Cosmetic Surgery for Large Ears

Anybody with overly large ears has probably heard almost every joke imaginable about their size. Whether these jokes draw comparisons to the Disney character Dumbo the elephant, airplane wings, satellite dishes, or cars with open doors, they can all be hurtful. This is even true for children with large ears, who may have to endure years of bullying from their classmates.

After hearing the same jokes over and over again, many people may decide to look into the possibility of cosmetic surgery to reduce the size of their (or their children’s) ears. The staff at Jefferson Plastic Surgery has performed many cosmetic ear procedures (known as otoplasty), with many of these treatments being performed on children. In fact, ear surgery is the most common cosmetic surgery performed on children. Prospective patients (or their parents) may have a number of questions about how to correct overly large ears with a surgical procedure.

Cause for Overly Large Ears

The normal range for ear height is 2.1 inches to 2.6 inches, and ear width is 1.2 inches to 1.8 inches. Most cases of larger ears are due to hereditary. There are also some medical conditions that can cause large ears. These include hemangioma (strawberry birthmark) of the ear, neurofibromatosis (a condition in which benign tumors grow around the brain, spinal cord, and nerves, particularly those of the ear), or half body enlargement (in which half the body grows at a faster rate than the other half).

Ear Reduction Procedure

An ear reduction procedure can be performed on patients older than five years of age, as the ears will have reached their full adult size by that point. The procedure can be done with just local anesthesia for older children and adults, but our staff strongly recommends a general anesthesia for younger children. Babies up to the age of six months may be able to have their ear size fixed just with the use of splints, as the cartilage is still flexible enough to be remolded into the proper shape.

The actual procedure will depend upon the shape and size of the ear, as well as if the entire ear will need reduction, or only one part (such as the earlobes). There are two main types of surgical techniques that can be used. The first type will remove excess ear cartilage. The second technique involves sculpting the ear by using a series of folds and sutures to reshape the ear to a more natural size. This procedure is an excellent choice for cases in which the entire ear structure, or the more complicated folds of the upper ear, must be reduced in size.

Patients with overly large ears may feel self conscious about their appearance. These patients can undergo cosmetic ear surgery, which is a safe, easy procedure that can help patients, particularly children, feel less self-conscious about the appearance of their ears. To find out if you or your child is a good candidate for ear surgery, contact our practice Philadelphia, PA today.