altering Self-image In the Stages of Life

cynthia gregg , md , fac s
Altering Self-Image
In the Stages of Life
“D
oes Dr. Gregg have a time
machine? That’s what I asked
myself after completing facial
plastic surgery with her,” a woman patient
recently said. “I walked into her practice a
60-something-year-old, physically, mentally,
and emotionally, and I came out of her
practice looking and feeling like a 40-yearold. The years just simply melted away. You
can imagine the impact this has had on my
life.”
In fact, Dr. Cynthia Gregg is acknowledged to be one of the area’s pre-eminent
facial plastic surgeons, also known for transforming patients into friends.
“Like it or not,” she says, “we live in a
world where people respond to us, in large
measure, by how we look, especially in a
first meeting. And when people
experience an improvement in
their appearance, they simply carry
themselves differently, with more
confidence and openness.
“And,” she adds, “the procedures we can offer patients—some
of them really quite simple and
uncomplicated—have the potential
to relieve years of angst.
her credentials
D
r. Cynthia Gregg’s reputation as a
leading facial plastic surgeon is
supported by impeccable credentials.
She was a pre-med student at
UNC-Chapel Hill, where she earned a
bachelor’s degree in chemistry and then
her medical degree. She went on to the
University of Michigan for a five-year
residency in Head and Neck Surgery,
and earned a fellowship at UM’s Center
for Facial Cosmetic Surgery.
She is double board-certified by
the American Board of Facial Plastic
and Reconstructive Surgery and
the American Board of
Otolaryngology—Head and
Neck Surgery, a Fellow of
the American Academy
of Facial Plastic and
Reconstructive Surgery,
the American Academy of
Otolaryngology—Head and
Neck Surgery, American
College of Surgeons,
and the North Carolina
Medical Society.
h e a l t h & h e a l i n g • V o l u m e 14
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“I walked into her practice
a 60-something-year-old,
physically, mentally,
and emotionally,
and I came out of her
practice looking and feeling
like a 40-year-old.”
CYNTHIA GREGG, MD, FACS
3550 NW Cary Parkway, Suite 100
Cary, NC 27513
Telephone: (919) 297-0097
www.cynthiagreggmd.com
Fred
Barwick,
before
and after
otoplasty
surgery.
Otopla sty in the 70 s
Before opening her
private practice in Cary in
1999, she was an Assistant Professor
of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive
Surgery at Duke University Medical
Center.
For more information about the practice, contact:
The
dramatic
impact of
otoplasty
for this
young boy.
“Fred Barwick of Roxboro is
an example that makes the point.
He came to me, in his mid-70s, on New
Year’s Eve Day in 2009, to alter the appearance of his ears, which had been an emotional burden to him for his entire life.”
The results of his otoplasty surgery with
Dr. Gregg, he says, ended years of internal
turmoil (see photos). “I’ve always been so selfconscious about my appearance, and now I’m
not. My self-consciousness certainly affected
my confidence and sense of self-worth. Earlier
in life, I was tormented as a child, as a student
and in my family, because of the shape and
size of my ears. Until recently, I didn’t know
it was technically possible, or affordable, to
make such a dramatic change.
“So I come away from this experience
knowing, first of all, that Dr. Gregg is a
fantastic surgeon. Even more importantly,
she has wonderful communication skills. I
really believe that all of her patients become
her friends, her extended family—she has a
warm, personal relationship with everyone.”
Otopla s ty : C hanging Lives
Otoplasty, in fact, is often a life-changing experience in all of life’s stages. For
many, it helps overcome the critical health
issue of poor self-image.
“We perform this surgery to set ears
closer to the head or reduce the size of large
ears,” explains Dr. Gregg. “The procedure
does not in any way change an individual’s
ability to hear.
“Correctable abnormalities range from
large over-protruding ears to small cup-like
ears. Aesthetically acceptable ears come in
many shapes and sizes—but there are general guidelines for the normal appearance of
ears that are a good reference point.”
One of the most common ear deformities, she explains, is flattening of the upper
ear cartilage, “and another common reason
for protruding ears is an excessive amount of
cartilage. During the pre-operative evaluation, we look at the size and shape of an
individual’s ears along with their relationship
to the scalp. The procedure I use to refine
the appearance of ears depends on the cause
of the ear deformity.”
All otoplasty techniques involve making
an incision that is eventually hidden in the
natural crease behind the ear, Dr. Gregg
explains. The procedure is usually done on
an out-patient basis, requiring two to three
hours. “We usually do this under sedation
anesthesia, but young children may require
general anesthesia,” she notes.
“The goal is simply to create a natural,
non-surgical appearance of the ear that is in
proportion to the scalp and to the size and
shape of the opposite ear. Even if only one
ear seems to protrude, surgery on both ears
may be recommended in order to achieve a
symmetrical appearance.”
E specially for Children
Otoplasty is often a blessing early in
life, for school-age children who can be
subjected to relentless harassment because
of the size and shape of their ears—as was
true of Mr. Barwick nearly seven decades
ago, and of the young boy shown in photos with this article.
“Otoplasty can be performed at any
age after the ears have reached adult size,”
Dr. Gregg notes—which typically occurs
between the ages of five to seven. “Adult
candidates for otoplasty need to realize that
the firmer cartilage in their older ears does
not provide the same molding capacity
found in younger patients.
“Timing of the surgery is an important consideration for parents of children
with protruding ears. Even if the ears are
only mildly distorted, children can become
self-conscious of their appearance. Consultation with a facial plastic surgeon or a plastic
surgeon, as well as a pediatrician and perhaps
a child psychologist, will help parents decide
what is best for their child—not only aesthetically, but also, importantly, psychologically and physically.
“After surgery, a soft bulky dressing
is placed over the ears to help maintain
the new shape of the ears. The dressing is removed two to four days after the
surgery, replaced by a removable headband
dressing. Most patients return to work or
school in four to seven days after surgery.
Physical activity, especially contact sports,
needs to be limited or avoided for at least
a month.” h&h
Originally published in Health & Healing in the Triangle, Vol. 14, No. 4, Health & Healing, Inc., Chapel Hill, NC, publishers. Reprinted with permission.