Jackie’s Ear Pinning at Age 8: Otoplasty, Bullying and a Full-Circle Reunion

Kerry: Hello, welcome to season 2 of Once Upon a Surgery. I’m the host Kerry Berlet with a world-renowned plastic surgeon Dr. Anthony Berlet. Today we have an amazing guest, the gorgeous Jackie. This is our first ever before situation where she was actually a child and I wonder if you could even guess what surgery she’s had and how we’re going to hear all about how it has transformed her life and how she reconnected with Dr. Berlet. And I’m very excited to have you.

Kerry: Thank you so much for coming, Jackie. Cheers. Welcome So, and I actually connected with Jackie through Instagram. And so, this Jackie had a surgery that was 18 years ago, we think, right? And you’re so young. So, I was like, wait, oh, this how is this possible? And look how beautiful she is. And I just So, tell me about, you know, what you had done and what your life was like before and what brought you to the decision to actually get the surgery.

Jackie: Okay. So, when I was 8 years old, I had my ears pinned back.

Kerry: Okay.

Jackie: What that involves is my ears stuck out a lot and then it just pins your ears back. Brings them more flush to your head. So growing up I always kind of struggled with my ears sticking out. I had kids in school making comments about it. And

Kerry: Were they really? And so like would you not wear your hair just like to like were you self-conscious about it?

Jackie: Yeah, I definitely was self-conscious. And I guess what really put that first idea in my head was my mom actually sometimes it’s your own family. But my mom actually had the same procedure done when she was 8 years old.

Kerry: No way.

Jackie: Yeah. So she already had that

Kerry: She saw that you had inherited

Jackie: Yeah. her same ear gene.

Kerry: Okay.

Jackie: So, she already kind of put that in my head to be like, “Oh, well, you know, if you ever wanted to do something about it, there is an option, which isn’t bad cuz she went through it herself.”

Kerry: Okay.

Jackie: So, I was like,

Kerry: And it’s amazing then that surgery has existed, you know, for so long and they were

Jackie: So many years, right?

Kerry: Yeah. It’s incredible.

Jackie: So, as

Kerry: And of course as a kid when your mom points that then I’m sure that’s all you can see, right?

Jackie: Exact. Exactly. And then after that then you know my friends in school they it wasn’t in a malicious way because at that age you don’t really have an understanding of bullying or being malicious in that aspect. so but it was more of like oh like your ears stick out. Oh you look so cute like Dumbo. Like things like that.

Kerry: That it wasn’t

Jackie: It like I said it wasn’t malicious or anything like that coming from school. However, my sister my sister, she

Kerry: Big sisters do, you know, sisters can be meaniblings. They say it like it like it’s real like it’s like it is. Yeah.

Jackie: So, we were in the pool swimming and when you’re swimming, you know, your hair is down flush, you know, to your head and she was like, “You look like Dumbo.” And you know that it was like, “Oh, she’s being mean.” So, I remember I ran inside to my mom and I was like, I want to do the surgery. I don’t want to deal with this because then you start getting to an age where you realize that people are they can be mean or that bullying is a thing because like I said, when you’re a little kid that isn’t a thing. It’s everyone no one has a biased opinion on other people. It’s just everyone you’re just little kids playing and it’s innocent. But then as you get older, that’s when the opinions use it to hurt you.

Jackie: Yeah. So, I was like, and I, you know, wise of me for being 8 years old and kind of clocking that cuz I was like, “Oh, yeah. I want to get this done and over with as early as possible,

Kerry: Right?” And especially cuz like your mother had done it so you felt like, “Okay, this is something that, you know, is possible and you know, again, she had done it at the same age even and so and had she just told you it that year or was it something?”

Jackie: I don’t remember exactly. I mean, you’re so young. Yeah. But I remember it was kind of like a conversation that we were going back and forth about for like maybe like a year or so.

Kerry: Okay.

