In today’s world of social media, selfies, and mobile photography, children have become increasingly aware of their appearance and how others see them. Prominent ear (bat ear) is one such facial deformity where early and timely correction is extremely helpful for both the patient and the plastic surgeon.

Why Early Correction Matters

Prominent ear correction is done by placing sutures at precise, pre-marked points inside the ear cartilage. When these sutures are placed correctly, they mold the ear into a normal, desired shape. If the molded ear is protected with a bandage encircling both ears around the head for about 3 weeks after surgery, the new shape is usually retained for a lifetime.

Children have soft and pliable cartilage, which makes molding easier. As age increases, this pliability decreases, and it becomes more difficult for the plastic surgeon to place sutures and mold the ear. In adolescents and adults, the cartilage is more rigid and has a memory property, so even after correction it may unfold and return to its original shape.

In children below 10 years of age, recurrence after surgery is rare.

Prominent ear deformity is visible from birth but becomes a noticeable concern when the child starts going to school and begins comparing themselves with peers. Since hearing is usually normal in these children, parents may miss this subtle issue. Even today, many families visit a plastic surgeon only when the child becomes an adult—often around marriageable age—unaware that every birth defect has an ideal age for correction.

The same applies to prominent ear. When corrective surgery (otoplasty) is performed between 7 and 10 years of age, the results are most desirable and the chances of long-term retention of the corrected shape are highest.

Case Study: 8-Year-Old Girl with Prominent Ear Deformity

Recently, an 8-year-old girl visited us with her parents for correction of prominent ear deformity on both sides. Fortunately, she came at exactly the right time to receive maximum benefit from the operation. We planned simultaneous correction of both ears under general anesthesia.

The surgery was performed through an incision behind the ear (on the posteromedial surface), which is not visible in normal day-to-day life. The abnormal ear cartilage was dissected, molded into a normal shape, marked, and fixed with permanent stitches to retain the new contour. Each ear was corrected one after the other, ensuring symmetry on both sides.

The surgical incisions were carefully closed without disturbing the newly molded shape. A protective bandage was applied over both ears, encircling the head around the forehead. The patient was advised to keep this bandage on for at least 14 days after surgery.

This procedure does not leave any visible scar, and the results are striking and appreciated by all.

Conclusion

To achieve the best results in the treatment of prominent ear deformities or protruding ears, children should be treated at a young age, ideally prior to the age when the cartilage begins to harden and lose its flexibility. Surgical correction of the ears, performed at a young age, not only restores normal ear shape, but also helps to build a child’s self-esteem and confidence as they progress through their formative years in school and other social environments.

If you are a parent who is concerned about your child’s protruding ears, and wish to find out what the best surgical option and time for the surgery will be, you should contact Cutis Hospital in Ahmedabad. Parents should seek medical advice and information about when is the best time to pursue medical intervention for their child’s protruding ears. Early medical intervention will provide parents with the most accurate information regarding the treatment of their child’s ears, as well as help them achieve an optimal outcome based on the needs of their child.

Frequently Asked Questions

The post Case Study: Timely Correction of Prominent Ear (Bat Ear) Deformity in an 8-Year-Old Girl appeared first on Cutis.

Also, we’ll discover the origins of the term “plastic surgery” and address concerns about scarring and emergency procedures.

Accessibility and Cost

Myth: Plastic surgery is meant only for rich people.

Fact: If we look at the total number of people who seek plastic surgery treatment, low-income and middle-class people are much higher in number than rich and ultra-rich people. Plastic surgery can make a great difference in the lives of manual laborers, factory workers, and daily workers due to its superb reconstructive qualities.

Myth: Plastic surgery operations are very costly and they are possible only in big corporate hospitals.

Fact: Plastic surgery operations are much cheaper and more affordable compared to contemporary superspecialties like neurosurgery and cancer surgery. The majority of plastic surgery operations are possible in small nursing homes, and this is the best solution for the plastic surgery patient as it will provide personalized care, improve the results, and cut unnecessary expenses.

Insurance and Coverage

Myth: Plastic surgery is not reimbursed under mediclaim insurance.

Fact: The majority of plastic surgeries are reimbursed under mediclaim insurance. This includes surgeries for trauma (accidents), including hand injuries and facial injuries, burns, burn deformities, reconstructive surgery for cancer, diabetic foot infection, major infections of legs and feet, hand surgery, etc. Only surgeries for beautification (cosmetic surgery) and surgeries for birth defects (congenital problems) are not reimbursed under mediclaim insurance.

