Otoplasty (Ear Reshaping)

Some ears stand further out from the head than usual. The cause is the shape of the ear cartilage, not its size. Otoplasty is the operation that reshapes that cartilage and brings the ear closer to the head.

The condition causes no medical harm. It is operated on because children are teased at school and adults dislike how it looks. That reason is enough.

The right age

The ear reaches almost its adult size by the age of five or six. Surgeons operate from that age onwards, usually before the child starts school. Operating then prevents years of teasing.

There is no upper age limit. Adults have the same operation, and the technique does not change.

How the operation is done

The surgeon makes the cut behind the ear, in the fold where the ear meets the head. The scar stays hidden there. Through that cut the surgeon reshapes the cartilage and holds the new fold with permanent stitches. If the cartilage is thick, the surgeon thins it first.

The operation takes one to two hours. Adults have it under local anaesthesia with sedation. Children have it under general anaesthesia. Patients go home the same day.

After the operation

A head bandage stays on for the first few days. After the doctor removes it, you wear a soft headband at night for about six weeks. The headband stops the ear being bent while you sleep.

• Do not lie on the operated ear.
• Do not do contact sport for six weeks.
• Keep the area dry until the doctor says you may wash it.

The ears look slightly swollen for the first weeks. The final position appears after the swelling settles.