Some babies may be born with outer ears that are malformed (smaller or constricted). Others may be born with ears that are deformed (differently shaped, lacking or having extra folds). Some may have prominent (cupped, “bat” or “telephone”) ears. This is different from babies who have microtia. (HYPERLINK To MICROTIA page on my website)
Though most of these babies will have normal hearing, the difference in outer ear pinna shape can be distressing for caregivers. However, the good news is that there is now a painless, non-invasive and non-surgical treatment available – the EAR WELL system.
A baby’s outer ears (pinna) are soft and elastic at birth, allowing for reshaping if the Ear Well is applied early. The cosmetic results are especially good if correction is started within the first 2 weeks of life, although satisfactory results can still be achieved up to 2 months after birth. The Ear Well system may allow for babies with malformed or deformed ears to avoid surgery later in life. With experienced and careful placement of the Ear Well system in our clinic, side effects are rare – example, superficial pin-point skin abrasion from the Ear Well cradles should it happen, heal completely within a day or 2 with.
The Ear Well system comes in small, middle and large sizes that can be tailored to different ears. Usually, babies will need at least 2 to 3 sets of the Ear Well cradles over 4 to 6 weeks. Each set of cradle is applied for 2 weeks, before changing to a larger set as the ears grow. The malformed or deformed ears are gradually shaped back to a normal appearance. Babies can continue to drink, sleep and play as normal.
- Baby AL with Malformed Ear, Before Ear Well
- Baby AL with Malformed Ear, After Ear Well
- Baby ZT with Deformed Ear: Before Ear Well, With Ear Well cradle, After Ear Well treatment
