Brian Musgrove, MBChB, BDS, FDSRCS, FRCS

I am very pleased with the outcome of the Bilateral Otoplasty carried out by Dr Brian Musgrove at the Spire Regency Macclesfield hospital in January 2020.

Background
I am a late 20s male who has been conscious about the shape of my ears since a young teenager. I never had the courage to mention it to my parents growing up so finally as a adult i sought treatment.

Consultation
I contact Dr Brian Musgrove via his personal website originally enquiring about the Ear Fold procedure. My preference for Ear Fold over traditional Otoplasty was due to the recover time. I did not want to take a long time off work and have the big head bandages. Ear Fold seemed like a better, more modern and quicker surgery.
I received a fast response for Dr Musgrove's PA and a consultation was arranged 2 weeks later. Ready with a barrage of questions about the Ear Fold treatment, Dr Musgrove studied my ears and told me that the correction i was looking for and my ear shape would not be suited to this procedure.
My ears protrude due to a larger conchal bowl rather than the typical 'bat' ear. Dr Musgrove was very honest and recommended traditional Otoplasty which is his preferred method of ear correction.
I really did not want to go down the Otoplasty route so i had a lot of thinking to do after the consultation. I did not want to take an extended period of time off work but i really wanted to have my ears corrected.
I decided to go ahead with Otoplasty and my surgery was booked in. The consultation was at the end of November, decision made mid December, surgery mid January.

Surgery
One week prior to surgery the hospital contacted with some generic medical questions and i received a couple of letters in the post.
Arrived at the hospital for 7AM, shown to my room and waited for my operating time. Fortunately i was the first of the day so i entered the theatre around 9:30AM.
The operation took 1 hour and i had local anaesthetic. The only painful bit of the procedure was injecting the anaesthetic into my ears. It felt like a stinging sensation. Shortly after my ears were numb and i could not feel a thing even though i was awake.
After surgery my head was wrapped in a bandage with protection over each ear. I was escorted back to my room, provided with food and was monitored for a couple of hours.
1:30PM i was given the all clear to leave hospital. You are not allowed to drive following surgery so i had a taxi waiting. I was given a box of co-codamol to manage the pain.

Post Surgery
The first night it was difficult to sleep. My ears felt achy as if someone was pulling on them rather than a throbbing or stinging type pain.
It was not as bad as i was expecting. It was more difficult trying to fall a sleep with your head propped up to ease the swelling.
The first and second day i did have the odd little leak of blood. 48 hours after the operation i had no pain but i was stuck with this big bandage on which occasionally gets a bit itchy.
The bandage remained on my head for one week. During this time a post surgery appointment was arranged at the hospital to remove the bandages.
The nurses removed the bandages, cleaned up a lot of the dried blood and i finally got to see the results.
The bandages are on quite tight so your head needs a bit of time to get back to shape but first impressions i was delighted.
Both ears were still numb. This can last for 2-3 months after surgery.
I could wash my hair again and the nurse recommended wearing a headband at night for a couple of weeks.
I bought a headband in advance but when i tried it on it was too tight so i used a beanie hat to sleep in which was fine. I was over cautious sleeping at night so i wore the beanie for 5 weeks. I'm sure 2-3 weeks would have been fine.

2 months later
My ears are no longer numb but i am still careful washing my hair not to bash my ears. Its probably me just being over cautious but i have had no problems. I am glad i went down the Otoplasty route. The slightly longer recovery was worth it and when i hear some of the unfortunate stories about Ear Fold it was definitely the right choice.
The surgery took place on a Tuesday and i went back to work the Thursday the week after.

Summary
I am very pleased with the results, it has definitely improved my confidence and appearance. My parents and partner always tell me that i did not need the surgery but i did it for me. Your happiness is priceless.
Any questions i will do my best to assist...

