 25 degrees. The article provides an example of protruding ears in the photo.
Ear deformation can be unilateral and bilateral. The ears may be deformed or protruding from birth, or they may lose their shape as a result of injury. This defect can be observed in both children and adults. There are no statistical data that fully determine the occurrence of such an anomaly.
Sometimes parents blame themselves for the protruding ears of the child, because they allegedly bent over during sleep. Some try to apply different types of plasters in an attempt to bring the ears closer to the head. Of course, such attempts always end in failure. Protruding ears are a congenital deformity and cannot get worse or better, regardless of their position during sleep.
It is believed that 90% of the growth and development of the ears is completed in the first 6 years of life, and the remaining 10% of growth occurs later. Therefore, correction of protruding ears, or otoplasty, can be done in the sixth year of a child's life. In older people, you can often notice disproportionately large ears that have appeared in the aging process. This is due to the weakening and lengthening of the ear cartilage, loss of elasticity of the skin of the earlobe.
The best period for correcting protruding ears is preschoolage. At this time, the child is not yet subjected to bullying and ridicule from peers. Therefore, the risk of psychological trauma and the development of an inferiority complex is minimal.
Surgical treatment
Large protruding ears are relatively common. There are several ways to correct an ear deformity. One of them is surgery. Otoplasty is a cosmetic procedure that is designed to change the size, position, or proportion of the ears. The result of the operation will vary depending on what the ears were originally and what the patient wants to end up with.
Minimum age for ear reconstruction surgery is 5-6 years old. Indications for surgery are:
- ear size too big or too small;
- big earlobes;
- disproportionate;
- wrong position;
- protruding ears;
- changing the shape and position of the ears due to injury.
Otoplasty is performed under general anesthesia. During surgery, the doctor adjusts the cartilage so that the ears flex in the correct position. The new shape is fixed with a series of internal seams. As a rule, incisions after the operation are invisible, as they are made on the back surface in a natural fold. The stitches that create the new shape of the ear do not dissolve and remain under the skin. The entire procedure usually takes 45 to 50 minutes per ear.
There are a few things to keep in mind when considering surgery. Otoplasty is a purely cosmetic procedure. The operation is designed to change the shape, size and location of the ear. Otoplasty is not intended to improve the ability to hear. The risks of surgery are minimal, and the physiological and psychological benefits greatly predominate.
Post-operative period
Some features of recovery after otoplasty:
- After the procedure, the patient is given intramuscular injections of analgesics to reduce pain.
- Bruising under the ears and mild swelling of the eyelid due to the elastic bandage may be most noticeable 2-4 days after the procedure and usually subside in 7-10 days.
- The patient should sleep on their back with a slightly raised pillow.
- In the first 2 days, a slight increase in temperature is possible, which is a variant of the norm.
- Elastic bandage is removed after 2 days.
- After removing the bandage, it is recommended to wash the ears with baby soap, and apply a topical antibiotic spray.
- The stitches are removed on the seventh day after the operation.
- The patient must wear an elastic headband for three months. This is necessary for additional fixation of the correct shape of the ears.
- It is not recommended to wear heavy goggles or jump head first into the water.
- Must avoid ball sports and gross physical manipulation of the ears for at least 4 weeks.
- Most patients experience temporarynumbness or decreased sensation in the upper half of the ear. These symptoms resolve within a few months.
Complications
Aesthetic complications of ear correction are very rare. Possible complications include:
- attachment of infection;
- hematoma formation;
- bleeding;
- hypertrophic scars, or keloids;
- recurrence of ear deformity (1-2% of cases) or visible asymmetry.
Non-surgical treatments
Protruding ears (or one ear) is a fairly common imperfection that can cause a lot of complexes and unpleasant remarks from other people, especially among children. If ear deformity is noticeable from the first days of life, the abnormal shape and projection of the ear can be corrected without surgery using ear shaping techniques. In order for the correction to be successful, treatment must be started in the first 2 weeks of life. When a defect cannot be repaired due to severe deformity or late diagnosis, surgery may be required. If you notice that your baby has a protruding ear soon after birth, there is a less invasive remedy that can help correct this anomaly. To do this, use a special silicone device that is placed on the ear. With this device, the correct shape of the auricle is formed within 3 weeks. The optimal time to start ear correction is the first month of life.
Physiognomy
Reversingattention to some features and features of the structure of the face, you can find out various things about a person’s personality, his future and state of he alth. Face reading is an ancient Chinese science. Physiognomy is the practice of reading facial features in order to understand a person's actual behavior and their destiny for which they are intended.
For example, when analyzing the structure, shape and size of the ears, one can determine the character of a person. If the ears stick out, this means that the person is a non-conformist, and his judgments are independent of the opinions of others. He is smart, quick-witted, and also stubborn.
Hairstyles
In addition to surgical treatment, various haircuts and hairstyles for protruding ears will help mask the deformity. To do this, you must first contact a qualified hairdresser so that the end result does not disappoint.
Correct hairstyles are sometimes all it takes to hide a physical imperfection. They can be varied. Regardless of the specific situation, choosing a hairstyle to mask a defect comes down to the need to create volume. This helps to balance the proportions of the face. In this case, protruding ears will not stand out so much. Many hide the defect of the ears behind long hair. If nature has not endowed you with thick hair, do not be upset. In this case, unusual haircuts for protruding ears may suit you.
Pixie with bangs
Hairstyle has layered edges, elongated bangs. This is a great way to create a shorter hairstyle thatcovers the ears thinly and naturally. The bangs fade into longer sections around the ears to frame the face and draw attention to the eyes and cheekbones.
Asymmetric bob
Short and trendy medium length hairstyle that combines soft elegance. This haircut is suitable for women with straight, wavy, thin or thick hair. Depending on the shape of the face, the asymmetry can vary in one direction or the other.
Inverted Bob
This haircut is not for every girl. The hair is longer in the front and shorter in the back, often with graduated layers. The hairstyle is quite versatile and is a great way to disguise the ears with long strands near the face.
Classic bob
The classic bob is perfect for ladies with short hair. The hairstyle suits almost everyone, regardless of hair type, face shape or personal style.
Haircuts for men
Protruding ears are often a source of low self-esteem and depression. While some are doing surgery, others prefer to hide the deformity in various ways, for example, with hats. In addition to caps, caps or hats, protruding ears can also be camouflaged with a variety of hairstyles and haircuts. Men's haircuts for protruding ears are shown in the photo in this article.
Having protruding ears was not a problem in the days when men wore long hair. But shaved heads and ultra-short hairstyles have come into fashion. Oblique bangs, asymmetrical strands, volume and carelessness - all this will help to correct the flaw.
It is worth noting that a beautiful and well-groomed beard or sideburns can also distract from deformed ears.
