Otoplasty (Prominent Ear Correction)

Otoplasty, also known as pinnaplasty or ear pinning is a cosmetic surgery procedure which is designed to improve the appearance of large or excessively protruding ears. With otoplasty ear reshaping, the underlying cartilage and skin are surgically reshaped using minimally invasive techniques, which are used to modify the size and shape of the ears. Prominent ears can be a source of significant psychological morbidity with teasing or bullying in school or issues in the workplace. Surgeons at Centre for Surgery only perform otoplasty on adults over 18 years of age.

RELATED: What are the benefits of ear surgery?

Always check that your surgeon is on the GMC specialist register for plastic surgery before proceeding with a consultation. All our surgeons are fully accredited plastic surgeons and only perform procedures in CQC-regulated facilities. Our clinic at 106 Crawford Street was recently inspected and rated as good across all 5 domains.

10 REASONS TO CHOOSE US – CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE

What is included in my treatment package?

• As many preoperative consultations with your surgeon as you like to make sure the procedure is right for you
• Treatment at a specialist day surgery facility recently rated ‘Good’ by the CQC
• Enhanced same-day discharge with the added benefits of recovering in your own home
• 24/7 clinical support from your surgeon for the first 48 hours and our expert postoperative support team
• Your very own dedicated patient coordinator
• In-depth preoperative medical assessment to make sure you are fully fit for the rhinoplasty procedure
• Exceptionally high standards of postoperative care described as ‘outstanding’ by the CQC with regular telephone and face-to-face checks by our expert postoperative support team

RealSelf Top Doctors for otoplasty

RealSelf top doctor status is awarded to less than 10% of the RealSelf doctor community.  This status is earned by achieving consistently high patient satisfaction (from RealSelf reviews), getting excellent feedback on expert answers to patient questions, and investing significant time in Q&A and other doctor activities. RealSelf top doctors are rated among the very best surgeons in the UK.

1. Over 15 years of experience with all types of otoplasty & pinnaplasty – ear pinning, cartilage reshaping and revision otoplasty
2. We regularly receive patients from overseas at our facial plastic surgery specialist centre
3. Our surgeons are UK-trained NHS consultant plastic surgeons who live and work in London. This is very important because whilst your surgeon takes all precautions to minimise complications, complications can and do occur and our surgeons are readily available to manage any issues if and when they arise

Risks of going abroad for cosmetic surgery

1. We own and manage our own surgical facilities. Properly performed otoplasty surgery takes time and should not be rushed. Our surgeons perform a maximum of two otoplasty procedures in a day. We do not cram 5-6 procedures into one day like other providers. You want your surgeon to be well-rested and mentally and physically sharp to perform otoplasty surgery which is a very delicate procedure to get the very best results.

The benefits of outpatient cosmetic surgery

Centre for Surgery only works with the very best plastic surgeons to give all patients access to world-class medical expertise in otoplasty. You can be assured that whatever that issue with your ears, our surgeons have the skills and experience to treat you using gold standard otoplasty techniques.

Trust a facial plastic surgeon for otoplasty

A facial plastic surgeon is trained to undertake aesthetic surgical procedures in the facial region. They are dedicated sub-specialists. Compared with general plastic surgeons, facial plastic surgeons are inherently better trained to perform delicate procedures in the eye region. The extra years of surgical training by facial specialists focused on the facial region results in an exceptionally high degree of skill. Blepharoplasty surgery is highly intricate and our surgeons are highly experienced to undertake surgery on the delicate eyelid region.

Why choose our surgeons?

• Our plastic surgeons are on the GMC specialist register for plastic surgery
• Full memberships of UK and European associations of plastic surgery
• Aesthetic fellowships in aesthetic plastic surgery
• A strong background in reconstructive surgery
• Dr Tillo, Dr Misra and Dr Erel are highly skilled plastic surgeons who specialise in aesthetic plastic surgery

Our surgeons are full members of:

How to choose your plastic surgeon

Otoplasty is also known as ear reshaping surgery and encompasses a wide range of Aesthetic and reconstructive surgery to address both the size and shape of the ear and earlobe thereby leading to improvements in both appearance and functionality

Ear reduction surgery

Ear reduction is a surgical procedure designed to reduce the size of excessively large ears. The presence of overly enlarged ears can result in a lack of balance with the rest of the facial features and this can lead to a considerable loss of self-confidence and anxiety in those affected by oversized ears. This is often the reason why many patients choose to have an otoplasty procedure in London. The medical description for excessively large ears is also referred to as macrotia.

In common with other types of ear surgery, the surgeon will aim to remove excess skin and cartilage to reduce the size of the ear. Ear reduction surgery can be targeted at either the whole ear or a part of the upper or lower ear. Both the height and width of the ear can be effectively addressed with ear reduction surgery. A more proportionate facial appearance can be achieved with ear reduction to make overly large ears smaller.