I am so happy and delightful with the outcome of my surgery, I had ffs surgery with mr musgrove I had rhinoplasty and brow recontour after all the pain and bruising and swelling it was definitely worth it, mr musgrove listened to what I wanted and he definitely delivererd it and so pleased I would definitely recommend him to anybody who is thinking of getting any facial surgery! Thank you Amber Murray

I originally went to Glasgow to have a consultation with Dr Koppel however he didn't seem that clued up about the surgery which I later discovered on comparing his consultation with Mr Musgove's consultation in Wilmslow, Cheshire.
Mr Musgrove is a very clued up, confident surgeon who knows everything there is to know. He is an amazing and very talented man and what he told me in the consultation is exactly what he has done. He was realistic about what was achievable (didn't oversell or over promise me anything), understanding and very easy to talk to. I would recommend him to anyone.
I actually can't believe there are negative reviews about him on here!!! Please if you are thinking about surgery, look no further. He won't let you down! Traveling 3 hours from Scotland to Cheshire to have him preform my genioplasty was totally worth it
My recovery was alot easier than I thought, when I woke up from the surgery I had feeling in my chin straight away, (no nerve damage thankfully) I wasn't in pain (lots of painkillers) however it did become uncomfortable through the night (the doctor at Spire was on hand to give me stronger medication) to ease that discomfort and by the morning after I was feeling alot better. I would say the first 3-4 days where hard because I could only eat soft foods but the medication was great at relieving most of the pain.
My swelling is still going down more every week, for the first 3 weeks I was convinced I hated my new smaller chin and that I had made a mistake getting it done however that was all just swelling which made me look round and puffy, by week 6 most of the swelling had gone and my chin looked alot softer, now over 2 months later I am delighted with the results. I no longer have a prominent chin that sticks out and it is exactly how Mr Musgrove described it. I feel so much more confident when I smile and I no longer hide my chin.
Thank you sooo much Mr Musgrove

Updated on 28 Jun 2018:
1 year post op from my genioplasty chin reducation with Mr Musgrove. Took just under a year for all the swelling to completely disappear so it is true what they say however after 6 weeks I hardly noticed the swelling.

I've waited until the 2nd anniversary to review my ffs procedure so i can give a more detailed account. I've read reviews on this site regarding Mr Musgrove's surgical capabilities and i have to say he has totally changed my life!! Some of the less positive reviews submitted for him i feel were premature. As advised by Mr Musgrove himself, bone procedure that he specialises in will take up to a year to heal. It's a long wait but the results are life changing. I had a fair bit of work done including Rhinoplasty, Cheek Augmentation, Jaw Recontour, Genioplasty and Trachea shave. I have to say the jaw surgery is brutal and has taken the longest to heal. I still have a little swelling now. I found Mr Musgrove very professional, He never promised me i would look like a supermodel. I visited him in April 2014 for my consultation booked with his secretary Eileen. I was told the first visit would cost £150. Some will be put off by the cost but for me i thought he must be good and his time is precious. I Brought along my list of what i felt needed doing to my face and i asked him for his professional opinion. He agreed with everything on my list. I don't wish to discuss how much it cost but for me it will a small price to pay for a big change. Many Transgirls are far too quick to run abroad for a cheap deal and over look our own skilled surgeons In the UK due to cost. The benefits include aftercare which you won't get abroard.  My face is the first thing people see, it's on show 24/7 and i understand that cost is a huge part and for me if it meant waiting a little longer to get the cash together. I worked hard, saved and then finally booked my surgery on the 6th January 2015. The staff at the hospital in Macclesfield were fantastic. They couldn't do enough for me and the food was lovely too... not that i could eat any of it! I had to be there for 1pm. I was shown to my room and  the nurse came to see me followed by the anethatist and finally Mr Musgrove who took some pictures, talked over the procedures and then a quick shower and get into my gown ready for theatre. The nurse came back not long after to say that they were ready for me. She walked me down and it was time for me to be put to sleep. Surgery took around eight and a half hours. I don't remember waking up straight after the surgery. I was very drousy and in and out of consciousness. I woke up at around 3am then I reached for my phone so i could turn on the selfie camera to look atmy new face. It was very swollen and it felt like hell. I had little pain as it was the pressure of the swelling that was uncomfortable. My mouth was dry and i needed some water. I pressed the call button and the nuse came and got me some. I was told if i needed the loo i had to have help. It's a strange feeling how the swelling affects your balance. As i say the nurses couldn't do enough for me kept popping in over the 5 days i was in there, all of them  lovely. They're a real credit to the hospital. So after 3 days of returning home i noticed a slight change on the right side of my face around one of the implants. I called Eileen right away and asked about the redness. she said she would call me back. Within 15 minutes she arranged for me to come down to see Mr Musgrove. I had a slight infection which he prescribed me a strong antibiotic. It was gone within a week. I have to mention Eileen is like an old friend. Very warming and empathetic. I could talk with her for hours, super friendly and happy to answer any queries / doubts. There isn't really much i can say about the healing process other than it's long and tiresome. Mr Musgrove has done an amazing job on my face and I'm so pleased with the results. I will go back later this year for the rest of my ffs which again I will thoroughly share after the  healing process is complete. In my opinion Mr Musgrove is a fantastic surgeon. I am over the moon with the results and i would highly recommend him to anyone. Thankyou Mr Musgrove you have changed my face for the better and i look forward to being under under skillful hand late this year. Shaffire xx

