Ear surgeries, Medical

Aesthetics and medical ear surgeries are one of our signature services

At OC MedDerm, you can see us for each and every type of external ear problem you are facing. Our dermatologists are experts in ear surgeries, including but not limited to, earlobe repair, removal of ear bumps/lumps, ear trauma/tear repairs, reshaping of the ears and most importantly biopsy and removal of any suspicious non-healing lesions which can be skin cancer.

We offer medical and cosmetic services

For any cosmetic ear issues, we offer a complimentary consultation. During our complimentary visit for aesthetic ear surgeries, you will be evaluated by one of our dermatologists and informed about treatment options with no obligation. All types of ear surgeries are performed in the office under sterile conditions and pain-free using local anesthesia.

For medically related ear problems, you can be seen for a medical visit. We are contracted with nearly all PPO health insurances as well as medicare. Call us to make an appointment or ask questions.

Aesthetic ear surgery services offered:

  • Removal of torn piercing site due to heavy earrings and re-piercing if desired
  • Stretched earring hole size reduction or closure (including gauged ears)
  • Ear keloid excision and injection
  • Earlobe rejuvenation with dermal filler
  • Unwanted ear mole removal
  • Ear discoloration treatment
  • Laser hair removal on ears
  • Elongated earlobe reduction
  • Earlobe reshaping
  • Sterile, pain-free earring piercing anywhere in ears

Medical ear surgeries:

  • Non-healing skin lesions (cancer until proven otherwise)
  • Ear lesion biopsies
  • Ear cancer excision and treatment
  • Ear abscess treatment
  • Ear cyst treatment
  • Any other painful or discomforting ear treatment (ie chondrodermatitis nodularis helicis, etc)

Ear bump diagnosis and removal, medical

Before
After

Frequently, we have patients seeking advice and treatment for lesions or bumps/lumps on their ears. Most of the time, our dermatologists can make the diagnosis clinically with the aid of a magnifying medical device called a dermatoscope. The lesion above was removed and sent to a pathologist to confirm the diagnosis was benign. Occasionally, skin cancer may look like a benign lesion or vice versa. Therefore, the standard of care for any removed skin lesion is to send for a microscopic evaluation to rule out any skin cancer or other concerning diagnoses. As seen above, the lesion was removed leaving no residual scar. The above lesion is called a seborrheic keratosis, which is a benign growth and can be easily removed at OC MedDerm.

Infected ear lump diagnosis and removal

Frequently, we see patients seeking attention for painful ear lumps. Such a lump can be an inflamed epidermal cyst. These lesions are usually benign and do not interfere with functions of the ear (such as hearing) but they tend to be persistent and do not go away unless they are excised. These lesions may periodically have cheesy discharge with bad odor that provides temporary relief, but lesions tend to refill and have recurrent bouts of inflammation/infection.

These lesions may be painful and cosmetically bothersome to patients. It has become common practice for “providers” to drain these lesions by squeezing out their contents. But the more these lesions are manipulated the greater the chance of them becoming inflamed/infected or scarred down. The proper treatment of these lesions is an excision where the sac of the cyst is removed to prevent risk of recurrence. At OC MedDerm these excisions are performed under local anesthesia in a sterile condition.

Non-healing lesions on ear are cancer until proven otherwise

Any non-healing or changing lesions outside or inside the ears are skin cancer until proven otherwise. The ears are exposed to the sun often and many people forget to apply sunscreen to them when applying it onto their face. Our dermatologists will evaluate all concerning lesions using their clinical experience in addition to a magnifying medical device (dermatoscope). If they are concerned about the lesion they will perform a skin biopsy at that same visit and send the specimen for microscopic evaluation. If the lesion returns as cancerous, our dermatologists will discuss treatment options with you, including but not limited to, in-office excision vs referring for specialized surgical removal. Management depends on many factors including type of cancer, size, location, and patient preference, which will all be discussed thoroughly during your visit. In the meantime, please don’t forget to put sunscreen on your ears!

Ear trauma/hematoma aka Wrestler’s ears

Before
After

Ear hematomas or “wrestler’s ears” are caused by direct injury to the ears. These are time sensitive injuries because the blood that pools within the ear after the injury may clot and cause an inflammatory response which can lead to long term disfigurement. It is important to be seen by a physician ideally within the first 7-10 days to have the blood either drained or clot excised out. Our dermatologists are trained to perform this in-office and will wrap the area tightly after drainage to prevent reformation of a new hematoma. To prevent such lesions, we recommend all athletes wear proper headgear and equipment when participating in sports.

Click here to read more about Cauliflower ears (wrestler’s ear)

Contact Us!

If you are suffering from any kind of external ear issues, medical or cosmetic, you can see us for diagnosis and treatment of your ear problems. We offer same day appointments for emergencies (such as acute external ear infection or pain, bleeding or wrestler’s ears) in order to provide rapid medical care and avoid complications. For cosmetic ear issues we offer complimentary consultations with our dermatologists. Treatment options will be discussed thoroughly including risks, benefits and alternative options without any obligations. Feel free to call us to make an appointment or ask questions.

 

Other Treatments

Acne Surgery | Boil or Infected Cyst Surgery | Cyst Removal | Ear Lump RemovalEyelid Stye & Bumps Surgery | Foreign Body Removal | Ingrown Hair Removal | Ingrown Nail Surgery | Keloid Injection | Lumps and Bumps Removal, Medical | Nail Extraction | Non-Healing Lesion Biopsy | Skin Biopsy | Skin Cancer Excision | Skin Tear Closure | Warts Surgery

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