Cosmetic ear surgery is a procedure to improve the appearance of the ear. The most common procedure is to move very large or prominent ears closer to the head.
Alternative Names
Otoplasty; Ear pinning; Ear surgery - cosmetic; Ear reshaping; Pinnaplasty
Description
Cosmetic ear surgery may be done in the surgeon's office, an outpatient clinic, or a hospital. It can be performed under local anesthesia, which numbs the area around the ears. You may also receive medicine to make you relaxed and sleepy. Or, it can be done under general anesthesia, in which you are asleep and pain-free. The procedure usually lasts about 2 hours.
During the most common method of cosmetic ear surgery, the surgeon makes a cut in the back of the ear and removes the skin to see the ear cartilage. The cartilage is folded to reshape the ear, bringing it closer to the head. Sometimes the surgeon will cut the cartilage before folding it. Sometimes skin is removed from behind the ear. Stitches are used to close the wound.