Having overly prominent ears that stick out from your head can make anyone self-conscious regardless of age. For this reason, many adults and children seek otoplasty, or corrective ear surgery, correcting the shape of the ear and bringing it closer to the head. Prominent ears are caused by a defect in the ear cartilage structure, which basically means that ear cartilage has failed to properly fold.

Earlobe surgery fixes stretched or torn earlobes requires working with the ear tissue to reconstruct the original shape of the earlobe.

With otoplasty, Dr. Casey can correct ear folds and improve the proportional and aesthetic relationship of the head and ears.

Please see our before and after gallery for photos.

If you or your child experience any of the following issues, you may be a good otoplasty candidate:

• Protruding, prominent ears
• Disproportionately dominant ears
• Ear asymmetry
• Ear trauma
• Sagging earlobes

With ear surgery, most cosmetic surgeons agree that the sooner it is performed, the better. For this reason, it is very common for children to undergo otoplasty. The ears become fully developed very early, so there is no reason to wait if you or your child could benefit from ear surgery procedure. Otoplasty has been successfully performed on children as young as 5 years old and is safe for adults of any age, provided they are in good health.

How is Otoplasty Performed?

Ear surgery typically involves general or sedation anesthesia when it is performed on young children, as this helps them remain still during the procedure and prevents them from being scared by unfamiliar sights and sounds in the surgical suite. For adults, ear surgery procedure can usually be performed using only local anesthesia, which dramatically reduces the immediate post-op recovery period.

During otoplasty, Dr. Casey makes a small incision behind each ear and then removes excess tissues and remodels the cartilage and skin to effectively pin back the ears. Incisions are closed with dissolvable or removable sutures, and the entire procedure takes roughly 2-3 hours to perform. Ear surgery is always performed on both ears, even if only one ear appears to be sticking out, as this ensures symmetry and an overall better cosmetic result.

Ear surgery scars are very inconspicuous as they can be easily hidden in the natural folds where the ears meet the head.

The otoplasty recovery period is approximately 1-2 weeks. Patients are advised to wear a special headband that must be worn to hold the ears in their new position during this time. Depending on your comfort level in wearing the headband in public, your recovery time after ear surgery may be quite short. Most patients are capable of returning to work and school within a few days of the procedure.

Many parents choose to keep young children out of school for two weeks after ear surgery in order to minimize the likelihood that their final results will be compromised with rough or careless play. In general, any strenuous activity should be avoided for 3-6 weeks after ear surgery, and patients should be very gentle with their ears.

You can expect swelling and bruising to mostly subside with the first week of surgery.