Are you contempleting on going for otoplasty surgery and you are wondering what the cost of otoplasty is? Continue reading to discover otoplasty cost in different countries, types and procedures for carrying out otoplasty or ear surgery.
The ears come with different shapes, sizes and positions, some are good to the owner while others may look odd or too far away from the head. All these abnormalities and appearances are the reasons why people go for otoplasty. Simply put, otoplasty means surgery involving the ears, this surgery is always a cosmetic procedure.
The surgery is usually done on the visible part of the outer ear called the auricle. The auricle, also called the pinna is made up of cartilages that are covered in skin, these cartilages develop from the womb and continues to grow even years after you are born. If this auricle does not properly develop, it can lead to wrong size, position and shape of the ears.
Otoplasty is done on ears that;
- Are damaged due to injury or trauma leading to an abnormal shape or structure
- Are smaller than the head
- Are larger than the head
- Stick out from the head
- It is done to treat anoxia ( Being born with no ear)
Cosmetic ear surgery can be done on:
1. People who have good health as certain health conditions can affect the procedure or the healing process.
2. Those who do not smoke.
3. People who are 5 years and above. According to the National Library of Medicine in 2022, at this age, the auricle has gotten to 90% of its size.
TYPES OF OTOPLASTY
There are three types of otoplasty, these are;
Ear Pinning: For people whose ears stick out of their heads, this procedure is recommended as it involves drawing the ears closer to the head.
Ear Augmentation: In some people, their ears have not fully developed making them to have small ears. To correct this, ear augmentation is done to increase their ears.
Ear Reduction: Just like some people have small ears, there are some with ears that are larger than normal. This can cause some form of low self-esteem. Otoplasty can be done to reduce the size of the ear without affecting their hearing abilities.
PROCEDURE FOR OTOPLASTY
Otoplasty can be done within 1 to 3 hours, this time depends on the type of otoplasty being done and how severe the case is. General or local anaesthesia can be used during the procedure. General anaesthesia is mostly used for younger children while local anaesthesia is used for older children and adults. The surgery is not limited to one procedure because of the different types of otoplasty that is required.
But generally, otoplasty involves making a cut inside the folds of the ears or on the back.
Next, the tissues inside the ears arranged according to the reason for the surgery. The cartilage can be implanted to the ear or removed. The cartilage can also be folded and shaped. After the manipulation, the cuts and incisions are closed with stitches.
OTOPLASTY COST
First, you should know that otoplasty is not covered by insurance because it is considered as cosmetic surgery as insurance mostly covers life threatening conditions. You will pay for the cost from your pocket. However, if your doctor says the otoplasty will be done to treat a medical condition or to enhance your hearing abilities, your insurance plan may cover it. You will need to take your doctor’s certification to your insurance company before payment coverage.
According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons 2020 statistics, the average cost of having an otoplasty is $3,736. This cost is not the total price as it does not include operating facilities, anaesthesia fees and other expenses. Also, the surgeon’s fees is not included in the cost, the surgeon’s experience will determine how much he or she will charge.
Other factors that can influence how much you will be charged depends also on the location of the clinic and the type of otoplasty surgery you will need. The total otoplasty cost will include:
- Medical tests
- Anaesthesia fees
- Medication after the surgery
- Cost of facilities
- Surgeon’s fee
- Garment to be worn during and after the surgery
- The cost of having an otoplasty in Nigeria is estimated to be $3,336 in both private or government hospitals although government hospitals may be cheaper.
- In the UK, ear correction surgery may cost between £2,500 to £3,500, plus the cost of any consultations or follow-up care that may be needed (National Health Service, UK).
- In United Arab Emirates, the cost of having an otoplasty for one ear is Dhs9,000 while for both ears cost between 15,000 and Dhs18,000.
INCISIONLESS OR NON-SURGICAL OTOPLASTY COST
Unlike a traditional otoplasty or ear surgery where incisions and cuts are made to reshape, remove or fix the cartilages, incision-less ear surgery does not require any cuts and the cartilage is not cut too. It is a non surgical procedure but does the same function as a traditional ear surgery. The procedure is done using non-absorbable sutures to correct the anti-helical fold and reshape the anti-helix instead of making incisions.