Stretched earlobes are a common problem caused by the application of heavy jewellery and can be effectively treated with earlobe reduction surgery. Those with tribal earlobes often develop large skin redundancy followed by the removal of the large rings and an ear reduction procedure can effectively correct the appearance of the earlobes.

Whilst pinnaplasty surgery deals with ear protrusion, ear reduction surgery is designed to address only ear size. Ear reduction surgery and earlobe reduction can significantly improve the appearance of the ear leading to a significant improvement in self-confidence.

Ear correction

Ear correction or ear corrective surgery is a generalised term to describe a range of surgical procedures for correction of the size or shape of the ear from a number of potential causes which include congenital causes and trauma. Ear correction surgery is commonly performed for babies who are born with either very small or congenitally absent ears (also known as microtia). This type of surgery is often performed quite early on so as to minimise any disruption to the Child’s hearing. Most commonly a prosthesis can be used or a more extensive reconstructive procedure to rebuild the congenitally deficient ear. 

Traumatic injury to the air is relatively common and is most commonly due to biting injuries or lacerations and these types of injuries are most commonly dealt with in the emergency department. Where there is a risk of potential infection, the ear is often left to heal before a later reconstructive procedure is performed and utilises similar surgical methods for those used to treat congenital ear deformities.  

In some cases, the procedure of ear piercing may lead to a localised infection which can sometimes affect the ear cartilage and this can lead to changes in the structure of the ear. In the most complex cases, the surgeon may need to use rib cartilage to reconstruct the damaged ear.

Cauliflower ear is a significant post-traumatic ear deformity caused by repetitive trauma to the ear leading to small microhemorrhages with repeated injuries and is common in contact sports such as rugby. As the injury is often neglected the ear often becomes hard and scarred, giving rise to the characteristic cauliflower appearance. The condition can also develop with boxes. The surgical approach for the treatment of a cauliflower ear in tales the correction of the overlying skin on top of the cartilage and also removing some of the underlying scar tissue. 

With the rise of skin cancer, the exposed parts of the face and ear are most at risk and in the case of skin cancer affecting the ear the condition is effectively treated with surgical excision combined with a reconstructive procedure.

Pinnaplasty

Pinnaplasty is a commonly performed surgical procedure to address prominent and protruding ears. There are several recognised causes of overly protruding ears including an overdeveloped concha caused by excessive cartilage and an immature anti-helical fold. In practice, ears sticking out is often a result of both factors. 

During the pinnaplasty procedure, the surgeon places the incision at the back of the ear followed by the removal of a portion of overlying skin from on top of the cartilage. In the most common type of pinnaplasty technique, the cartilage is surgically reshaped to enable the ear to sit closer to the head. Pinnaplasty is also an ideal procedure for the correction of asymmetry between the two ears. Ear pinning surgery can significantly improve a patient’s self-confidence Through expert ear reshaping, the correction of size, shape or an overly prominent appearance can be achieved. The procedure takes between one and two hours to perform, often with just a local anaesthetic alone. Ear pinning is most commonly performed in children to reduce the risk of bullying at school and children as young as seven years old can have the procedure. By this time the ears have often reached their final size. The procedure is not performed in those under the age of five as the underlying cartilage of the ear is too fragile to retain the surgical sutures. Ear pinning surgery is only performed on adults over the age of 18 at Centre for Surgery.

Causes of protruding ears

• Hereditary
• Traumatic injury to the ears
• Congenital abnormalities
• Heavily pronounced conchal depression
• Mastoid process enlargement can affect one or both sides

Expected Results of Otoplasty surgery

The ears are a highly visible part of the face and the overall facial balance can be affected by ears which are overly large, abnormally shaped and/or malpositioned. Some abnormalities can develop as a result of traumatic injury.

• Improved symmetry and reduction in the size of ears
• Correct the shape of the ears
• Positioning the ears closed to the side of the head with reduction or elimination of outward protrusion
• A marked improvement in self-confidence and emotional well-being with the choice to style hair in such a way to expose the ears

Ideal Candidates for otoplasty:

• An adult with a significant degree of ear protrusion
• Adults with large ears, ear asymmetry or abnormalities of shape
• Adults who have limitations in hairstyles due to unhappiness with ear size or shape
• Healthy adults with no medical co-morbidities
• Non-smokers
• Disappointing results from a previous otoplasty procedure

Based on 135 reviews

Zara Khan

19/11/2021

Amazing from start to finish, the communication was the main thing was fully informed and looked after, on the day of my breast augmentation, the staff were fab and made me feel at ease through out the whole process. Thank you so much.

