Ear correction surgery/ Otoplsty

• Otoplasty reduces the projection of prominent ears. The angle between the head and the ear is about 35°. Many people consider a greater angle to be unaesthetic.


• It reduces the size of big ears.


• It corrects irregularities in the outline of the ear, such as the outline of 'pointy ears' or of 'lop ears'.


• It may also help correct earlobe problems such as lacerations due to heavy earrings, enlargement of the earlobe due to aging and scars from previous face lifts.

Am I a good candidate for ear correction surgery or otoplasty?

If you want to improve certain ear shape or size which include the following, you are a good candidate for the surgery:

• Large ears.


• Protruding ears.


• Lop ear (when the top seems to fold down and forward)


• Cupped ear (a condition where the ear is very small)


• Shell ear (when the curve in the outer rim, as well as the natural folds and creases, are missing)


• Large or stretched earlobes.


• Earlobes with large creases and wrinkles

  A child must wait until the ears are almost fully grown, usually between ages four and six, before undergoing ear surgery. Having ear surgery at a younger age carries psychological and physical advantages. The cartilage is extremely flexible, thereby permitting greater ease of shaping; and secondly, the child will experience psychological benefits from the cosmetic improvement.

Adult patients do not take on any additional risks by having ear surgery at an older age. However, they should understand that the firmer cartilage of fully developed ears does not provide the same molding capacity as in children.

How is ear correction surgery performed?

Ear cosmetic can surgery take from one to three hours to perform, and is done using local anesthesia with oral sedation. However; children undergoing this procedure usually receive general anesthesia.

One of the more common techniques is when the doctor makes a small incision in the back of the ear to expose the cartilage. Then the doctor sculpts the cartilage and bends it back toward the head. Stitches may be used to help maintain the new shape as well as close the incision. Occasionally, a larger piece of cartilage may be removed, which will provide a more natural-looking fold when surgery is complete.

Another technique involves a similar incision in the back of the ear. However with this technique, skin is removed and stitches are used to fold the cartilage back on itself. This is done to reshape the ear without removing cartilage.

In most cases, ear surgery will leave a faint scar in the back of the ear, which fades over time. Even when only one ear is protruding, surgery is usually performed on both ears for a better balance.

How long is the recovery period for ear surgery?

Since it's a day care procedure usually done under local anesthesia, you can go home within a few hours after surgery or an overnight stay if done under general anesthesia. Your head might be wrapped in a bulky bandage immediately following surgery. This will help provide the best molding and healing.

Throbbing and aching in the ears is to be expected, which can be relieved with medication. The stitches are removed about a week after surgery. It is recommended to avoid any activity where the ear might be bumped. Usually adults can go back to work within five days after surgery, while children can return to school within seven days.

What is the outcome of the ear correction surgery or otoplasty?

The results of otoplasty are permanent. Those who used to feel insecure or embarrassed because of their ears tend to feel very satisfied with the changes obtained with this surgery.

Top