In some cases, the ears are pinned back with threaded sutures giving them a more attractive appearance (North Texas Facial Plastic Surgery). The procedure may be done within an hour or more. Incision-less otoplasty makes the cartilages to form a new shape after some time usually after 3 to 6 months which means the result can be permanent, it can last for a very long time and there are no visible scars.
Facial Plastic And Reconstructive Surgery and Plastic And Reconstructive Surgery, both clinics in New York estimated the cost of having an incision-less otoplasty to be between $3,000 to $5,000. This cost does not include other expenses like surgeon’s fees, anesthesia fees, type of procedure and location.
Cosmetic Surgicentre Of Sydney stated that an average cost of having an incision-less or non-surgical otoplasty can costs around $4,900 – $5,500.
OTOPLASTY COST FOR ONE EAR
The ears are not exactly the same in size and shape but this difference can be so evident in some people than others. So, if an otoplasty is to be done on the affected one, the other normal ear does not need the surgery. The other ear is often used as a guide during the procedure. Know that no two ears are exactly the same so the surgery will be to correct the abnormalities in one ear. Most ear surgery on one ear cost half the price of a full otoplasty. The price can cost from $2,500. Other clinics can charge $2990 including tax.
Facial Plastic And Reconstructive Surgery and Plastic And Reconstructive Surgery, clinics in New York City stated that earlobe reduction can cost between $400-$1,200 per ear.Earlobe surgery, which is done to restore natural appearance can cost between $400-$900 per ear. Ear fold surgery ( Done to correct protruding ears) can cost between $1,000-$2,000 per implant.
OTOPLASTY COST IN CALIFORNIA
Sagar Patel Aesthetics, a facial plastic clinic in Beverly hills charges $4,999 for ear pinning surgery.
Line Plastic Surgery Center, a surgery clinic in Los Angeles estimated the cost to be between $3,000 to $9,000, the price you will be charged with depends on the type of procedure and the patient’s needs.
Another plastic surgery clinic in California called Cruise Plastic Surgery does otoplasty for $4,500. This price reflects standard fees like anaesthesia fee, surgeon’s fees and facilities to be used during the procedure. However, this cost may change based on the patient’s need
OTOPLASTY COST IN MEXICO
An average cost for an ear surgery in Mexico is $1,800 while an overall cost including accomodation, transport locally, medicines, anaesthesia, surgeon’s fees and consumables is $2,300 but different hospitals and cities have their cost. In Ciudad Juárez, Mexico, the cost of otoplasty is $1,200 although the price may differ according to the type of procedure, patient’s need and facilities used.
The Jose Cortes Center of Plastic Surgery and Aesthetic Medicine based in Mexico City charges $2,000 for ear surgery. Marroquín & Sandoval Plastic Surgery Clinic, a private single-specialty medical center in Guadalajara estimated their cost of having an otoplasty to be $2,200.
Different cities in Mexico have different price and cost for performing an otoplasty.
Otoplasty Cost in other cities are:
- Cancun $1,850
- Mexico City $1,790
- Puerto Vallarta $1,900
- Zapopan $1,890
- Tijuana, low cost otoplasty ranges from $1,600 while the average cost is from $1,900.
CONCLUSION
Otoplasty is an ear surgery that is done to correct the abnormalities and structure of the ear. The ears is an important feature of the face, the shape and appearance of the ears can alter how we look. This surgery involves removing and reshaping some cartilages in the ear. It can be done using surgical procedures or done without surgery and cuts.
The cost of this procedure depends largely on the clinic, surgeon’s fees, anaesthesia fees, facilities cost and other expenses. Most ear surgeries can cost between $400 per ear to $5,000 for both ears and all costs. The procedure can take between 4 to 5 hours although the type of otoplasty determines the time the surgery will take.