Otoplasty is a cosmetic procedure that corrects ear protrusion or other malformations. It is most commonly performed in the cosmetic setting to address ear protrusion. This procedure makes the ears more proportional to the face by repositioning them back alongside the head in a more aesthetic position. It can be performed as early as five years old or at any age during adulthood.

Perhaps you are a parent concerned about the social implications of your child’s appearance through elementary school and adolescence. Maybe you are an adult who lived through teasing, jokes, and ridicule in your social experiences. Whatever the case, otoplasty can be a life-changing procedure. The benefits of otoplasty are unique to each individual. Otoplasty can:

• Correct protruding ears with minimal scarring
• Improve self-confidence
• Improve the balance of ears relative to the face
• Give a more pleasing contour to the face with short or up-do hairstyles

In addition to deciding whether otoplasty can meet your personal goals, several factors must be considered in determining whether you are a good candidate for an otoplasty. Good candidates for a otoplasty include those who:

• Want to correct protruding or misshapen ears
• Want to achieve better proportion to the face and ears
• You are a nonsmoker, or you are willing to stop smoking before your otoplasty

While otoplasty can address a variety of concerns, it does have limitations. Knowing these limitations and understanding when you may be a candidate for a different type of surgery is essential. Otoplasty cannot:

• Address abnormalities in hearing
• Enlarge or decrease the overall size of ears

Otoplasty can be performed in an office under local anesthesia or as an outpatient procedure with general anesthesia in an operating room. After your surgery, you will spend a short time in the recovery room before a friend or family member takes you home, where you should plan to rest for the remainder of the day. Be sure to arrange for someone to drive you home after surgery and to stay with you for at least the first night. We will advise you on pain medication to ease any discomfort, give you detailed post-operative instructions, and schedule a follow-up appointment to check your progress.

It is expected to experience some pain and swelling in the first few days after surgery. To prevent disruption of healing or unnecessary pressure on healing tissues, you will be placed in soft dressings while sleeping for a few weeks after surgery.

Depending on your type of work, you can usually return to work within one week.

The results of an otoplasty can be seen immediately following surgery. These results are long-lasting.

Every patient’s recovery is different. Your recovery may be quicker or take more time than average.

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