Prominent Ear Aesthetics

Otoplasty is the name given to the operations performed to correct the appearance of the auricle. With ear aesthetic surgery, it can be performed to correct excessively protruding auricle, as well as underdeveloped or damaged auricle and earlobes due to congenital or traumatic reasons. Prominent ears can cause social and psychological problems, especially in childhood.

Children who grow up and enter social environments may receive negative reactions and be criticized because of the appearance of their ears. Being ridiculed and ostracized by friends can cause problems in self-confidence and personality development, lead to communication difficulties, academic failure, and decreased self-confidence. For this reason, it is generally believed that the best time for autoplastic surgery is the preschool period. It can be performed under general or local anesthesia with day surgery or a short stay in the hospital. The auricle consists of thin soft tissue and cartilage that covers the skin.

At the age of five, the auricle is fully developed. However, the cartilage content can change over the years. While cartilage has a softer and foldable structure in young children, it hardens in advanced ages. The unique shape of the auricle is the result of many folds formed during its development in the womb. If some of these folds are not fully developed, protruding ears develop. As with all other facial structures, one ear is not the same as the other. The aim of the surgery is to make the ears less prominent, similar in appearance and more natural.

There are many different surgical techniques to correct protruding ears. In children or young patients, sutures can be used for shaping, as the cartilage is quite flexible. In order to give the desired shape to the cartilage, certain areas can be marked and folded, thinned and weakened, and if there is excess cartilage or soft tissue, it can be removed. Regardless of the technique, an incision is made in the crease behind the ear.

As with surgical techniques, each surgeon may have different post-operative practices resulting from their own experience. Differences in practice do not mean that one method is better than the other. There is usually no severe pain after the surgery, mild pain that can be controlled with painkillers can be expected. Children can start school after a week, while adults can return to work earlier.