Mohammed Farid

18/11/2021

I’ve had such a great experience with excellent advice, care and attention and surgical treatment (gynaecomastia) - I can fully endorse the treatment I have received from Centre for Surgery with absolutely no qualms at all. Brilliant in every way - thank you all so much.

Caroline Thorpe

14/11/2021

Very pleased with my whole experience of having a procedure. Was so nervous about getting treatment and i was reassured and felt so comfortable throughout thanks to the amazing nurses. I definitely made the right decision to have breast augmentation at centre for surgery with dr erel.

Melissa Briggs

08/11/2021

So glad I went with centre for surgery, the whole process went very smoothly from the consultations down to the actual day of the procedure. I was so nervous on the day but the whole team put me at ease and I’m happy with my results as I feel a lot more comfortable wearing certain clothes now. My surgeon was Alberto Di Giuseppe who performed a breast Augmentation on me, and I would definitely recommend as he was very clear on what the outcome of the surgery would be and which size would look the best for my frame.

Raphinha kiki

08/11/2021

Couldn’t be happier with Dr Tillo work,i had my breast surgery one week ago and so happy with the results so far,all the staff are extremely nice and very supportive,i would definitely recommend their services,thank so much

Grace Olafemi

15/10/2021

From start to the finish everything was perfect for tummy tuck surgery. All staff is very friendly and the aftercare has been good. The Doctor and the nurse team was fantastic. I'm so happy...result is amazing. Thank you!!!

Ranjit Singh

14/10/2021

This was overall a great experience, all the staff at Centre for Surgery were friendly and put me at ease. It is a nerve wracking thing to go through an op but the staff were so nice. Mr Ertan has got a great team around him. On the day of the operation everything went smoothly to plan, there was no delay or holdups, I had another consultation with Mr Ertan who confirmed what was going to be done and that I was still happy to proceed. I was prepped for the procedure, I met with the anaesthetist who again was really nice and put me at ease explaining his role. After the procedure I woke up with the nurse by my side making sure I was OK and checking on me, I was able to stay in the clinic until I was ready to leave and was not rushed at all. I was well looked after from the start to the point when I was discharged. Post operation I was staying at a local hotel it was so close there was no point in even getting a taxi and I was able to walk back where my partner was waiting for me. I was expecting a lot of bruising to both my eyes but there was very little if any by the time the cast came off after 7 days, I am now at the two week post operation point and it is healing well with no outwardly visible bruising or scaring. The next milestone is a checkup at the 6 week point with my surgeon. If you're thinking of having something like this done I would highly recommend getting in touch with Centre for Surgery.

Layla Karami

13/10/2021

The staff at Centre for Surgery were very kind and accommodating. They answered any questions I had about the procedure and were constantly checking up on me. A special thank you to Christina for all her support throughout.

Gemma Small

08/10/2021

I would just like to state the quality of care received from the nurses at Centre for Surgery was beyond the highest level. Sophie takes her patient care to another level beyond words. She always puts me at ease. She is there for me even at awkward hours just when I mostly needed reassurance and she is one of the most compassionate nurses I have come across and demonstrates her passion naturally for caring for others. She totally deserves recognition at its finest and thank you for always being there for me. 😍

Otoplasty otherwise referred to as pinnaplasty or ear pinning, is an effective way to surgically alter the appearance of your ears. Otoplasty will be able to alter protruding ears or those that have unfolded configurations. Otoplasty is considered to have one of the highest patient satisfaction rates of any cosmetic surgical procedure.

Otoplasty can be performed on either one or both ears, depending on your wants and needs. If you have large earlobes, these can also be reduced at the same time.

What is ear pinning?

At Centre for Surgery, your otoplasty procedure will be performed in one of our own dedicated cosmetic surgery facilities. The procedure takes about two hours to perform and is typically done under local anaesthesia although it can be performed under a general anaesthetic if you prefer to be asleep.

Cartilage Moulding vs. Cartilage Breaking

In otoplasty, there are 2 recognised surgical techniques. The first is the cartilage moulding technique. In the moulding technique, there is no excision of cartilage and the method relies primarily on precise suture placement to facilitate the pinning of the ears closer to the side of the head. The cartilage breaking technique involves the surgical removal of cartilage to improve shape as well as to pin the ears back the side of the head.

The most popular technique for cartilage preservation is the Mustarde method. This technique relies on suture placement alone which restores a normal-looking anti-helical fold and has the advantage of being simple to perform. The Mustarde method uses sutures placed in a horizontal mattress configuration along the full thickness of the cartilage at the back of the ear and also through the skin at the front of the ear. This method only corrects the conchal bowl and other techniques will be required alongside this. The Mustarde method is used for abnormalities of the upper third of the ear.