Jackie: Cuz she was like, “Hey, like maybe this is something you might want to look into.” And I was like, and I think we did actually go see Dr. Berlet first and did talk to him about it, but I was like, I don’t know. And my dad was like, “Leave it alone.” Like, who cares? you know, as dads are, they’re like, you know, but then I was experiencing other things like in my life and how I felt and I was like,

Kerry: And you mentioned you did dance at one point.

Jackie: So, I actually was really athletic when I was younger. I did cheerleading, gymnastics, and dance. Like, it was crazy.

Kerry: And the problem is you always have your hair up slicked back like and so you can see the ears really well.

Jackie: And especially you’re on a stage, there’s cameras everywhere. And for me, that was another huge reason for me to want to get that done. And I have to say it was like one of the best decisions I ever made.

Kerry: Yeah. Yeah. And like I mean, now you do modeling of sorts and obviously very attractive. I mean, you have full hair, but like but again, can we just see like Yes. I mean, they look amazing. Yeah. And I just wonder, again, I’m sure you have a different confidence than you would have had, right? I mean, luckily, I think eight is an age. It’s before, again, people just point things out as observations before they’re really using it against you, I think. I mean, for the most part, it sounds like other than your sister.

Jackie: Yeah, other than my sister. Yeah.

Kerry: So funny. And do you remember what the recovery like if it hurt? I mean, you were just you weren’t put under, right? You were put under.

Jackie: Yes. Yes, I was. So, I remember everything about it actually. so, I remember going in and I explained, you know, what I wanted. My main thing was I want to be as natural as possible. I like I don’t want anyone to know that I’ve ever had this done.

Kerry: Okay.

Jackie: And to this day, when I tell people that I’ve had plastic surgery, they’re like on what? Like, what are you talking about? And I was like, my ears. It’s such like a odd thing cuz you don’t hear it very often, right? But yeah, so I went in, Dr. Berlet was like, “This is a piece of cake. No worries.” So that made me feel really comfortable like from the beginning. And then you just go in, you get put under. I think it took like 2 hours, 2 and a half hours, I want to say.

Kerry: Oh wow.

Jackie: And then I woke up and I went home and I remember I was home from school for like a week and the recovery wasn’t bad. I was just like, “Take some Tylenol and rest.”

Kerry: Okay. And do you have something around your head as you’re recovering? Okay.

Jackie: Yeah. So they band-aid your head and I actually looked like a Q-tip. My whole family was like,

Kerry: “Was it around Halloween?” Cuz you could have just been

Jackie: I wish I wish.

Kerry: You could be a Q-tip for Halloween.

Jackie: Yeah. Really? So actually my whole family was like, “You look like a Q-tip. You’re Q-tip head.” Blah. So that was Yeah. So that’s But it wasn’t bad. It came off. Stitches came out and then that was that.

Kerry: Okay. Yeah. Yeah. And at eight, you know, you can miss a week of school. It’s not such a big deal.

Jackie: Not a big deal. They have you like coloring. It’s like

Kerry: And did your friends So at 8, that’s so young. Did your friends noticed? Did you tell them what you had done or did you Okay. Yeah.

Jackie: So when I went back to school, you know, I told my friends and all the kids in my class like, “Oh my god, let us see. Let us see.” Like they were so like intrigued by it. It was really cool. I definitely got lucky like with the kids I was in school with and the people that I was friends with and I was I was very lucky I have to say because you know some people like go through procedures or something like that and you have a very different opinion on it or you get people that are like oh like why would you do that or sometimes you know parent like the kid’s parents would put things in the kids’ heads to be like oh her mother would let her do that or judging and like you could have kids even come up to you and be like, “Oh, my mom said like you got like something done. Like that’s not right.” But luckily, I did not experience that. And I’m so happy that I did because I’ve heard stories of other people experiencing that. I mean, even

Kerry: I know with like noses that happen sometimes at young ages and Yeah.

Jackie: Yeah. Like that’s Yeah, that’s actually a really great example. I know a girl like in middle school and she had her nose done and people were like, “Oh my gosh, she got her nose done.” Right. It’s

Kerry: Like who cares? I know. I think sometimes as a kid like the best thing is to just be open about it because otherwise they’re just going to be whispering and it’s like just get it out in the open. Yep. I did my ears and like what would you know?

