Welcoming a newborn into the family is always exciting. But it can also cause a great deal of worrying, especially when your child is still fragile and in the early stages of development. Careful monitoring of health is essential when your child is still in the infant stage. This is the time to note how your infant responds to their surroundings and see if there are any irregularities in development. If discovered early, such issues can be treated as soon as possible in order to ensure complete recovery.

Many children are born with congenital heart problems, slight problems in their limbs due to incomplete fusion of bones in utero, and certain types of malformations. Fortunately, most of these problems are treatable and can be remedied provided they are discovered in the early stages of development.

One of the most common types of malformations that occurs in nearly 20% to 30% of all births is ear deformities. Most parents are not willing to subject their child to an invasive procedure to correct such deformities, which is natural, since the child is still an infant.

But the good news is that infant ear deformities can be treated using a non-invasive cosmetic procedure if discovered early on. This is because, as weeks pass after birth, the cartilage of the ear starts getting harder and more difficult to mold. Non-invasive procedures are most effective if instituted within six to eight weeks after birth.

The non-invasive cosmetic procedure that is used to correct ear deformities in infants is called EarWell.

EarWell

EarWell is essentially a device that is used to shape the cartilage of an infant’s misshapen ear in order to correct the ear’s shape. When utilized soon after birth, the device molds the still-soft cartilage. The device consists of a series of interlocking mechanisms that apply gentle pressure on the cartilage and is completely painless. The infant will be required to wear the device for about eight to nine weeks.

In most cases, ear deformities get corrected up to 75% to 80%. Any remaining deformity is treated using wax and tape. If required, otoplasty, or ear surgery, can be used as well.

EarWell is much more effective, safer, and cheaper than getting ear-shaping surgery, and in most cases, insurance companies reimburse the costs incurred in the treatment.

The Procedure

Before the device is attached to the infant’s ear, a section of the hair around the ear will be shaved off to provide a secure area to which the device can adhere.

The device itself consists of four components. It fits around the back of the ear, around the rim, around the anterior side of the ear, and finally towards the hollow in the ear so that it becomes rounder and deeper. This way, the shape of the ear is corrected to resemble the shape of a normal ear.

The procedure works best (with an efficiency of over 93%) if the device is used within the first four to five days after birth. The efficiency drops when the device is used three or more weeks after birth.

Contact Us to Find Out More

Facial plastic and reconstructive surgeon Dr. Andrew Compton is extremely experienced in the use of EarWell technology and will be available to meet for a consultation. Contact our office to set up your appointment.