My Ears Stuck out a Bit - Honolulu, HI

My ears weren't HUGE, per se, they just stuck out a bit too much in such a way that they exacerbated my narrow face. This was a small first step in a multi-tiered process I'm working on in which the next step is jawline and chin enhancement (partially for shape, largely for symmetry), and it seems to have come out very well. My ears sticking out looked better or worse at various angles, so I was sort of on the fence about the whole thing. Although this wasn't a high-priority item on my list, I ultimately decided to go ahead and tackle it here in Hawaii before I moved away to California once I read up on Dr. Schlesinger's history and credentials; the opportunity was just right, and i'm glad I seized the opportunity.

A few weeks after these photos were taken, I came to find that my left ear has ended up healing so that it sticks out just a few millimeters further than the right one (which lays utterly flat), so Dr. Schlesinger has offered to perform a small follow-up procedure on said rebellious ear in a few months when both ears are finished healing and have stabilized, at no additional cost. This isn't any mistake on the part of the doctor however; my ears were a bit asymmetrical to begin with (as can be seen in the pictures) and the left one also has what is called a "Darwinian Tubercle" on it - the little pointy elf-ear-like bit towards the top that sticks outward. You can see it pretty good in the "4 days post-op - left side" picture, which makes the upper part of the ear appear to stick out further than it actually does.

The staff are very friendly. I opted to have my procedure done under local anesthesia (which was a little nerve-wracking at first until the anesthetic kicked in and I relaxed), and the doc bantered with me, and also with his assistants, throughout the two ours - often explaining and describing to me what he was doing as he was doing it, making the whole experience much more bearable and even interesting. The next-day followup care was thorough, as were the various appointments in the following days/weeks.

Overall the the whole experience was very good. I'd certainly recommend his institution to anyone seeking otoplasty (ear surgery).

I will post more pictures and updates as things progress.

At the one-month mark, it was becoming obvious that since my ears were never symmetrical in the first place (largely due to the pointy bit near the top/back of the left ear called a Darwinian Tubercle that stuck out a bit) that a small touch-up would be needed. As can be seen in some of the first post-op photos, they looked nearly identical right after the first surgery, but the left one decided to be ornery and gradually stick out more and more despite my daily wearing of the elastic head-bands to hold them both back for several weeks post-surgery. We decided that we'd let them stabilize for another two months until they reached what would essentially be their final form and then modify the left one to more closely match its counterpart.

This was done nine days prior to this posting. At this point my ears are basically symmetrical, and the left one may eve lie slightly flatter against my head, although if the previous results are any indicator it will move outward just a tad as it heals and close the gap. The second surgery, as I recall, was an "anterior otoplasty," meaning a special fold was created in the upper rear portion of the ear. Aside from the always-annoying needle-sticks at the beginning, the second surgery was practically painless and only took a half-hour; I had it done Friday morning and could have returned to work later that day if I'd wanted to.

So again, looks like Dr. Schlesinger and his crack team have smacked it out of the park, and I couldn't be happier! Grateful to everyone there for being so great, and I will post one more update in a few weeks when it's all healed!