Jackie: Yeah, I completely agree. I think being open and honest about things is the best way to go about it. Especially with like getting work done. It’s like you know people try to be like, “Oh, you were insecure. You had to get your ears done.” And it’s like I actually feel great. like I’m I’m so happy. It was something that, you know, really gave me confidence to be who I am. And I would even, you know, look at other girls like growing up whom their ears would stick out that I would do like cheerleading with or gymnastics with and I would hear like other kids whispering about it and I was like

Kerry: Did you ever talk to them about like by the way like I did this or

Jackie: I don’t you probably don’t want to make it might make them feel insecure because I know like how I felt when I was little how people would point it out and be like oh your ears stick out. But like I said, it wasn’t in a malicious way. But still hearing that, it’s kind of like if you think about like with people’s weight loss be like, “Oh, you look really skinny. Oh, you look good. You lost some weight.” And it’s like just don’t even say it. You know, it’s like just leave it alone. And so I feel like that was kind of the same aspect and I me especially knowing how I felt growing up that you know I was you know I’ve spoken about it like in general with or around those people but not being like

Kerry: Hey you want to talk to number

Kerry: Right I know it’s a shame because they some of some people may not you know have the knowledge that it could it is an easy fix or you know I mean again they I don’t know if they don’t have the resources but you’re like hopefully this can open you just you know introduce the idea to other people who might have that you know.

Jackie: Yeah I really I agree with that like I’m very lucky that I had the resources and I was able to get it done. And also to like a supportive family behind me about it because like I said a lot of people look at plastic surgery from a very like dark standpoint. Luckily for me everyone was like good for you. This is amazing. I’m so happy for you. So, I was very lucky in that aspect.

Kerry: I mean, and you do have gorgeous hair. So, I wonder, you know, it’s like it would only really be when you had your hair, you know, hair up, but for all this as a dancer, cheerleader like that is like it’s always in a ponytail or a bun. And so, that is a much, you know, that part of your life or even like formal events too.

Jackie: Exactly. Exactly. So, I’m lucky.

Kerry: Yeah. I’m remembering I had I did water polo in college and then one of them like Yeah. she had like the ears were like that we’re out.

Jackie: Yeah. Yeah. It’s like it’s like you notice those things and it’s like no one really says anything cuz it’s not like

Kerry: Oh my gosh blah it’s not a huge thing but it is something that people do notice right

Jackie: And especially for me when I was younger my sister and I my mom was bringing us to do different like commercial work and modeling work in the city and it was also to around that time I had my ears done and they will pick you apart like no tomorrow. I was like, “At least I got this fixed and out of the way so they couldn’t.” So,

Kerry: And do you remember was there any impact on your hearing after the surgery?

Jackie: Nothing.

Kerry: Okay.

Jackie: Nothing like that. even my scarring was so minimal.

Kerry: Okay.

Jackie: Like there was It was really

Kerry: Yeah, cuz where you can’t I don’t see anything, right?

Jackie: I think I believe I had stitches up the inside like this top part of my ear and then in the back cuz I think we just like reshaped a little in the top and then in the back of the ear I see was like to pull it back. But honestly like this like the scarring like I said very minimal. I barely had anything. Like I don’t remember even seeing anything.

Kerry: Were Do you remember being like for that week when you were recovering with the Q to the pet? My was it was it painful or

Jackie: It wasn’t I don’t think it was anything out of like the or like you know it wasn’t like memorable nothing bad. So

Kerry: Yeah. Awesome. And I want to do get talk to Dr. Berlet about what exactly was involved with the procedure and also I know cuz she’s here. Let’s talk to your sister.

Jackie: Yes.

Kerry: About what she remembers. Let’s bring Caitlyn on.

Jackie: Yeah.

