![]() Usually this treatment takes between two and four weeks. Ear molding works well in the treatment of protruding ears, Stahl’s ears, constricted ears, lop ears, and cryptotia. Over time, the ear conforms to this corrected shape. It can be reshaped using ear molding, a treatment in which a custom-fit, soft plastic mold-in a “corrected” shape-is temporarily attached to the infant’s ear using adhesive strips and compounds. During the first several weeks of life, the cartilage that makes up the ears is particularly pliable. These treatments aim to correct the shape of the ear and restore hearing, if necessary.ĭeformities where all of the elements of the ear are present, though abnormally shaped, sized, or positioned, may be treated through a nonsurgical technique called ear molding. For people with more severe forms of ear deformity, surgical and nonsurgical treatments are available. Many people with mild ear deformities do not require treatment. “Ear deformity correction offers a dramatic and permanent improvement to the ear appearance with an over 90% success rate if initiated on time,” says plastic surgeon Michael Alperovich, MD. In general, treatments result in good outcomes, and if they are undertaken when your child is still young, they may help avoid social stigmatization altogether. Approximately 1 in every 6,000 newborns has an outer ear deformity. At the right time, however, surgical treatments can reshape and even entirely reconstruct abnormal ears, and in some cases, help restore hearing.Ĭongenital deformities of the outer ear-that is, deformities of the visible ear and ear canal that are present from birth-are common. Options range from noninvasive ear molding to correct the shape of a malformed ear to surgery, typically not recommended until a child reaches school age. ![]() It’s natural, then, to worry about whether that misshapen ear could make your child a target for teasing or if hearing loss could affect learning and speech abilities.įortunately, surgeons have many ways to treat these kinds of ear deformities and the hearing loss that sometimes accompanies them. Maybe the ear sticks out a bit or its top looks a little pointy or, though rare, is missing a part, which might cause hearing problems. But you may also notice problems like a scaly scalp, baby acne or, perhaps, that one or both of your newborn’s ears look a little unusual. New parents delight in gazing at their babies, taking note of the sweet curled toes, observing dimples in the cheeks, elbows and knees, and analyzing whether these long, graceful fingers presage a talent for playing piano.
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