Prominent Ear Correction

The ear is an organ that takes up very little space in the visual field in face-toface communication. The aesthetic ear is the ‘ear that is not conspicuous’. As my eye is a very successful organ in perceiving differences, it detects ‘different ones’ very quickly. In other words, the aesthetic auricle is the auricle that is not distracting and not in shape during daily speech.

The auricle is an organ about 6 cm long, almost attached to the skull. The auricle provides the collection of external sounds. Shape and size differences in the auricle do not directly affect hearing function. Correction of prominent ear deformity is done purely for aesthetic concerns. Around the age of 6, the ear has reached 90% of its final state. So when we are children, our ears are already slightly larger than our heads. The lack of development of some anatomical structures in the auricle cartilage and the wide angle of the ear with the head cause the ear to be prominent. Especially in childhood, this situation can be psychologically disturbing. Children may tend to avoid social situations. Ear is an organ that we would prefer to be seen from the outside and that we would not want to hide in our hair, as it is a place where practices that serve the expression of our personality such as the use of earrings and piercings are also carried out. In addition, in our daily life, we do not want to feel the need to hide our ears when we take our long hair behind our ears, use our short hair or collect it.

Estrogen hormone contributes to the elasticity of cartilages. With the effect of the estrogen hormone passed from the mother to the baby after birth, the cartilages are suitable for shaping in the first 72 hours. If the baby has prominent ear deformity, supporting the ears back with hair bandages holding them back may contribute to reducing the deformity. However, in order not to open wounds on the skin due to the pressure effect of the bandages, they should be loosened and reattached every 2 hours to ensure blood circulation. The contribution of the hair band application, which is left 72 hours after birth, to the improvement of the deformity will be much less.

What is Prominent Ear Surgery?

Prominent ear surgery involves reshaping the cartilages with an incision made behind the ear and narrowing the angle between the auricle and the head. Although there are many methods to shape the cartilages, indentations and protrusions that do not exist in the auricle are created with stitches with permanent threads, and the auricle is taken backwards to approach the head. If the auricle is too large, it can be made smaller by removing the cartilage. Cartilages are structures that tend to regain their old form. Permanent suture materials can be opened after surgery. Thus, the auricle regains its former form. In this case, it may need to be corrected with surgery.

Prominent ear surgery is performed under local anesthesia in adults and under general anesthesia in children. Since the incision made for the surgery is behind the ear, it is not seen during daily relationships. A type of hair band called a tennis bandage, which is used to hold back the ears, is used for 3 weeks after surgery. If permanent suture materials were used to close the skin during the surgery, it is removed after about 1 week. It is okay for the patient to take a shower 48 hours after the surgery. However, it is recommended to support it with care ointments afterwards. When using the ear bandage, it should be loosened and reinserted every two hours to prevent pressure sores from coming out, and the continuation of blood circulation and wound formation should be prevented.

The pinna reaches 90% of its final state around the age of 6 years. For this reason, prominent ear correction surgery should be performed around the age of 6 at the earliest. Considering the psychological effects of this situation in children, it can be done before they start school.

Cartilage tissue has very little blood supply due to its nature. For this reason, it is very susceptible to infections. In cases of infection or bleeding, permanent loss of cartilage may occur. The head and face area is one of the areas with the highest blood supply in our body. For this reason, the risk of bleeding is high. Since the skin over the cartilage in the auricle is soft, it may take time to limit the bleeding. Postoperative bleeding is a condition that may require urgent surgical intervention, as it carries the risk of permanent cartilage damage. Especially in the first 24 hours after the operation, one should be alert for this situation. Since the area is closed with tapes after the surgery, it is recommended to open it and check it for bleeding within 24 hours. In case of bleeding, severe pain is expected. Care should be taken about postoperative pain.

The most common complication after surgery is ‘over-correction’ of the ears. An appearance called ‘telephone deformity’ may occur by pulling the outermost part of the auricle too far back, causing the inner structures to appear protruding, or by bending backwards in the upper/middle third of the ear. These silhouettes, which are different from normal, cause the appearance of ‘intervened-correctedaesthetic’ ears. Since the surgery is performed by shaping the existing cartilages with permanent suture threads, it is usually possible to correct these deformities. However, if the cartilage is removed and intervened, the success of the correction process may decrease.

Prominent ear deformity can be seen unilaterally or asymmetrically. In this case, intervention can be made to equalize both ears.

Why is prominent ear surgery performed?

Prominent ear surgery is performed in order to reshape the auricle, which is distracting in face-to-face communication, and which has become prominent by widening its angle with the head, and taking it into the required position. It is applied to increase self-confidence by reducing aesthetic anxiety in daily life. It is also done to reduce psychological influence and social avoidance in children. It is aimed for the patients to be more free while styling their hair and to be more comfortable in the use of jewelry and piercings.

What are the reasons that causes Prominent Ear?

Prominent ear occurs as a result of the development of the auricle cartilages (overdeveloped or underdeveloped cartilage structures) due to the lack of development of some anatomical structures, and therefore the ear becomes prominent by moving forward.

Who Is Prominent Ear Surgery Suitable For?

Prominent ear surgery is suitable for healthy children over the age of 6 who can undergo general anesthesia, or for healthy adults who can receive local anesthesia. General anesthesia is generally not preferred for adults.

What Does Prominent Ear Surgery Do?

By reshaping and positioning the auricle, the ear is made to look more ‘normal’ and ‘less prominent’. It contributes to people’s self-confidence and improves their communication. It allows them to be more free in expressing themselves. It can provide new discoveries about befitting cosmetic hair applications.