Mr Brian Musgrove was recommended to be by a few friends who had seen him for ffs so i felt like i had a good idea on his work already. meeting him for my consultation. he had listened to what i thought and felt about ffs and what id like to have done. i also asked him his opinion and we were both on the same page. he gave me a realistic expectation of the outcome. told me the pros and cons of ffs. i must say i have been so happy with the results. i had a rhinoplasty, genioplasty, jaw re contour and trachea shave. i showed him examples of the kinda shape i wanted my nose etc and he met my needs. i can walk down the street with my head held high. i had no pain only discomfort with my jaw as it was difficult to eat. i took a month off work so i could go back confident. every day the results get better and better and its the best decision i ever made. thank you for making me feel and look like the person ive always felt on the inside. Drew-Ashlyn x

Had the above procedure yesterday. So far, so good.
Not only did my ears stick out, but they are also physically large and not symmetrical. Not a good combo.
They have always bothered me, more so the older I've got, probably because I lost my hair and can't hide them. Traditional surgery always seemed too drastic so I put up with it, but have been massively self conscious about them. So when I heard about Earfold I did my research and took the plunge.
The consultation and procedure took 1 hour in total, both occurring on the same day. Dr Musgrove's manner and that of the two nurses was very professional and reassuring. I travelled there very nervous, but this faded quickly on entering the hospital.
It's fair to say the consultation is a bit odd. Trying out the implants over the ear, stuck on with sellotape and then the positions marked with a biro! Other than that the whole procedure was very slick.
It took some time to place the trial clips as in some positions the correction wasn't noticeable. In others the ear looked deformed. But we settled on a location and proceeded. All in I needed 4 clips.
The procedure probably took about 20 mins. The only pain I felt was when he injected the anaesthetic. Not sure how many times each ear was injected, about four or five I'd say.
The ears quickly numbed and he began. There was no pain whatsoever. Could feel some pulling and tugging etc. But no pain.
The amount of correction to both ears is amazing. The bruising and swelling were instant and worse than I thought it'd be, but having been jet black yesterday, the bruising has mostly returned to skin colour all ready. No change in the swelling yet though.
I had the anaesthetic at 1.30 pm and on going to sleep at around 11.30 they were still numb which was a bonus. You get a bandage to wrap around your head and ears for the first night, but I'm not sure how this helps to be honest. I sleep on my back, so I was able to sleep, but it wasn't a very restful night, which I expected.
I woke up about 3 am and wow. Both ears were stinging. But I was able to get back to sleep, off and on until about six am when I took some pain killers.
I have taken Ibuprofen and co-codamol for pain relief and so far have managed it really well. Having felt some, but very little pain after taking them. I've also taken anti-biotics as the hospital give you a three day supply to prevent infection.
So, the amount of correction is amazing, having pulled my ears in closer to my head. The swelling is unchanged and pretty bad and there has been some bleeding today. Fingers crossed that they heal well the swelling goes down soon. If anyone is interested I will let you know how it goes.