Scope of Plastic Surgery

Myth: Plastic surgery is only related to skin treatments and skin surgery.

Fact: Plastic surgery is a very vast field in which not only the skin but all the important structures beneath the skin, including muscles, tendons, blood vessels, nerves, and bones, are also treated. A plastic surgeon is trained to deal with transfers of different tissues of the body, coverage of various important structures, replenish extensive tissue losses, and restore functions of important body parts like eyelids, thumb, mouth, etc.

Myth: Most plastic surgeries are related only to skin replacement or skin transfer.

Fact: Yes, skin replacement or skin grafting (transfer) is one of the main basic operations of plastic surgery, but the complete spectrum of plastic surgery is much more than skin grafting and it includes many wonderful and life-changing operations. To understand the scope of plastic surgery, one needs to understand how the training of a plastic surgeon is different from other fields of medicine. After completion of post-graduation in M.S. – General surgery, one has to undergo rigorous three-year superspecialty residency training. These three years of residency training inculcate two of the most important qualities in a plastic surgeon; 1) patience, & 2) delicate tissue handling. Whether the student has imbibed these two essential qualities or not, is tested at the end of three-year training period by an examination. After clearing this final qualifying examination, one is conferred with the degree of M.Ch. – plastic surgeon in India. With the help of vast anatomical knowledge, patience during the operation, and delicate tissue handling, a plastic surgeon can handle complex situations of hand, face, leg, or other injuries.

Not only acute injuries, but a plastic surgeon has an excellent capacity to reconstruct lost/damaged tissues. Apart from injuries, infection of soft tissues (tissues other than bone) is another area of expertise of a plastic surgeon. Starting from a simple boil, or furuncle, to extensive infections of the leg, complex hand infections, diabetic foot infections, chronic nonresponsive infections like pilonidal sinus, congenital preauricular sinus, and many such complicated infections are surgically treated by the special approach of plastic surgery. After injury and infection come birth defects (congenital anomalies). Birth defects like cleft lip, cleft palate, various types of ear deformities (anotia, microtia, cryptotia prominent ear), nose deformities, jaw bone deformities, tongue tie, eyelid deformities like ptosis, developmental problems of the breast, various hand problems present since birth (syndactyly, polydactyly, thumb aplasia, radial club hand), birth problems of the lower limbs, vascular lesions like hemangiomas and malformations, birth problems of male and female external genitalia (hypospadias, epispadias, vaginal agenesis, imperforate hymen), and many such complex conditions are solved completely or up to the maximum possible extent by a plastic surgeon.

Reconstruction is a technique that is used by a plastic surgeon to solve multiple problems, as described above. Post-cancer removal defects, post-accident, post-burn, or post-massive infection defects are best covered by the reconstructive approach of plastic surgery. Microvascular surgery is one of the most important tools of a plastic surgeon, which he employs for reconstruction. Timely and precise application of microvascular surgery can save lives and limbs as well as enhance the beauty of reconstruction by many folds. Added to this, microvascular surgery saves patients from certain unavoidable difficulties associated with conventional reconstructive methods used by plastic surgeons.

Thus, a plastic surgeon can reconstruct a socket for eye, he can reconstruct the deformed or destroyed nose, can reconstruct the ear which is absent since birth or improvise the shape of deformed ear, can help the patient with droopy eyelid to elevate them, can reconstruct the jaw (from leg bone) removed during cancer surgery, can reconstruct the undeveloped breast or change the size and help patient in improving appearance of the breast, can reconstruct the amputated or absent thumb, can straighten the deformed hand and improve its function, can carefully remove the extremely dangerous vascular swellings and permanently cure the patient of them, can reconstruct the absent urethra with straightening of penis which is an essential requirement for a male child, help a girl with absent vaginal passage by reconstructing a vaginal passage from her own body tissues which is functional and save her marriage life, can help a diabetic patient to save his life by timely and radical debridement and save his limb with reconstruction, can solve a seemingly smaller yet very disturbing problem like ingrown toenail. The list can still go on. In short, plastic surgeries are much more than skin grafting or skin transfer.

Myth: Are plastic surgeons experts in using any special type of plastic? That is why they are called “plastic” surgeons.