Kerry: All right. So, we’re back with Jackie’s sister, Caitlyn, who was, you know, the impetus. I think that like made Jackie get the surgery done when she did, which we think it’s probably a good thing. Yeah. But do you remember as her sister like would you I know you made that one final the Dumbo comment, but like before when she was younger, would you look at her ears and

Caitlyn: I knew that she kind of had that insecurity. So for me to see that it was almost like I was pushing her to kind of go forward with it. because I felt I in my head at that time I thought that this was something that was going to help her in the long run. just cuz I knew that she already felt so insecure about it then that she was going to eventually want to do something so why not do it sooner than wait for it and she is clearly very happy with her decision so

Kerry: Yes and it’s something so minor you know I mean not like I feel like you know there’s certain parts where it’s a bigger commitment to make but it’s like and especially having your mother having had the surgery

Caitlyn: Almost sense of like security to be able to be Okay, this isn’t going to be so bad. If mom went through it, I can go through it, too.

Kerry: Right. Yeah. I mean, and it’s I’m sure your mother like having like she immediately saw, oh, those are my ears when she was born.

Caitlyn: Absolutely.

Kerry: I was thinking about like sometimes you have people who have had their nose done, you know, and then like you’re used to this nice nose and then they have the baby and you’re like, “Oh, there’s there’s my Well, they can also have my nose. My new literally

Jackie: I see. It’s so funny you say that because on Instagram I’ll see like people that get like their nose done or something and they’re like your future kids are going to be mad at you because your husband has no idea what it really looks like,

Kerry: Right? I know that is a thing. But they can have the same nose eventually, right? So funny. But and you guys did, you said some modeling and acting as kids.

Caitlyn: Yeah, like commercial stuff. So, we got my mom went through somebody who was kind of in charge of getting us to where we needed to go. and we went here into the city and had it done. And they do definitely pick you apart at every little thing. So I think that, you know, having Jackie having the surgery done, it was definitely something that helped kind of to her advantage in that aspect.

Kerry: Uh-huh. Yeah. Yeah. And you would book sometimes gigs as siblings and

Caitlyn: No, because honestly for so for us like when we were younger seeing that how harsh they were and the way that they pick everything apart, it’s very unsettling for like a young girl and at that point

Kerry: Lasting impact for sure.

Jackie: Yeah. So, I know my mom was like, “We’re just going to give it a break.” Because to a degree, like they’re like, “Oh, well, like they’ll just say nasty things to you.” And it’s like they don’t it’s to them second nature like these agents and it’s like

Kerry: Mhm.

Jackie: But then for me, I mean, Caitlyn, she was kind of like not super into it. And it wasn’t really my kind of more just

Kerry: Cuz you say you’re more the tomboy.

Caitlyn: Definitely more the tomboy than you know the glamorous beautiful, you know,

Kerry: The dancer. Yeah. Cheerleader.

Jackie: So, and also for me, that’s when I was really into gymnastics and cheerleading and I just wanted to focus on cheerleading. But then as I got older, like as an adult, that’s when I really like fell right back into doing modeling and

Kerry: Fashion show. I’m sure people see you and say, “Oh, you should model.” You know, all the time. All the time. Yeah. My co-workers, you have such amazing eyes.

Jackie: Thank you. Thank you. my co-workers, they like, “Oh my gosh, you should model.” And I’m like, “Well, funny you say that.” I’m like, “I used to a lot.”

Kerry: Yeah.

Caitlyn: And I do brag to like my friends and my co-workers that have never met my sister before, and I’ll be like, “Yeah, I have a sister.” They’re like, “Wait, you have a sister?” I’m like, “Yeah, look.” And they’re like, “Oh my gosh, this is so pretty.” I know.

Kerry: Wow. This Thanks, guys. So nice. But yeah, and I feel like again it’s just it’s good that like even though it was sort of felt mean at the time, you probably did like change her life a little bit like making her like you know motivating her to get the surgery at a young age before cuz I just think it does change you if you’ve been bullied as a child you somehow bring that trauma along.