Updated on 7 Jul 2016:
No pain now for 6 days, which was easily controlled with painkillers anyway. Swelling and bruising almost gone. All four incisions pretty much healed and only noticeable if I look for them.
One stitch still in place. Other three have dropped out.
Both ears still tender to the touch, but this has massively reduced. Not quite able to sleep comfortably on my side.
So far all good and pleased with the result.

Day of procedure:
Went to work as usual, then headed to Macclesfield Spire to meet Mr Musgrove for earfold for 11:30am appointment.

Upon arrival, I felt relaxed. I was 40 minutes early which didn't help, but I signed my details over at the reception and took a seat. After waiting for 30 minutes, I did start to feel anxious.

I was called in shortly after by Mr Musgrove, and we went through a consultation again, the practice ones he had were useless as they didn't really work, so he said he'll do the procedure and show me during it.

I headed down to the treatment room and was told to get on the prepared bed. I tried to avoid looking at any of the tools and chatted to the two ladies who put me at complete ease. Again I felt anxious but also relaxed as I felt I was in good hands. After only a few minutes, Mr Musgrove got straight on with the procedure, I was dreading the needle pain as I'd read online it was quite painful. The needles started to be injected to the top of my ear, my first reaction was, is that it? And I had a slight smile. He continued to inject several times, then he injected at the lower back of the ear, that stung a bit more but no more than a bee sting. The other ear was the same.

He left it for a couple of minute and then he started work. I honestly didn't even know he started as I didn't feel a thing, until I felt blood running down my neck, at this point I realised, yes he is cutting my ear open!

Both ears were cut in what felt like 5 minutes and it was done. I got to look in a mirror for approval and I felt ok, not overjoyed, just ok.

I was given some bandages and advice along with paracetamol and antibiotics. I went to reception, paid and was told to wait 20 minutes for a check from the nurse. After 20 minutes I was checked over and given the all clear. No pain in my ears at all.

Roughly 6 hrs later, my ears began to throb, but definitely bearable, paracetamol dulled the pain no problem. My ears also began to get really swollen. Feeling 50/50 about my ears, not sure if it's the swelling, so waiting until that's gone down before making full judgement.

Updated on 30 Jun 2016:
Day 2:
Ears are really swollen today, and very tender to touch. Had a rubbish sleep as each time I turned I felt the pain and woke up. The bandages helped a little bit but not a great deal.

Feeling a little underwhelmed as the swelling is so much my ears stick out a lot at the bottom. But, they weren't like that after the procedure so I'm sure they'll just settle down.

I had no pain killers all day as didn't feel I needed to. Yes a slight ache but not worth taking pain killers for.

A constant ringing sound in my ears, but nothing to worry about i think, just pressure from the swelling.

Updated on 30 Jun 2016:


Updated on 29 Apr 2019:
Hello all
I've just had an email from someone asking how are my ears now 3 years on.
In all honesty, I probably wish I never had them done. I've had quite alot of problems with my left ear and had to get 1 of the ear folds removed due to constant swelling and pain in my ear after sleep and whenever I touched it.
The swelling caused my ear to become a bit deformed. It's now gone down but my war has started to protrude a bit again.
The whole thing hasn't been great for my mental health really as it's got me down and still does on many days.
If I was faced with the same problem again, I'd just accept myself more for who I am and go with it. I'll add some pics and see what you think.
When I compare with before photos, I agree they do look better, but the swelling etc has not been worth it I don't think.
I'm constantly paranoid that I have coliflour ears and feel like others are looking at them, this has made me more self conscious than I've ever been!
Let me know your thoughts....