Fact: No. To understand the meaning of plastic surgery, we need to know the origin of the word “plastic.” As many words in the English language are derived from ancient languages, the same is true with the word, plastic. In the Greek language, there was a word called “plastikos”, which meant capable of molding or changing shape. A surgical discipline that developed an inherent ability to change the shape of tissues and reconstruct something of vital importance to the body thus became known as plastic surgery.

Myth: It is possible to change one’s face completely by plastic surgery.

Fact: Plastic surgery can change disproportionate parts of the face like the nose, chin, cheekbones, etc. It can bring harmony in the proportions of different parts of the face and thus, plastic surgery can restore the aesthetic balance of the face. But, it is not possible to change any person’s face completely, as shown in movies.

Myth: Plastic surgery is a scarless surgery.

Fact: Any surgery on the human body always leaves scars. However, plastic surgery is falsely popular as scarless surgery because of its special ability to hide the scars. There are some obvious lines on our body called relaxed skin tension lines. These lines are present everywhere on the body, even at` sites where they are invisible. Surgical incisions made parallel to these lines have the least possibility of being conspicuous. Apart from the selection of incision lines, a plastic surgeon has excellent dissection and suturing skills in surgery. Because of all these abilities of a plastic surgeon, the incisions made by a plastic surgeon are least visible; to the extent they sometimes become invisible. That is the reason for the above-mentioned false belief.

Myth: In case of facial injury, anyone (including compounder or ward boy) can suture the wound. The resultant ugly scar after this emergency surgery can be erased by plastic surgery after a few weeks or months.

Fact: The first half of this sentence is true. Any person who has enough work experience can suture the wound in an emergency and help the patient. But, this hastily done emergency work can result in a bad and ugly scar that can never be erased by a plastic surgeon at a later date. Instead, the best thing to do is to get the wound sutured by a plastic surgeon in an emergency. Even if someone has sutured it inappropriately, reopening the stitches and revision suturing by a plastic surgeon, preferably within 48 hours of the injury, can produce miraculous results.

Do you still have any questions about plastic surgery? Call us at +91 97259 99526 to book a consultation with Dr. Chintan Patel (a plastic surgeon) to discuss how you might benefit from plastic and cosmetic surgery.

The post Myths and Facts About Plastic Surgery appeared first on Cutis.

Minor scalp scars typically don’t pose cosmetic issues and can be easily camouflaged with simple hairstyling adjustments. However, large or prominently visible scars can severely impact one’s appearance, self-esteem, and overall personality. In such cases, hair transplant surgery emerges as the most effective and scientifically supported option.

Why Hair Transplant on Scarred Scalp is Challenging

Performing a hair transplant on scarred areas is more complex than treating typical baldness. It demands a thorough examination of both the scarred region and the entire scalp. Experienced cosmetic surgeons must consider multiple factors, including any underlying chronic diseases affecting the scalp, the blood supply to the scarred area, the thickness of the scalp where the hair transplant will occur, and the direction of normal hair growth.

Before proceeding with surgery, all necessary tests and physical examinations must be conducted to ensure the viability of a successful hair transplant. This meticulous planning can lead to excellent outcomes, allowing patients to regain a youthful appearance and boost their self-confidence.

An Illustrative Case: Restoring Hair on Scarred Scalp

One illustrative case involved a patient who developed significant baldness following a scalp injury. The size and visibility of the scar made it impossible to conceal with surrounding hair. Therefore, a hair transplant was deemed necessary. The surgery was executed with careful planning and precision, utilizing a Zeiss 4x loupe for magnification to ensure the placement of each follicle for a natural look.

The post-operative results were remarkable, showing the previously bald area now fully covered, seamlessly blending with the natural hair. This case underscored the transformative impact of well-executed hair transplant surgery on restoring not just hair but also a person’s self-image.

Conclusion

Scalp injuries can lead to permanent hair loss, creating significant challenges for individuals affected. Hair transplant surgery offers a sophisticated solution to this problem, restoring not only hair but also confidence and self-esteem. Through meticulous planning and advanced surgical techniques, even extensively scarred areas can be effectively treated, giving patients back their natural hair appearance and helping them overcome the psychological impact of visible scarring.

The post Successful Hair Transplant on Scarred Area of the Scalp appeared first on Cutis.

