Otostick Baby Proven Effective in Recent Study

Protruding or prominent ears affect around 5% of the population. One in 20 adults have ears
sticking out more than 40 degrees from the side of their head and 35 per cent of these
people admit to feeling embarrassed or ashamed about this 1.
Otostick Baby significantly corrects the protruding ears of subjects aged 3-73 months old
without surgery in 90.7% of cases after twelve months use. This was the conclusion of a
pioneering study on protruding ears, published in the journal of Spanish Primary Care
Paediatrics Association AEPAP (Asociacin Espaola de Pediatra de Atencin Primaria).
According to SECPRE, the Spanish Society of Plastic Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery,
nearly half of interventions in under 18s are for corrective ear surgery, although
otoplasty/pinnaplasty is not recommended in very young patients when ears are still growing.
In the UK, corrective surgery is not generally available on the NHS, and therefore costs
around 3,0002.
The new study, led by Dr. Cecilia Matilde Gmez, Pediatrician Health Center San Fernando,
Spain, in partnership with Innovaciones DisRas SL and the Society of Primary Care
Pediatrics of Extremadura (SPAPEX) shows the corrective effect of Otostick Baby, helping to
avoid psychological problems and the potential need for surgery in later life.
The study was designed to evaluate the efficacy of Otostick Baby, a small single piece
prosthetic that consists of two thin transparent silicone panels connected with a tiny central
pillar. One side is applied to the back of the ear, the other to the head. The study was
conducted on an initial sample of 60 patients, aged between 3 and 73 months old, with
protruding ears (minimum cephaloauricular distance of 15 mm). The initial 60 patients were
divided into three age groups (3 to 12 months, 13 to 36 months and from 37 to 72 months) to
analyze data by age and to identify the ideal age to commence use of the prostheses.
After 12 months of use and periodic monitoring of patients, 90.7% of the ears of patients who
completed the study achieved a good 6-10 mm or reasonable 3-5 mm of correction. The
study concluded that the use of Otostick baby successfully corrected protruding ears without
surgery. All groups saw a positive result, however Otostick Baby was most effective in infants
aged between 13 and 36 months old.
Commenting on the study, Francisca Gamero, creator of Otostick said: "The benefit of
correcting protruding ears is psychological as well as aesthetic. This study is very revealing,
because it shows the effectiveness of a non-surgical method to correct infants ears before
the child is aware of their aesthetic appearance and before they can experience any
psychological impact. "

Nick Thompson of UK distributor Zurego Ltd. adds: "Otostick Baby was originally launched in
Spain as a temporary aesthetic product. To coincide with our UK launch, we now have a
published study that demonstrates the long-term benefits of Otostick Baby. It is able to
permanently correct a physical issue that can have serious future psychological effects on
those affected. In addition, we hope that this will reduce the need for costly cosmetic surgery
for many children in future, saving families thousands of pounds.
To support this, a study in North Staffordshire indicated that the correction of protruding ears
in children aged 5-16 years reduced or ended bullying in 100% of cases, it increased levels
of happiness by 97%, self-confidence by 92% and improved social experience for 79% of the
affected children3.
Otostick was first developed by Francisca Gamero for her daughter and then refined over
several years in her home country of Spain in association with local university experts. The
original version, designed for adults and children 3 years+, has now sold over 2 million units
since launch. Otostick is helping tens of thousands to feel more confident about their
appearance, whether they use Otostick every day, for specific occasions or even just a
particular hairstyle.
Gamero subsequently developed Otostick Baby, suitable for infants from 3 months old and
now sells over half a million units a year in Spain. Each Otostick Baby is slightly smaller than
a 5p piece, it is painless and easy to apply. Each pack of 8 Otostick Baby correctors includes
a retainer cap to minimise any risk of baby accidentally removing the correctors, as their size
means they could present a choking hazard to an infant.
Both original Otostick and Otostick Baby are Class 1 medical devices and are sold in
pharmacies and drugstores in 30 countries internationally.

For more information, please contact Nick Thompson of UK distributor Zurego Ltd,
info@zurego.com or 01625 262 361.

*References: 1. Netdoctor.co.uk, 2. http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/cosmetic-treatments-guide/Pages/ear-correctionsurgery.aspx, 3. J Plast Reconstr Aesthet Surg. 2009 Feb;62(2):190-4, http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18032121