Caitlyn: Absolutely. cuz it’s something especially when it comes to your looks like if somebody is always picking at you like when I was really little I had super tight curl like curly hair and people used to walk up to me and they would just pull on my curls and yank on my curls all the time and they would make little jokes about it calling me Shirley Temple or you know little things like that and to me I was like it was almost like I was being picked on too. So, as I got older in my teenage years, I was constantly straightening my hair, not realizing the damage that it was going to do in the long run. But, you know, it definitely sticks with you as you get older because it’s something of your self-conscious that you think about,

Kerry: Right,

Caitlyn: All the like all the time.

Kerry: Yeah, those comments. So,

Jackie: Yeah, it’s not fun. It’s not fun to go through it, but I’m like I said, I’m happy that and then like I ended up doing it. It’s just a fun little story on how my big sister was the one who pushed me over the edge.

Kerry: Right. Right. But you guys seem like you have a great relationship.

Caitlyn: I wouldn’t be here today with her if it if it didn’t, you know,

Jackie: I dragged her I dragged her out of the house today. I was like, “Come on, let’s go.”

Kerry: Yes. Right. I know. And you can thank her for again like, you know, I mean, it’s funny how life goes. You know, you don’t

Jackie: You don’t realize how like one action may, you know, project the rest of your life or I mean that even goes with like people’s words. Like example in this situation like how one person said oh look it’s Dumbo and then in the future it’s like oh they had they went and got like surgery done to like correct this and it’s like it kind of makes you really sit there and think to realize like wow maybe you should really think they say they teach you when you’re little think before you speak you know but it’s it’s so true and I think that’s like a really important thing you know to take with you I mean for me it worked out in the end cuz it was a good thing but in general it’s still something that I went through when I was only seven eight years old. And for a seven, eight-year-old, you know, you’re a baby. It’s crazy.

Kerry: Of course. I mean, it’s crazy that you even remember that, but I think it was just, you know, like certain memories stick with you and it just had such an impact on your life.

Jackie: Yeah. I definitely have like a crazy memory. And I think especially something that big in my life was something that I’ll never forget.

Kerry: Totally.

Jackie: Yeah. And it makes me think too. I’m like one day like when I have kids you know if they inherit my ears I’m like what is going to happen you know but I’m like I’ll just cross that bridge when we get there you know if they want to do it hey why not but if they don’t fine with me either way you know

Kerry: Leave it up to them

Jackie: Yeah I think that’s the most important thing to make it as a especially as a child like leave it to be their decision

Caitlyn: And I think it’s funny too because even though I did pick on her cuz you know siblings pick on each I was the most defensive older sibling when it came to other people.

Kerry: Only you are allowed to pick on them. They can’t.

Caitlyn: Exactly. Yeah. And you know, for her it was like when I would hear people make comments about her ears or you know, anything in general, I was like I’d be like, “Hey, that’s not nice. Don’t say that.” And me and her only like 2 years and what 11 months apart from each other or something like that.

Jackie: Almost 3 years.

Caitlyn: Yeah. So I, you know, we’re kind of close in age. So for me it was like that’s my little sister, you know, don’t pick on my little sister. You know, I was the one over here kind of instigating and poking a little bit, but not to say she hasn’t done that.

Kerry: That’s the role of sisters. Yes. Y And then I love So, we’ll get Dr. Berlet on in a second. I love that then later in life how you ran into him recently and he just told me this story.

Jackie: Yes. Oh my gosh. So, I at the hospital that I work at now, it’s a local hospital by me and I’m a phlebotomist now and I’m in radiology school. so I was just walking down the hallway at work and I just see Dr. Berlet. And what’s so funny is that same hospital is where I had my ears done.

Kerry: Really? And that’s where you work?

Jackie: And that’s where I work. That was the hospital I was born at. That’s where I work now. And then I had my ear surgery there. And then I see him just standing in the hallway and I walk up to him. I’m like, “Hey, I mean, I don’t know if you remember me, but

Kerry: You look a little different now. You were eight years old when you had it done.” Right.