Hi my name is mark 48 year old from Cheshire. Had the earfold procedure done 12 days ago and could not be happier. I had one implant in each ear and it was done by Mr Brian Musgrove at the Spire Regency Hospital in Macclesfield. I had my consultation one month prior to this on November 18th. Anyone in this area can have the procedure done within 4 weeks as Mr Musgrove attends this Hospital once a month. The results are truly life changing. The thought of surgery has always scared me to death and the traditional method would still scare me to death. I have always been petrified of surgery and needles but this method seemed so minimalistic so I plucked up the courage and went ahead with it. If there is anyone that is in the same situation and is worried about the pain of the procedure and after the op then don't be. Please believe me when I say that I didn't even feel the injections and I mean not in the slightest. Each ear took no more than seven minutes and I just chatted away with a couple of nurses and it was over before I knew it. Mr Musgrove did the first ear and I even said to him I cant believe that you have done one already. I was truly amazed to say the least. I think if you let Mr Musgrove know that your uneasy about the jabs or whatever he can make it totally pain free. If you read up on earfold procedure it tells you the injection points are where the incision is made. This may be true by some surgeons if you look on you tube and watch the procedure done at the Changes Clinic it shows just one jab to the incision point which seemed to go right up to the fold of the ear which put me off slightly. I know for a fact that Mr Musgrove gave me 3 jabs in each ear. One at the incision point one on the fold of the ear and one behind the ear. Whether or not he changed the way the ears were numbed for me because he knew I had a fear of needles or not I just don't know. Never felt a thing honestly just knew what he was doing by the way he was handling my ears. Anaesthetic lasted about 12 hours which was great as ive read elsewhere it only lasts a couple of hours. Slight stinging woke me 3.30 in the morning on the incision points but couldn't have been that bad as I went back to sleep. Took 6 painkillers and that was that. Swelling was gone by day six and bruising virtually invisible by day 8. That invisible that I went the pub on xmas eve. Hope this helps a lot of individuals out there that are really worried specially the young children. Big thanks to Mr Musgrove and his lovely PA Eileen who was wonderful also. ASTONISHING NEW PROCEDURE.

Had the new procedure earfold where they insert a tiny peice of metal covered in gold into the ear cartridge to change the shape of the ear by folding it back nearer the head, had it done one week ago already my ears look fantastic,small and close to my head still have the tiny stitches but these should fall out in about a weeks time was so worried about having the procedure done didn't want to look like the ears were deformed as you see with a lot of ear pinning, had my consultation in Manchester England with a mr brian musgrove a really experienced plastic surgeon when he was fitting the trial ones I told him I wanted them as far back as possible without looking like Spock from star treck, it's hard to see properly with the trial ones that the stick on with sticky tape but got a idea how they would look, decided to book the appointment for the 19th when I had leave from work and was going to be off for few weeks, you can go back to work the next day but I didn't want anyone seeing my swollen ears, different for women who can cover there's with there hair, the operation took about 35min from start to Finnish no worse than going to dentist after the numbing injection couldn't feel a thing, was very sore that night in bed but still manageable pain and the inner ear was bruised and swollen for about 5 days now on day 7 no pain swollen almost gone and still tiny amount of bruising tiny stitches should fall out next week, I had 4 implants fitted 2 in each ear you really can't see them in the ear I know the cost is a lot £3710 but to finally get lovely little small ears it was worth every penny, all I've ever wanted was to be able to look in the mirror and not see to big wing mirrors on the side of my head sticking out, can't wait till the stitches fall out to finally get a nice stylish haircut that's short at the sides, anyone thinking of having your ears pinned back look at earfold it could change your life it's changing mine, 43 year old male from Manchester

Updated on 26 Nov 2014:
Had 4 earfold implants

Updated on 26 Nov 2014:

Facelift – Margaret, Lancashire

I was given excellent instructions as to the process of consultation, booking surgery, after care etc and was very happy with my stay at the hospital as all the staff were caring and helpful and I felt quite at home! The result is great and I am more than pleased with my smoother skin, making me look way younger than my 79 years!!! I am left with no doubts that my decision to have the surgery with Mr Musgrove was the best decision I have made in years!