The Furnas method is for addressing an excessively deep conchal bowl and a well-defined anti-helical fold. The Furnas method facilitates permanent retraction of the ear due to the surgical fixation to the mastoid fascial layer. The Furnas method can be combined with the Mustarde method which is great if the anti-helical fold lacks prominence due to its underdevelopment

Cartilage Breaking Techniques

The cartilage breaking methods both involve the surgical removal of cartilage from the concha. There are 2 well-recognised cartilage-breaking methods:

Farrior method

With the Farrior method, there is a partial thickness excision along the rim of the conchal cartilage. The method produces a less pronounced correction to the antihelix.

Converse method

The converse is a more aggressive method which is more suited to adults with more robust cartilage with a correspondingly more pronounced pinning back of the ear and simultaneous correction of the antihelix fold. This is an excisional technique with the removal of a strip of cartilage which sits more at the front compared with the rest of the ear cartilage.

The Centre for Surgery approach to aftercare

Our aftercare programme was recently described as ‘outstanding’ by our regulator, the Care Quality Commission.

Our postoperative support team call all our patients the day after their procedure and then every other day thereafter for the first two weeks. The proactive nature of our postoperative support gives every patient the best opportunity for a smooth postoperative recovery free of complications. In many cases, if complications were to occur, their impact is markedly lessened by early detection, prompt clinical assessment and correct treatment. When a patient expresses concern to our team over the phone, then we often call patients on the same day for assessment with one of our expert nursing team. Even if there is no significant issue, the careful explanation and calm reassurance provided by our team can help to alleviate any worries you may have experienced.

All patients should be in good health and have realistic expectations about what can be achieved with otoplasty surgery.

We do not treat patients below the age of 18 years of age.

Healing is better if patients refrain from or quit smoking.

The otoplasty procedure is performed purely for cosmetic purposes, to help improve one’s body image and self-esteem.  If you are concerned about the appearance of your ears to the point that you wear your hair to cover them, then you may be a good candidate for this procedure.

An otoplasty is performed as a day-case procedure which means you can go home the same day once you have recovered from your procedure. The procedure takes about 2-3 hours to perform on average. Anaesthetic options for otoplasty include both local anaesthetic and TIVA general anaesthetic. Most cases are comfortably performed with a local anaesthetic with or without oral sedation. In complex or revision cases or if you feel nervous at the thought of being awake, then a general anaesthetic can be used. Depending on the technique chosen, an otoplasty generally involves an incision behind the ears. This will be made in the natural folds so that noticeable scarring will be minimised. The skin will then be lifted, exposing the cartilage beneath. This cartilage is shaped and pulled back towards the head. Sutures are used to keep this in position.

After the procedure, you may notice a fine line behind the ears. However, this will be in the natural folds, so it will not be very noticeable. This will fade over time.

Following the procedure, you will have sutures placed behind your ears. These are delicate, and you must wear a band to ensure your ears stay in place. This band will need to be worn during the day and while you sleep.

Best sleeping positions post-surgery

To help the ears maintain their newly adjusted shape, your ears and head will be wrapped in a pressure garment. You will need to wear this garment at all times for about five to seven days. You mustn’t alter the garment or get it wet. Wearing a wet or altered garment could result in infection, as well as other complications. It is best to avoid touching the garment.

You will be able to take medication to help alleviate any pain and discomfort you may experience. You will notice some swelling and bruising, but this is a normal side effect of otoplasty. To help reduce the side effects, you can:

• Keep your head elevated
• Avoid bending over
• Sleep with your head elevated on numerous pillows
• Do not sleep on your side or stomach

Otoplasty is generally a very safe cosmetic surgery procedure and risks and complications are relatively rare. At Centre for Surgery, risks are minimised by meticulous patient selection and thorough preoperative preparation. Our surgeons are trained in all the best techniques for otoplasty and emphasise the importance of following postoperative instructions by the patient.

Our otoplasty experts regularly attend national and international conferences to keep up to date with the latest advances in otoplasty surgery. At your consultation, your surgeon will discuss the risks and potential complications in detail to enable you to make a fully informed decision about otoplasty surgery.

Potential risks of otoplasty

• Anaesthetic risks
• Asymmetry
• Delayed wound healing
• Hypertrophic scar
• Keloid scar
• Postoperative haemorrhage
• Surgical site infection

There are several factors which will impact the final cost of your otoplasty procedure:

• Local anaesthetic or general anaesthetic
• Primary or revision otoplasty
• One or both ears
• Complex corrections

Why not call 0207 993 4849 and speak to one of our expert patient coordinators, who may be able to give you a rough costing prior to your procedure?

RELATED: How much is otoplasty or ear pinning?

Always remember that price should never be the determining factor when it comes to choosing the right provider for your otoplasty procedure. You should have the confidence that our team will look after you before, during and after your procedure to the best of their ability.