Ear Surgery (Otoplasty)

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Overview

Correcting prominence, asymmetry, or shape

Otoplasty reshapes or repositions the ears to correct prominence, asymmetry, or irregular shape. It’s most often performed for prominent (protruding) ears that have caused social or self-image concerns since childhood — patients are usually adolescents or adults who’ve lived with the issue long enough to know they want it addressed.

The procedure itself is straightforward, with a high satisfaction rate and a relatively short recovery. Incisions are hidden behind the ear, cartilage is reshaped rather than removed, and results are typically permanent. For most patients, it’s a quiet, one-time correction that resolves a concern they’ve carried for years.

For many patients, ear surgery ends a concern they’ve had since elementary school.

Candidacy

Who This Procedure Is For

Patients (typically age 5 and older) with prominent or protruding ears — by age 5 or 6, ear growth is nearly complete, which makes surgical correction reliable.
Patients with asymmetry, irregular shape, or cupping of the ears — otoplasty can address shape problems, not just prominence.
Adults who’ve lived with prominent ears and want them addressed on their own terms — many patients wait until adulthood to pursue the procedure for themselves.
Patients in good general health with realistic expectations about what the procedure can and cannot accomplish.
Children who’ve expressed their own wish to have the procedure — not parent-driven alone. A child’s own motivation is an important factor in a successful recovery.

The Procedure

How It’s Performed

Reshaping the cartilage

The procedure reshapes the ear cartilage to create or restore the natural folds of the ear — particularly the antihelical fold, the curved ridge that gives the ear its characteristic contour — and to reposition the ear closer to the head when it sits too far out. Permanent sutures hold the cartilage in its new position. The goal is a natural-looking ear, not an ear that’s been pinned flat to the head.

Incision placement

Incisions are hidden behind the ear, in the natural crease where the ear meets the head. Because the incision sits in a location that’s rarely seen in daily life, it heals to a thin line that’s nearly invisible in most patients — even to someone looking specifically for it.

One ear vs. both

Single-sided correction is common in asymmetry cases, where one ear is noticeably different from the other. Both ears are addressed together when prominence is symmetric. The decision is made during consultation and is driven by what will produce the most natural, balanced overall result.

Anesthesia & duration

In adults, otoplasty is typically performed under local anesthesia with sedation. In children, general anesthesia is usually preferred. The procedure takes one to two hours, and patients go home the same day with a soft head bandage protecting the ears.

Watch

Dr. Arredondo Explains

Fixing the Ears with Otoplasty

Recovery

What to Expect After Surgery

First 48 hours

Bandaged and quiet

A head bandage is worn continuously to protect the new ear position. Mild soreness is expected and typically well-controlled with oral medication. Rest and head elevation help the swelling come down.

Week 1

Bandage off, tenderness easing

The head bandage is removed around day 5–7. Tenderness is resolving. Light activity resumes, though a soft headband is usually recommended at night for several weeks to protect the ears during sleep.

Weeks 2–4

Back to work or school

Most patients return to work or school. Non-contact exercise resumes gradually, and most sports are feasible again around the three- to four-week mark.

6 weeks

Cleared for full activity

Contact sports and any activity that could strike or pull on the ears are cleared once Dr. Arredondo confirms healing is complete.

3–6 months

Final result

Residual swelling fully resolves and the final shape settles in. Scars behind the ear have healed to thin, hidden lines.

Honest Conversation

Things to Consider

Otoplasty is a one-time, permanent correction. In the vast majority of cases the result is durable for life. Rarely, a suture can loosen and require revision — but for most patients, this is a single operation they won’t revisit.
Protect the ears during sleep initially. A soft headband worn at night for several weeks helps prevent the ears from folding forward while you sleep, which protects the cartilage as it heals in its new position.
Contact sports wait six weeks. Activities where the ears could be struck — wrestling, martial arts, basketball, football — should wait until the cartilage has fully healed. This is a firm timeline, not a flexible one.
Perfect symmetry isn’t guaranteed. Natural ears are never perfectly symmetric to begin with, and the goal is a balanced, natural appearance rather than mirror-image symmetry. Most patients find this reassuring rather than disappointing.
Preserving natural shape is the goal. A well-done otoplasty looks like an ear that was simply born that way — not one that’s been operated on. Over-correction is a known pitfall, and conservative technique is specifically designed to avoid it.

Common Questions

Frequently Asked

At what age can otoplasty be done? +

Otoplasty can be safely performed from about age 5 or 6, when the ear has reached nearly adult size. There’s no upper age limit — many patients come in as adults who’ve lived with prominent ears for decades and finally decide to address it.

Will the ears stay in position permanently? +

Yes, in the vast majority of cases. Permanent sutures hold the reshaped cartilage in place, and once healing is complete the correction is durable for life. Rare cases of suture loosening can be addressed with a minor revision.

Will the scars be visible? +

The incision sits in the natural crease behind the ear, where the ear meets the head. It heals to a thin line that’s nearly invisible in most patients — even with hair pulled back.

How soon can I play sports? +

Non-contact exercise typically resumes around week three or four. Contact sports — anything where the ears could be struck or pulled — wait until the six-week mark, when the cartilage has fully healed in its new position.

Is the result noticeable to others? +

Most patients report that people notice something looks different but can’t identify what — a new haircut, more rest, something along those lines. A well-done otoplasty doesn’t look like surgery; it looks like an ear that was always there.

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