Jackie: Exactly. I was like, “But ” I’m like, “I don’t know if you remember me, but when I was eight, you did my ears.” And he immediately was like, “Let me see these things.” Like, “It’s so funny.”

Kerry: Let me see my work.

Jackie: Exactly. Exactly. So, so it was so funny. It was so funny. And he was like, “Oh my gosh, you look so great.” You know, so it was such a random thing because obviously I follow you guys on Instagram and everything. And then I just run into him. I’m like, “Oh my gosh, what a funny

Kerry: And you recognize it.” Well, I guess cuz you see us on Instagram.

Jackie: Yeah. Yeah. But he looks the same, right? I’m like, he looks the same.

Kerry: He’s always the same. Yeah.

Jackie: Yeah. Yeah. So, it was definitely like really funny. I was like, what a

Kerry: Comes full circle. And it’s what’s funny is I feel like there are other like patients that like they are all he runs into them in the hospital often, you know? I mean, he’s so prolific. We run into patients everywhere. But

Jackie: Yeah, it’s such a funny thing. But, yeah, I just like couldn’t believe it. I was like after I haven’t seen him in I don’t know how many years cuz I like I like stop in and ask him like oh what do you think about this or that. so I probably haven’t seen him since I was like 18 I want to say. So it’s been

Kerry: It’s been a long time. What like

Jackie: Five six years six years around seven years. Been a long time

Kerry: And I know you were mentioning that you’ve asked him like oh should I do this? Should I do this? And he’s constantly saying no. Right. I mean again you don’t need anything. you’re you’re 25 years old. But so I love that. Right.

Jackie: Yeah. That’s honestly the one thing like I really respect about him is because you know a lot of the these doctors plastic surgeons will be like sure whatever cut that’s all they want to do. but I’ve I went to him to be like oh like should I get this done? cuz I also had scoliosis surgery done when I was 15. So it’s major surgery. I think that’s why my ear pinning surgery to me was like whatever because I went through such an intense surgery like after the fact,

Kerry: Right?

Jackie: So with scoliosis it really like kind of throws off your whole alignment of your body. So as women you always have like one breast that’s larger than the other but from the scoliosis it really enhances that look.

Jackie: Okay. So, I went to when I was 18 and I was like, “I just don’t like how it looks.” And he was like, “Come back to me in like 10 years.” He was like, “Because your body’s going to change.” He was like, “You’re not always going to look like this and I’m not going to touch you and do this to you. There’s no point right now.” So, I was like, “Okay.” And then here we are now. I’m 25. But even a couple years after that when I was 22, 21 and your body does change. I was like, “It’s not even noticeable.” like you can’t even notice it anymore. And I was like,

Kerry: So that’s really that’s great that he I mean cuz he could have just oh okay sure here’s money. Yeah, why don’t I you know but

Jackie: Again so that’s something I like really appreciated. cuz like I said they’ll just they just want to cut most of the time. So yeah happy about that.

Kerry: Right. That was actually I don’t know if you know the story, but when I cuz I had met him like years before we ended up dating and he had actually turned me down too for a tummy tuck.

Jackie: No way. That’s so funny. See? Okay.

Kerry: I know. But so you appreciate you respect the doctor almost more who says no, right?

Jackie: I do cuz it saved me an unnecessary procedure.

Kerry: Exactly. In the long run.

Caitlyn: You’re so naturally beautiful.

Jackie: Yes. Thank you.

Kerry: You’re such a good sister.

Jackie: No. No, guys. Now she’s being nice because she’s on camera just to redeem herself. She has to redeem just to redeem herself.

Caitlyn: I’ll be honest like if you know when it comes to a lot of people they’ll I’ve either gotten either we it’s crazy polar opposites. Either you look like twins or you don’t look anything alike to each other.

Kerry: The hair color can throw them like

Caitlyn: That and the eye color too. She’s piercing blue eyes. I’m over here with brown eyes, you know, and she’s significantly taller than I am. So there’s there’s differences, but I do feel like even my mom has said it years and years and years. Your sister or your sibling is your best friend.

