Otoplasty or Cosmetic Ear Surgery Overview

Having ears that stick out too far, are too large, or are misshapen can be a source of embarrassment. Children especially may experience teasing from schoolyard bullies. However, cosmetic ear surgery, or otoplasty, can fix the problem. It is often referred to as ear pinning surgery, but no pins are used and repositioning the ears closer to the head is only one form of ear surgery.

Otoplasty or cosmetic ear surgery can correct or enhance the shape of the outer ear. It has nothing to do with correcting hearing problems or deafness, which usually are problems that occur in the internal parts of the ear that are inside the head. The external ear is made of cartilage and skin.

The external ear is very distinctive and, as with fingerprints, no two people's ears are alike. Because of this, there is a lot of variation in what can be called a “normal” ear. Even so, ears can be too large for the rest of the face or stick out too far. Accidents can also cause a misshapen ear; a cauliflower ear can be caused by a blow to the ear and catching a pierced earring on clothing can result in a torn earlobe.

Otoplasty can be performed on a young child. It is one of the few cosmetic plastic surgeries that are performed on children because the ear has finished most of its growth in early childhood. However, there are many adults who have otoplasty done because they always disliked their ears.

The techniques used in cosmetic ear surgery depend on what needs to be done. A torn earlobe might need to be trimmed and sutured together. Ears that stick out too far are adjusted by removing a thin vertical sliver of skin and cartilage at the back of the ear. The incision is then closed. A misshapen ear or one that is too large can be reshaped or trimmed. Even if only one ear is misshapen, the other ear may need to be operated on to ensure that the two ears are symmetrical. The ears are bandaged with dressings and then bandages that go around the head to hold the ear in place.

Ear surgery takes 2 or 3 hours. It can be done in a surgeon's office and is performed under local anesthesia for adults. Small children usually receive general anesthesia for ear surgery to keep them calm and keep them from fidgeting.

In some cases, such as misshapen ears due to birth defect or accidents, health insurance will pay for the surgery. If the surgery is being done for purely cosmetic reasons, however, health insurers will not cover the costs.

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