Otoplasty (Ear Reshaping)

At a glance

Surgery Time

1 hour

Time off work

A few days

Hospital Stay

Day Case

Shower

After 1 day

Reasonable Mobility

After a few hours

Exercise

After 2 weeks

Sexual Activity

2 - 4 weeks

Sleeping on back

2 - 4 weeks

Full Recovery

4 weeks

Driving

1 week

What are the options?

Otoplasty procedures are typically carried out under local anesthetic, but sometimes general. This depends on the scale and complexity of the surgery and patient preference.

Otoplasty is more commonly known as ear reshaping surgery, and refers to a range of common cosmetic surgery procedures designed to correct the size and shape of the ear and earlobe, improving function and appearance.

There are three main types of ear correction, including pinnaplasty, ear reduction and ear correction. Otoplasty can also treat other ear deformities or abnormalities, including:

Reducing large or over stretched earlobes
Reshaping cartilage which gives the ears an unnatural shape
Increasing the size of a very small ear
Rebuilding new ears affected by birth deformities
Smoothing wrinkles or large creases

Here we shall look at the three main types of otoplasty.

Pinnaplasty

Pinnaplasty is a common procedure to pin back prominent, protruding ears.

Common causes of sticking out ears include an underdeveloped antihelical fold, excessive cartilage in the concha or a combination of both.

This straightforward procedure sees the surgeon make an incision (cut) at the back of the ear before removing some skin from the cartilage. This cartilage is reshaped so the ear sits closer to the head. The wound is closed with stitches and a dressing is applied to the area.

During pinnaplasty, a surgeon can also correct ears which are not evenly shaped on both sides (asymmetrical).

It is a straightforward procedure and helps to restore a patient’s self-confidence if they are self-conscious about the size, shape or prominent appearance of their ears.

Ear pinning surgery is usually completed in less than an hour.

Pinnaplasty is usually carried out on children and young teenagers, although adults can also undergo ear pinning surgery. Pinnaplasty can be performed on children as young as six years old. This is often the ideal age to correct the ears as they have reached their adult size.

Ear pinning is not suitable for under fives as the ear cartilage is too soft to hold the stitches in place.

Ear reduction

Ear reduction, as the name suggests, is a cosmetic procedure to reduce the size of the ears. Oversized ears, which are out of proportion with the rest of the face, can result in considerable anxiety and low self-esteem, which is why many people opt for this particular form of otoplasty.The medical term for disproportionally large ears is macrotia.

In ear reduction surgery, the surgeon will remove excess skin and cartilage to reshape and reduce the size of the upper or lower half of the ear, or the whole ear. Ear reduction surgery can be used to reduce the height and width of the ear. Ear reduction will help make oversized ears smaller, restoring a balanced appearance to the face.

Neurofibromatosis, a genetic disorder of the nervous system, can leave ears enlarged and sitting in the wrong place on the side of the head. Some lymph tissue growths can also alter the size of the ear, resulting in the need for ear reduction.

Ear reduction surgery can also help with the problem of stretched earlobes, a common problem caused by the frequent wearing of heavy jewellery, or so-called skin tunnels, large holes in the lobes created as a form of body modification.

Ear reduction surgery only focuses on the size of the ears. The procedure can be carried out alongside pinnaplasty if the ears are also protruding.

Ear reduction surgery delivers natural-looking results and can transform a patient’s self-confidence. This type of otoplasty can be performed on both adults and children.

Ear correction

Ear correction is the catch-all term used to describe surgery to correct deformities of the ear which have either been present from birth or caused by trauma.

Babies born with small or absent ears (microtia) will require ear correction surgery as the condition can affect their hearing. This can be done by using the child’s own tissue to reconstruct the ear, by placing a prosthetic framework under the skin or a prosthesis used above the skin.

Most ear-trauma injuries are caused by lacerations or biting, and such injuries require emergency treatment. The damaged ear is left to heal before reconstructive surgery is carried out. The techniques used are similar to those used to treat microtia.

‘Cauliflower ear’, caused by a pooling of blood in the outer ear, is a common ear problem which can benefit from ear correction surgery. If left untreated, the blood can become scarred and calcified, resulting in a thickened cauliflower ear. This condition is common among rugby players and boxers. A surgeon will treat a cauliflower ear by lifting the skin from the front of the ear, thinning out the thickened tissue to recreate the original shape of the ear.

A surgeon will have to carry out ear correction surgery in a case of skin cancer of the ear. This issue is dealt with by way of surgical excision and reconstruction.

Infections caused by ear piercings through the cartilage, such as a helix piercing, can cause a loss of ear structure. In some cases the surgeon may need to reconstruct the ear using cartilage taken from the ribs.

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