Kerry: Yeah.

Jackie: And if I’m being honest, she asked all her friends if they could come today, and they were all like, “Sorry, can’t make it.” And who’s with you? Your sister.

Caitlyn: Of course.

Kerry: Yep. Perfect. I love it. All right. Well, let’s get Dr. Berlet on to talk about it. Thank you, Caitlyn. This is the first sibling we’ve ever had on.

Caitlyn: I love you guys.

Kerry: So cute. Okay, so we’re back with Dr. Berlet and I specifically have not asked any questions cuz I want to hear real time what is involved with an ear pinning cuz and she was put under. Would you still put under today? Has anything changed? Like what is involved?

Dr. Berlet: I do it under local but she was 8 years old at the time and you know everybody’s a little bit different.

Kerry: Okay.

Dr. Berlet: But you know I’ve had done it on 8-year-olds under local anesthesia but not typically

Kerry: Right. I’m sure it’s a lot for a little kid, right?

Dr. Berlet: And surprisingly, ears are pretty painful.

Kerry: Okay.

Dr. Berlet: The process is pretty painful.

Kerry: Okay. And

Dr. Berlet: Somehow the little girls tolerate better than the older men

Kerry: Really. Okay. And so what exactly? And then are you at all concerned about loss of hearing or what’s involved with the surgery?

Dr. Berlet: It has nothing to do with that.

Kerry: Okay.

Dr. Berlet: So, you know, the ear is cartilage.

Kerry: Okay.

Dr. Berlet: Covered with skin.

Dr. Berlet: Okay. So the shape of the cartilage could be molded but it has to be molded by scoring it on one side it contracts on the other side. So you have to sort of plan that then you have to put stitches in to hold it in position. You can cut certain parts of the cartilage out if the if the concha bowl which the inside of the ear pushes the ear out a lot. And then there’s something here called the antihelical fold. Anti-helical fold. A lot of people don’t have that and those are the ones that have the cup ear.

Kerry: Okay. So, wait. So, can you show from her ear? Cuz to me it feels like

Dr. Berlet: That’s a really good job.

Kerry: If you do say so yourself because to me it feels like if you can hold the camera a little bit. Okay.

Dr. Berlet: You can see this is the helix is the outside of the ear. This is the anti-helix which is a curve on the inside of the ear. And this is the one that’s missing on a lot of people. and the concha bowl’s on the inside and that can also push it out. So the idea is to recreate this roll. We do that by scoring the anterior surface of the cartilage here and putting stitches behind it that hold that roll. And then we can take out some of the bowl.

Kerry: So you so you cut this ear and then like you’re stitching.

Dr. Berlet: We cut we cut behind it and I put a little incision up here so I can undermine the cartilage right over this portion and then I actually rasp the surface of it to rough it up so it’ll it’ll actually pull and bend. So when you put the stitches in behind it’ll ultimately heal in that position.

Kerry: Okay. That’s really cuz in my mind I was thinking it’s like you were just turning the ear somehow and like literally like pinning it back.

Dr. Berlet: That’s why I get paid the big bucks.

Kerry: Wow.

Jackie: Interesting.

Kerry: And I think you had told me about how it’s so funny that I mean because she’s at Chilton and that you had someone come up and was like, “Dr. Berlet, you did my ears years ago. Do you remember me?” And you’re like, I like again her as a little eight-year-old.

Dr. Berlet: It’s a little different.

Kerry: 25 place. Yeah.

Dr. Berlet: Gorgeous.

Jackie: Yeah. Right. Thank you.

Kerry: Yes.

Kerry: Rough. And then do you remember I guess she appreciates because she had gone to you to talk about the scoliosis and the she had a different breast size at the time. How did you know that they were going to change and that she didn’t need surgery?

Dr. Berlet: I don’t know.

Dr. Berlet: I don’t remember any of that.

Kerry: Okay.

