Ask Dr. Stanislaw
in Avon, Connecticut
Ask The Doctor
How soon can I re-pierce my earlobes after Earlobe Repair?
Answer:
When torn earlobes are repaired, the surgical procedure is performed with the injection of numbing medication and it takes approximately 1 hour. After the procedure, the sutures are in for one week. During that week you can shower and wash your hair. You will apply a small amount of Vaseline to the sutures twice a day. At one week the sutures are removed and there is no discomfort associated with this at all. The earlobes are re-pierced 6 to 8 weeks after the surgical procedure. For the re-piercing, patients are asked to bring in a pair of small earrings that have posts made of good quality stainless steel or gold. There should be no nickel alloy in the posts because a percentage of people will have a reaction to the nickel in the post. The earrings should be small and they should be of a style that will not be fashionably difficult for you to leave in for one month. After the re-piercing, the earrings will remain in for one month. You will clean around the earrings with a little hydrogen peroxide and a cotton tipped applicator. After one month, you can take the earrings out and change them to whatever earrings you like.
Ask The Doctor
Will Otoplasty (ear surgery) affect my hearing?
Answer:
An otoplasty is a surgical procedure that changes the external shape of an ear. It is primarily used when an ear or ears stick out too far from the head, making the ears look too large for the persons head. An otoplasty is performed by making an incision in the crease at the back of the ear where the ear connects to the scalp. Using this incision, sutures are used to make changes in the shape of the cartilage so that the ear looks like a normal ear. If performed correctly an otoplasty should not have any effect on your hearing. An otoplasty does not affect the ear drum, ossicles, or the nerve that conducts sound from the ear to the brain. If an otoplasty is performed incorrectly it can cause narrowing of the external ear canal which could theoretically have a negative impact on hearing. This however, is a very rare problem and it can be corrected if it were to occur. For this reason, it is important to have your otoplasty performed by a surgeon who is Double Board Certified in Facial Plastic Surgery and Ear, Nose, and Throat Surgery (Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery).
Ask The Doctor
Will my hairline shift after a facelift?
Answer:
A facelift can be performed without changing your hairline; however it does depend on the surgeon’s technique. I design my incisions and perform the facelift in a fashion so that your hairline does not change. That way you can wear your hair up or down. Also, I do not use staples. I only use very, very, small sutures in a way that allows for the best healing of the incisions to minimize scarring.