Correcting protruding ears in children with Otoplasty

Amy:
Teasing is a common occurrence, and many people think it's just a part of childhood, but it can be emotionally damaging to a child. For some children, it's their ears that set them apart. But cosmetic surgery can help kids who have protruding ears, and prestigious Dallas plastic surgeon, Dr. George Toledo, and his patient, Lillian, join us today to discuss surgery of the ears. Guys, good morning to you.

Dr. Toledo:
Oh, good morning, Amy.

Lillian:
Morning.

Amy:
Good to see you again, Dr. Toledo. Lillian, we're going to get to your story in just a moment. But talk about your surgeries that you perform, Dr. Toledo.

Dr. Toledo:
We do a lot of facelifts and breast surgery and mommy makeover type stuff but-

Amy:
Sure.

Dr. Toledo:
This is one of the most rewarding procedures we do. It's called an otoplasty. It's surgery correcting prominent ears. We usually do it when they're five years old, five, six, somewhere in there. Kids start getting teased, and it's a very delicate and a very difficult surgery, which is why it's so challenging and why I like it so much. But the kids just... they love you afterwards, and it changes their life a little bit. So it's kind of nice.

Amy:
I'm sure. So Lillian and her mom came into see you. What were their concerns? Was her story typical?

Dr. Toledo:
It was a typical story. She had to wear long hair to cover her ears. Kids were making fun of her a little bit, and it was just the standard teasing in kindergarten or first grade.

Amy:
Sure. Okay. So why was she a good candidate when she was coming in? We're looking at her before and after pictures, and it's really beautifully done. Why was she a good candidate?

Dr. Toledo:
Well, I mean, it's bad enough to where it's going to be worth the expense and the time and effort of the surgery. I mean, sometimes they're just a little bit protruding. Sometimes they're extremely bad. This is pretty standard, and so she's at a right age. She's healthy, and it's a good time to do the surgery.

Amy:
And she's healthy. She's beautiful. She's sitting right next to you looking at you with big smiles. Lillian, talk about your life before the surgery. What were things like for you? Were you being teased?

Lillian:
Yes, ma'am. A lot. I remember I would always go to school and get called stuff like, "Oh, you have elephant ears," and all that stuff.

Amy:
And we don't like to hear that. And so I'm sure you were a little nervous about the surgery, but you look beautiful. So how does this make you feel?

Lillian:
I'm really happy now, and I don't get teased at all anymore.

Amy:
Okay, and obviously, Dr. Toledo, this is why you perform these surgeries, because you're giving self-confidence to this child. And she looks great, and she feels good about herself. So talk about the long-term expectations. Lillian's body is still growing and changing.

Dr. Toledo:
By the time they're five or six years of age, the ear is almost fully grown. And that's why you can do it at that point and not damage any long-term... the healing of the ear for long-term.

Amy:
And you can do the surgery on adults as well.

Dr. Toledo:
Right. I mean, you can see a picture of this little boy. I never really get feedback 10, 20 years later. But he managed to come in for something else, and he said, "Doc, you remember me? You fixed my ears." And I said, "Oh my God."

Amy:
Wow.

Dr. Toledo:
15 years ago. And so it shows that it does hold up.

Amy:
It does hold up.

Dr. Toledo:
And for boys, it's really difficult because as soon as you do their ear surgery, they want to go jump in the pool and jump off the diving board and put on a football helmet, and they're always messing them up. And so just to see that it's held up for the long term... It's a very fragile surgery, and you have to really take care of it post-op. And little boys in the summertime just don't like to do that.

Amy:
All right. I want to show that picture of Brad Pitt because we can even see that he had this surgery done as an adult, and it's worth mentioning. As we wrap, let's talk about where you perform your surgery.

Dr. Toledo:
Well, I didn't do Brad Pitt, and I don't even know if he's had it done. But I found that picture on a friend of mine's website-

Amy:
And thought, "Perhaps."

Dr. Toledo:
And so, well, possibly he did. But a lot of adults do this. So it's not just for kids. But yeah, we did the surgery at our surgery center in Highland Park and usually under just local anesthesia or just a little bit of sedation. So it's really safe and easy.

Amy:
All right. Dr. Toledo, thank you so much for being here today. And here's the information you need to know. You can call this number, 214-363-4444, or check out his website. It's toledoplasticsurgery.com.