Ear correction surgery – or otoplasty – is a speedy and safe way to reshape or re-position your ears so you don’t just look better, you feel better and have more confidence too. Otoplasty refers to any ear correction procedure that involves removing or reshaping the cartilage that makes up your ears. The procedure can ‘pin back’ ears that stick out, make larger ears smaller or improve the ears’ appearance if they’ve become misshapen from activities like rugby or boxing.

An otoplasty is an operation to correct a deformity of the ears. Most commonly, this deformity takes the form of ears that stick out too far from the side of the head and is a family trait. Often the fold of the ear is underdeveloped or has completely failed to develop. In this instance, the operation involves taking a small amount of skin from behind the ear and then making cuts in the cartilage to weaken it and create a new fold. The other common problem is when the ear has a very large conchal bowl (the cup-shaped area near the ear opening). Sometimes the operation involves reduction of this.

The operation is performed as a day case. In children it is best performed under general anesthetic. In adults it can be performed under a general anesthesia however if specifically requested it can be performed under local anesthesia with sedation.