gaining Self-esteem: “I Should Have Done This Years Ago”

c y n t h i a g r e gg , md , f a c s
before
Gaining
Self-Esteem:
“I Should Have
Done This
Years Ago”
after
Fred
Barwick,
before
and after
otoplasty
surgery.
D
health&healing • Volume 13
Number 2
22
r. Cynthia Gregg’s patients often
comment to her, after surgery, “I
should have done this years ago!”
Fred Barwick, age 74, is in their
number. The Roxboro resident came to
Dr. Gregg, one of the area’s pre-eminent
facial plastic surgeons, on New Year’s Eve
Day, 2009, to alter the appearance of his
ears, which had been the source of nearly
life-long angst.
The results of his otoplasty surgery
with Dr. Gregg, he says, ended years of
internal turmoil (see photos). “I’ve always
been so self-conscious about my appearance,” he says, “and now I’m not. My
self-consciousness certainly affected my
confidence and sense of self-worth. 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. And finally, I’ve been
amazed that virtually none of my friends
at home have noticed or commented on
For more information about the practice, contact:
CYNTHIA GREGG, MD, FACS
3550 NW Cary Parkway, Suite 100
Cary, NC 27513
Telephone: (919) 297-0097
www.cynthiagreggmd.com
“We perform this surgery on
the ear to set ears closer to
the head or reduce the size
of large ears; the procedure
does not in any way change
an individual’s ability to hear.”
this change of appearance. It’s wonderful
for me, but it seems for everyone else I’m
still the same old Fred. And I think that’s
wonderful, too.”
Oto pl a s t y : Ch a n g i ng L iv e s
Otoplasty, in fact, is often a lifechanging experience for both children and
adults. It helps many 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 sp e c ia ll y f o r Ch i ld r e n
Otoplasty can be and often is a blessing 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.
“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. 13, No. 2, Health & Healing, Inc., Chapel Hill, NC, publishers. Reprinted with permission.
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 UNCChapel 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.
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.
Fa c ia l Pr o c e du r e s
Relying on her extensive training,
the latest technology, and years of experience, Dr. Gregg performs the full
range of facial plastic surgery procedures, including forehead and brow-lift
surgery, facial scar treatment, otoplasty
(to correct protruding ears), rhinoplasty
nasal surgery, blepharoplasty eyelid
surgery, rhytidectomy facelift surgery,
and mid-face lift.
She and her staff, which includes a
surgical nurse, a nurse injector, and an
aesthetician, also offer a full range of
skin care procedures and products, including treatment of sun damage and
photo-aging, Botox cosmetic injections,
laser hair removal, and use of natural
cosmetic dermal fillers such as Restylane, Juvéderm, and Sculptra.