Question
Is otoplasty just for ears that stick out or can it fix large ears too?
Answer
Otoplasty or ear surgery (or plastic reconstructive of the ears or plastic surgery) of the ear reshapes the ear to achieve a more natural appearance. This can include volume or size reduction as well as repositioning the ear. Far and away, the majority of patients who feel that they have large ears have ears that are of normal vertical proportion yet they protrude too far from the head and repositioning them close to the head makes them look smaller. Occasionally, patients have excessively long or tall ears. This is usually due to enlargement of the lower third of the soft tissue part of the ear including the lobule and reduction procedure can be performed on this with excellent results. Shortening the vertical framework of the ear is rarely required or indicated, and it’s advisable to avoid incisions that go through the skin of the outside surface of the ear as well as cartilage framework at the back of the ears. The scars tend to be somewhat visible. Occasionally, this is advisable for extremely large ears but that’s very uncommon result. In summary, often ears look too large because they protrude too far from the head, and repositioning the ear with hidden incisions on the back of the ear produces excellent results that are stable over a long period of time.
About the Surgeon
Dr. Peter Hilger has been performing facial cosmetic surgery in Edina, Minnesota for over 25 years. With thousands of cosmetic procedures performed, his breadth of knowledge and talent is unmatched. Learn more about our Peter Hilger plastic surgeon
