If you are planning facelift and ear pinning surgery, you may be wondering whether both procedures can be performed at the same time. Both involve the area around the ears, which is why some patients may consider addressing them together. Whether that is appropriate in your case depends on your individual anatomy, health, and the extent of the work each procedure requires, all of which are assessed during a consultation.
What Is Ear Pinning Surgery and What Does It Address?
Ear pinning, known clinically as otoplasty, is a surgical procedure that changes the position or shape of the ears. It is performed to reposition ears that extend further from the head or to adjust the shape of the ear cartilage. The procedure works on the cartilage and soft tissue of the ear to alter how the ears appear in relation to the head.
Otoplasty can be performed in patients as young as five or six years of age, once the ear cartilage has reached sufficient development. In adults, the procedure is performed under local or general anaesthesia depending on the extent of the surgery and the individual’s circumstances.
The incisions for otoplasty are typically placed behind the ear. The type of incision and the extent of the procedure depend on what needs to be addressed, and this is assessed during your consultation.
What Does a Facelift Address, and Why Are the Ears Relevant?
A facelift, known clinically as a rhytidectomy, focuses on the middle and lower portions of the face. This includes the cheeks, the jawline, and the neck. The procedure involves repositioning the SMAS layer (superficial musculoaponeurotic system, the muscle and connective tissue beneath the facial skin), along with addressing excess skin in these areas.
The ears are relevant to facelift surgery because the incisions used during the procedure are typically placed around and behind the ear. How these incisions heal and the position of the earlobe after surgery, are both considerations that are planned carefully during a facelift. In some cases, changes to the earlobe can occur as a result of how the skin is repositioned, which is why the ears are assessed as part of the pre-operative planning process.
Because both facelift and ear pinning surgery involve the area around the ears, patients who want to address both areas sometimes ask whether the two procedures can be performed together. Whether this is appropriate depends on what each procedure involves and on your own circumstances, which are reviewed during a consultation.
Can these Procedures Be Performed at the Same Time?
In some cases, facelift and otoplasty may be considered together during a consultation. Whether this is appropriate depends on the individual procedures involved, the scope of each procedure, your overall health, and whether combining them is safe given the expected duration of surgery and anaesthesia.
There are practical points to consider when both procedures are planned together. Each involves tissue and skin around the ear, so the timing of surgery, the position of the incisions, and how each area is expected to heal need to be planned so they work together safely. This planning is based on your anatomy and can only be worked out after a thorough pre-operative assessment.
Combining procedures is not always the most appropriate approach for every patient. What suits one patient will not necessarily suit another, and the decision is based on a thorough review of your anatomy, health, and goals during a consultation.
What Are the Risks of Combining These Procedures?
Like all surgeries, facelift and otoplasty each have their own risks. These include general risks related to anaesthesia and surgery, such as bleeding, infection, delayed healing, and reactions to medicines, as well as risks specific to each procedure. For facelift surgery, these may include nerve changes, altered sensation, asymmetry, scarring, and, in some cases, the need for further surgery. For otoplasty, risks may include changes in the shape or position of the ear cartilage, asymmetry, and scarring.
When procedures are combined, the overall time under anaesthesia increases, which carries its own considerations. A thorough pre-operative assessment is needed to determine whether combining procedures is appropriate for your individual health.
All risks associated with both procedures will be explained clearly during your consultation. Decisions about whether to proceed are made only after you have had adequate time to consider the information provided.
What Does Recovery Involve When Both Procedures Are Combined?
When both procedures are performed together, recovery covers both areas at the same time. Swelling and discomfort around the face and ears are expected in the early weeks, and each area has its own care requirements during the healing period.
You will need to arrange time away from work and regular activities, and physical activity will be restricted for a period after surgery. The ears will require particular care to protect the healing tissue, and a dressing or headband may be needed over the ear area for some time after the procedure. Clear post-operative instructions will be provided before you are discharged.
Full healing takes time, and the outcome of both procedures will become clearer as swelling settles over the weeks and months following surgery.
Why Choose Dr Hunt for Facelift and Ear Pinning Surgery in Sydney
Dr Jeremy Hunt is a registered specialist plastic surgeon with more than 20 years of surgical experience. He holds a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery from the University of Sydney (MBBS), is a Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons (FRACS), and is a Member of the Australian Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS), the Australian Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (ASAPS), and the International Society of Plastic Surgeons (ISAPS). He completed a Craniofacial Fellowship at the University of Texas, where he received advanced training in the bones and soft tissues of the face, skull, and jaw. He also serves as a Consultant Surgeon at Sydney Children’s Hospital and the Prince of Wales Hospital.
Facelift surgery and otoplasty are both procedures offered by Dr Hunt. If you are thinking about addressing both areas and want to know whether a combined approach may be suitable for you, this can be discussed in a consultation. During this appointment, your facial anatomy is reviewed, your concerns are discussed, and the options that may apply to your situation are outlined, along with their risks, recovery needs, and limitations.
All consultations with Dr Hunt are conducted on a one-on-one basis with adequate time to address your questions. Whether you are considering one procedure or both, an individual assessment is needed to determine what is appropriate for your specific circumstances.
Further reading about facelift with Dr Hunt:
- What is a facelift (Rhytidectomy)?
- How much does facelift surgery cost in Sydney?
- How to prepare for face lift surgery?
- What questions to ask your surgeon before facelift?
- Are there any age restrictions for facelift surgery?
- Does facelift surgery leave scars?
- What is a jowl lift (lower facelift)?
- What can you expect after facelift surgery (day by day)?
- How to reduce bruising and swelling after face lift surgery?
- How to sleep after facelift surgery?
- What should I know about the post-facelift facial massage?
- How to protect your face from the sun after facelift surgery?
- What should you not do after a facelift?
- What procedures can I combine with a facelift?
- How to prepare for a face lift consultation?
- How lifestyle habits can affect face lift results?
- What food to avoid during facelift recovery?
- Can I get a facelift during the summer season?
- What non-surgical treatments can help prolong the results of a facelift?
- Microneedling after a facelift: Should I consider it?
- How much younger can I expect to look after a deep plane facelift?
Medical references about facelift: