Stephanie loves dancing. But after joining the dance team at her high school and wearing ponytails on a regular basis, all Stephanie could think about during performances was whether people noticed her ears.
Born with constricted ears, the upper part of Stephanie’s ears were folded down and over, making her ears look shorter than usual.
“Kids would tease her, and she would get asked why her ears were weird,” says Gloria, Stephanie’s mom. “As she entered high school, her main concern was getting them fixed to avoid answering questions about them.”
After an initial consultation with Christopher Derderian, M.D., a pediatric plastic and craniofacial surgeon in the Fogelson Plastic Surgery and Craniofacial Center at Children’s Health℠, Stephanie decided to move forward with the surgery.
“Even small differences in facial features outside the realm of normal can be distressing and have a significant impact on self-image, and it is important not to minimize these issues,” Dr. Derderian says.
During the cartilage borrowing procedure, Dr. Derderian built up and supported the upper part of Stephanie’s ears to create a more normal dimension to them. He says her ears look completely normal now.
“The surgery has honestly changed my life and made me much more confident,” Stephanie says. “It was my first time to have surgery, so I was nervous. Dr. Derderian and his staff were friendly and made me feel at ease throughout the whole process.”
Gloria and her husband, Fernando, feel the same way.
“We are very happy parents with the outcome,” Gloria says. “Stephanie is a new girl. It was the best decision we made for our daughter’s self- confidence and priceless smile.”
Now Stephanie wears ponytails with pride and even adds earrings to accentuate her new ears.
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The Fogelson Plastic Surgery and Craniofacial Center at Children’s Health provides diagnosis and treatment for children of any age with any reconstructive need. Learn more about our programs and services.
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