EarWell Nonsurgical Infant Ear Deformity Treatment in Orange County
Up to 29% of babies have ear abnormalities at birth. If your newborn baby has an ear deformity, you may be worried. Fortunately, SCENT – Southern California Ear, Nose, and Throat offers painless nonsurgical EarWell® treatments on site. To speak with an ENT specialist about EarWell, call the Southern California ENT clinic nearest you or book with the online appointment tool anytime. There are four ENT clinic locations along the 405 freeway, in Long Beach, Los Alamitos, Huntington Beach, and Newport Beach, California.
What is EarWell?
EarWell is a nonsurgical infant ear deformity correction system. This type of treatment has a near-99% success rate in infants because the treatment occurs when a child’s ear cartilage is still easily molded. EarWell is completely painless, requires no incisions, and generally offers rapid results.
Is my child a good candidate for EarWell?
Babies less than three weeks old are the best candidates for EarWell. Although it can help with ear abnormalities in children older than three weeks, effectiveness may diminish with age. The earlier, the better is the general rule for EarWell candidacy.
EarWell may be right for your child if they have any of the following ear abnormalities.
Constricted/lop/cupped ear
ENT specialists generally group constricted, lop, and cupped ears into the same category because they all involve a problem with the helical rim (the top of the upper ear). The helical rim folds, wrinkles, or rolls tightly, creating an irregular appearance.
Ear lidding
Ear lidding happens in an infant’s ear when there is irregular cartilage in the upper ear, creating a folded look.
Protruding ears
Protruding ears stand out from the head. Your child’s ENT specialist diagnoses protruding ears if their ears are more than two centimeters from the head.
Stahl’s ear
Stahl’s ear is when excess cartilage creates a pointed ear. This condition may close off the ear canal.
Microtia
Microtia is a condition in which the outer ear is malformed and unusually small.
Conchal crus
In conchal crus, an abnormal cartilage bar in the outer ear causes bulging and possibly projection away from the head.
The ear specialists at SCENT – Southern California Ear, Nose, and Throat assesses your baby’s candidacy on an individual basis, but in general, EarWell can treat virtually any ear abnormality. One notable exception is anotia, a rare condition in which a baby is born without any external ear tissue.
How long does EarWell treatment take?
EarWell corrects most infant ears in two to six weeks. The team at SCENT – Southern California Ear, Nose, and Throat customizes an EarWell protocol for your baby’s particular needs.
Is EarWell better than ear surgery?
In most cases, it’s a far better option. Children can’t have ear surgery until their cartilage stiffens sufficiently, which often isn’t until around age five or six. In the meantime, your child could experience poor self-confidence.
With EarWell, your child can get a natural healthy ear shape without any pain, incisions, or recovery time. In fact, your child won’t even remember their EarWell treatment since it’s done in infancy.
Schedule an EarWell Consultation with Southern California ENT
Learn more about EarWell now: call the Southern California Ear, Nose, and Throat office nearest you or use online scheduling anytime. Our pediatric ENT specialists are all board-certified by the American Board of Otolaryngology and utilize EarWell to non-surgically treat ear deformities in infants. We have offices in Los Alamitos, Long Beach, Huntington Beach, and Newport Beach.