Franciscan Health’s plastic surgeons perform otoplasty, or cosmetic ear surgery, to improve the shape, position or proportion of very large or prominent ears. The procedure brings balance and proportion to the ears and face. Correcting even minor deformities can have profound effects on your or your child's appearance and self-esteem.

This outpatient surgery (you go home the same day) typically takes two to three hours. Your surgeon may recommend a general (asleep) or local (relaxed and pain-free) anesthetic. During the most common method of cosmetic ear surgery:

Your surgeon makes an incision in the back of the ear and removes the skin to see the ear cartilage.
The surgeon folds the cartilage to reshape the ear, bringing it closer to the head.
Sometimes the surgeon will cut the cartilage before folding it. In some cases, the surgeon removes skin from behind the ear.
The surgeon closes the wound with stitches.

Recovery from otoplasty surgery

You'll be able to see the results from otoplasty almost immediately. You or your child will go back to work or school a week or two after surgery. The timing depends on your surgery and activity level.

Who benefits from otoplasty ear surgery?

Otoplasty can:

Resize or reshape unusually large or prominent ears
Correct a defect in the ear structure present at birth that has become noticeable as your child grows
Treat misshapen ears caused by injury

Surgeons can perform otoplasty after a child reaches age 5 or 6, when ear growth is almost finished. However, if the ears are very disfigured (such as a folded-over helical rim or lop ear), the child should have surgery early to avoid possible emotional stress at school.

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