SIZE DOES MATTER, IN EAR COSMETIC SURGERY
Leading Plastic Surgeon Clarifies Why Ears Are Not Such A Prominent Issue
London, UK – 29 January, 2007 A leading consultant plastic surgeon and world-renowned expert on the outer ear, David Gault davidgault.co.uk, today announced that a fall in numbers of people having prominent ears corrected (otoplasty) over the last year has coincided with a 37 per cent rise in his own practice, specific to aesthetic ear surgery that addresses problems such as big ears, big lobes and correction of folded-over ear rims. He clarifies national figures just released by the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (BAAPS), which show otoplasty numbers down by 20 per cent for 2006 in comparison with 2005, and explains why they may have fallen from being in the top five most popular cosmetic surgery procedures, to ninth place.
Mr Gault invented Ear Buddies, tiny splints to correct ear deformities at birth and prevent the need for future surgery, more than ten years ago. He believes the popularity of the product and the success people have had with Ear Buddies have contributed to the decrease in otoplasty patients.
Says David Gault, leading consultant plastic surgeon and member of the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (BAAPS):
“Ear Buddies have been available for more than ten years now, so we would have expected to see a fall in numbers of patients coming for pinnaplasty (surgery to pin back prominent ears) by now. I routinely advise all my otoplasty patients to use Ear Buddies when their own children are born. Prominent ears really do run in the family, and it is so much easier to splint ears soon after birth, even if they don't at first look like they’re needed. I see so many parents who were relieved to see that their newborn had ‘normal’ ears, only to be disappointed later when the ears began to stick out as the cartilage hardened. Parents who have had their sticking out ears corrected surgically are always the ones who have the greatest success with Ear Buddies as they want to ensure their children don't suffer the same condition.”
The reason for the considerable increase in aesthetic surgery, according to Mr Gault, is a combination of people becoming more aware of the procedures available to address unsightly ears, and an increase in the ‘facelift ear’ – a common complaint of injudicious face-lifting. The popular corrective procedures include ear and lobe reshaping, ear and lobe reduction, auropexy (a change in the position of the ear on the side of the head, often to give it a more attractive backwards slope), removal of unsightly bumps, called Darwin's Tubercles, on the rim of the ears and correction of Stahl's Bar (which causes a pointed ‘Spock’ ear). Mr Gault recently launched the London Centre for Ear Reconstruction (LCEAR) earreconstruction.co.uk
Bat ear surgery under the NHS is becoming a thing of the past, and only a few centres in the UK offer fast-track splinting. Under the present system, referrals take weeks and even months to set up, and valuable time is lost. Even so, success with late splintage is still possible if the parents are determined enough.
Also up was the number of ear surgery cases due to ear cancer. According to Mr Gault:
“It is really important that the delicate skin of the ear is protected with sun screen at all times. The sun's rays target highly curved surfaces and ridges, so the ear is particularly at risk from sun damage. Once a cancer develops on the skin of the ear, it is often necessary to remove underlying cartilage as well, while safely removing the cancer. It is always best preserve the ear’s complicated architecture if the ear is to look at all normal again.”
For further information and photographs on the ear conditions and surgical procedures mentioned above - and the work of David Gault - visit earreconstruction.co.uk