After An Otoplasty, How Long Does it Generally Take for Scar Tissue to Settle?

Question

After an Otoplasty, How Long Will It in General Take for Scar Tissue to Settle, Making the Removal of Permanent Sutures Useless? Had otoplasty 5 months ago. My ears are overcorrected and the method was used was Mustarde, permanent sutures. I discussed it with my doctor, and I also said that I do not want a revision surgery, but rather the permanent sutures to be removed. He agreed, but didn't know whether the newly set scar tissue would make the operation useful. So my question: When will scar tissue generally begin to settle and how long does this process take? Some say weeks, months, or even more.. Do i have a chance?

Philip Young, MD · Answer

From a healing standpoint, I usually say that you get 60% healing the first 6 weeks, and 90% the first 6 months. At 5 months you have through most of the healing. Removal of the sutures could cause some of the ear to relapse and become less corrected and may improve your results. But if not, you may require some more revisional surgery.

Barry L. Eppley, MD, DMD · Answer

At five months after surgery, you could have the sutures removed and it would be unlikely that the result would change appreciably. Much scar tissue has formed at this point and the reshaped ear cartilage will largely hold. Studies have shown that sufficient scar tissue has usually formed by three months after otoplasty surgery to maintain the new ear shape.

After An Otoplasty, How Long Does it Generally Take for Scar Tissue to Settle?

Answers (2)