“Advances in Cosmetic and Plastic Surgery”

This scientific session was a result of the joint efforts between IMA Bhuj and Cutis Hospital, Ahmedabad. The purpose of the event was to shed light on the latest advancements in the field of cosmetic and plastic surgery, emphasizing the importance of modern surgical techniques and their benefits for patients.

Topics Discussed:

The comprehensive lecture covered a range of popular and advanced cosmetic surgery procedures, including:

• Hair Transplantation: Modern techniques for restoring hair growth, addressing male and female pattern baldness, and treating hair loss due to other factors.
• Body Contouring Surgeries: Procedures that help reshape and sculpt the body by removing excess fat and skin, and enhancing the body’s overall contour.
• Liposuction: Techniques to remove localized fat deposits from various parts of the body, including the abdomen, thighs, and arms, for a slimmer, more defined appearance.
• Abdominoplasty (Tummy Tuck): A surgical procedure designed to remove excess skin and fat from the abdomen, and tighten the abdominal muscles for a firmer, flatter stomach.
• Breast Reduction Surgery: Methods to reduce the size of overly large breasts, alleviating discomfort and improving body proportion.
• Breast Implant Surgery (Breast Augmentation): Procedures involving the insertion of implants to enhance the size and shape of the breasts, providing a fuller and more balanced look.
• Breast Lift: Techniques to raise and firm the breasts by removing excess skin and tightening the surrounding tissue for a more youthful contour.
• Nose Surgery (Rhinoplasty): Corrective and cosmetic surgeries to reshape the nose, enhancing facial harmony, or addressing breathing issues.
• Autologous Fat Transfer (Fat Injection): A procedure that involves taking fat from one part of the patient’s body and injecting it into another area to add volume, smooth out contours, or rejuvenate the face.

Interactive Session:

The lecture generated significant interest among the delegates. After the presentation, there was an interactive question-and-answer session where attendees had the opportunity to delve deeper into the topics, clear their doubts, and gain a better understanding of the benefits and intricacies of these procedures. The session proved to be highly informative for all the doctors, promoting a more comprehensive awareness of cosmetic and plastic surgery advancements.

Expert Consultation:

Dr. Chintan Patel, a National Board Certified Plastic Surgeon at Cutis Hospital, Ahmedabad, led the discussion and shared valuable insights based on his extensive experience in the field. Dr. Patel emphasized the importance of safety, precision, and patient satisfaction in every cosmetic procedure.

Feel free to discuss any of your queries with Dr. Chintan Patel. Whether you’re considering a cosmetic procedure or seeking expert advice, Dr. Chintan Patel is available for consultations at Cutis Hospital, Ahmedabad.

Conclusion:

Events like these are essential in promoting awareness about the latest advancements in cosmetic and plastic surgery. They not only help medical professionals stay updated on new techniques and trends but also pave the way for better patient care by fostering informed discussions. By continuing to engage in educational initiatives, we can demystify cosmetic surgery, encourage safe practices, and help more individuals make confident, informed decisions about their appearance.

The post A Step Forward To Increase Awareness On Cosmetic And Plastic Surgery appeared first on Cutis.

The approach to removing a hairy nevus varies depending on its size and the depth of the hair roots. Small nevi can typically be excised in a single procedure, whereas larger ones may require multiple surgical stages. Particularly challenging are nevi located on sensitive areas such as the nose, ears, and eyelids, where skin grafting from other parts of the body may be necessary to cover the defects left after removal.

At Cutis Hospital in Ahmedabad, Dr. Chintan Patel has considerable experience in treating such cases. A recent procedure involved the successful removal of a medium-sized nevus on a patient’s ear. The operation entailed deep excision to remove both the nevus and its hair roots while preserving the delicate perichondrium layer underneath to ensure a successful skin graft. The skin defect was then covered with skin harvested from the patient’s thigh. The postoperative results were cosmetically pleasing, as evidenced in the after-surgery images provided.

Conclusion

Achieving excellent cosmetic outcomes in the treatment of congenital hairy nevus is possible with experienced surgical intervention. Techniques vary depending on the nevus size and location but can lead to significantly improved physical appearance and personal comfort. Cutis Hospital remains dedicated to providing top-tier care in cosmetic and plastic surgery in Ahmedabad, India. If you’re considering treatment for a hairy nevus or other cosmetic concerns, feel free to contact us.

The post Hairy Nevus: The Solution to Unsightly Hair and Abnormal Black Skin appeared first on Cutis.