Loss of Ear Contour / Prominent Ears

Ear pinning can involve multiple steps in restoring a harmonious shape and contour to a patient’s ear, while reducing the distance from the ear to the head.  Most commonly performed in children, correction can also be done on adults.

An incision along the natural creases of the back of the ear is created, exposing the underlying cartilage.  The ear cartilage is then reshaped using several suture techniques until the desired shape is obtained.  The ear cartilage can then be secured with additional sutures into a position closer to the head.  The incision is then closed and a headband dressing applied.

Earlobe Dilation Repair

With gage device dilation of earlobes, corrective surgery has seen an upward trend.  Surgical techniques are varied based on the degree of dilation, and thickness of remaining earlobe tissue.  The dilated tissue that remains is used to reapproximate the appearance of an earlobe, while attempting to achieve symmetry between both ears.

Torn Earlobe

Accidental trauma, or heavy earrings, can cause an original piercing to elongate and occasionally pull through the lobe.  Surgery requires removing the skin along either side of the torn earlobe, and reapproximating the skin edges with sutures.  Once healed, piercing can be performed again.

Patients heal quickly following ear surgery.  Most procedures are not painful, and patients can take over-the-counter medications for pain relief.  For ear pinnings, dressings are removed 3-4 days after surgery during the first postoperative visit to assess healing.  Though the ears need to be maintained clean, no new dressings are needed during the day.  Children are monitored to ensure that they do not play with their ears.  A headband is worn at night for 4-6 weeks after surgery to avoid the ears from being pulled during sleep. Any swelling or bruising normally resolves in 1-2 weeks.

After repairs of dilated or torn earlobes, patients return 7-10 days later to have any sutures removed.   Any swelling or bruising resolves in 1-2 weeks, and re-piercing can take place at 2 months after surgery.

We believe in being preemptive to avoid any risks associated with surgery, but occasionally the following may occur:

Bleeding/Hematoma – A small amount of bleeding is common after surgery, but if severe enough, another operation may be required to stop it.  Bleeding can also form a collection, termed a hematoma, which presents as a swollen, painful, and tense ear.  These require drainage to prevent secondary problems.

Poor Cosmesis: This may include poor wound healing with a widened scar, irregularity of the scar contour, or partial wound separation.  These may all lead to suboptimal results, and the possibility of additional surgery to correct.

Infection – Ear surgery carries a small risk of infection, but if one occurs, it may require oral, or intravenous, antibiotics

Numbness:  Some patients will have temporary numbness of their ear .  This usually resolves spontaneously in a matter of weeks, but in rare instances, this can be permanent.

Under/Over Correction:  Achieving appropriate correction and symmetry is the  goal, but a subtle difference from expectations may result.

How quickly will I see results from ear pinning surgery?

An improvement in the natural contours of the ear, as well as proximity to the head, is immediately noticeable, but complete healing will take several weeks.

When can I repierce my earlobe?

Depending on the type of surgery performed, most earlobes can be pierced 2 months after correction.

At what age can my child have ear surgery?

General recommendations are for children to have surgery at 6-7 years of age, when the majority of ear growth has taken place.