Ear surgery - before and after photos

Otoplasty is a cosmetic surgery to change the appearance of a person's external ears. Otoplasty can take many forms, such as bringing the ears closer to the head (often called ear pinning), reducing the size of very big ears, or reshaping various bends in the cartilage. Other reconstructive procedures deal with the deformed, or absent (microtic) ears. Otoplasty surgery can involve a combination of moving, reshaping, adding, or removing structural ear elements. This procedure is usually performed by either an oral and maxillofacial surgeon, plastic surgeon, or ENT surgeon.

The pinna, or external ear, is made of a thin structural cartilage covered over with thin skin. Each of the various folds and structures of the pinna is named. Ear deformity results from distorted, damaged, or missing ear elements. Many otoplasties are performed not because of actual deformity, but because the individual is displeased with the shape of their ears.