Kerry: Yeah. Cuz but

Dr. Berlet: I think that those things you have to watch. I mean certainly when you’re still evolving because scoliosis goes on for years until grown

Kerry: And so because she was saying that basically I mean you knew that her body was going to continue changing

Kerry: And so

Dr. Berlet: That’s a good it’s a good bet

Kerry: Right

Kerry: Excellent and so like would you for people who get their ears pinned what’s the is eight a good age or is there specific time that you think

Dr. Berlet: It’s a balance between you know the growth and then you have social interaction. So you know around six seven years old the other kids start noticing it and start teasing you about it

Kerry: Cuz you said that was a popular age is like that audience

Dr. Berlet: That’s when we like to do it because it sort of precludes the further harassment.

Dr. Berlet: I see. And at the same time the head and the ears have grown enough that they you don’t halt the growth of the ears and they have little

Jackie: Yeah. So when it comes to like determining that you know that you know you won’t stop growth com how do how do you go about that?

Kerry: Right cuz that don’t the nose and the ears continue to grow?

Dr. Berlet: They do, but it’s a it’s a it’s a just general accepted age because of that whole process. It’s the balance period where it’s like, okay, maybe you’re 90% grown. It’s not going to have that much effect ultimately.

Kerry: So, you’re 90% your ears are grown at age 8,

Dr. Berlet: 6,

Kerry: 8, 6 to 8. But then they So, it’s just Wow. But then I would feel like the ears should look like bigger or something more proport like proportionally and then you grow into your ears. I don’t know about you cuz your height isn’t is your height 90% I have to think about proportions. Your height isn’t 90% at that right. So like about your head growth head growth.

Dr. Berlet: The head growth. Okay.

Kerry: Cuz does your head stop growing?

Dr. Berlet: Your skull stops growing at age 12 for girls after a couple years after your menses. Mhm.

Dr. Berlet: Most of the growth is complete, but it’s not complete, but it’s most of it is.

Kerry: Okay.

Dr. Berlet: So, we’ll consider noses and stuff like that after 2 years after menses.

Kerry: Okay.

Dr. Berlet: Probably still better to push a little bit if you can get away with that.

Kerry: Yeah.

Kerry: Wait. And then you made a comparison between 8-year-old and an old man. Is that a thing? Cuz do the men after they lose their hair, then they notice their ears or

Dr. Berlet: No, men just listen.

Jackie: Okay. But working in healthcare myself, they are the worst. I know they tend to be babies, hypochondriacs, like they’re the worst like patients, right?

Dr. Berlet: But I mean

Kerry: I’m also I’m not a good patient. I’m like

Kerry: But so then when they’re But have you had men you said old men like

Dr. Berlet: Oh yeah. Okay. Right. Yeah.

Kerry: Do you think is that a because of hair loss? Is that or no?

Dr. Berlet: No. I mean you could look at

Kerry: They just finally decide to do it at a later age.

Dr. Berlet: I like Marco Rubio but the size of his ears. Holy cow.

Kerry: You’re like, “Let me fix those like come see me.”

Dr. Berlet: But you know, some and they some people just address it later, you know. Okay. It’s just it’s just whenever you

Dr. Berlet: From families. I mean, I have friends who one ear’s out, one ear’s back, you’re like, “Why don’t you fix that?”

Kerry: Right.

Dr. Berlet: So you can go bear.

Kerry: Okay.

Dr. Berlet: One ear’s out here, one’s back. Yeah.

Kerry: Okay. Oh, interesting. Anyway, well, thank you so much for coming and great job and like I love it. Thank you so much. This is gonna be our first like baby before adult after.

Dr. Berlet: It’s super cute to see you.

Kerry: I know. And it’s it’s so I love the story and I love the story with your sister and I love that you guys ran into each other in the hospital. So, cheers. It’s dry January so we’re drinking apple cider. Yes, we are.

Jackie: Yes.

Kerry: Thank you for tuning in. Please remember to subscribe, comment, like, and we’ll see you next time. We have more stories, more transformations,