Ear Pinning

Otoplasty is a surgery that improves the size, shape, proportion, or location of the ears. It's also known as "ear pinning," and it's done only for aesthetic purposes. Our specialists are leading board-certified plastic surgeons who have helped a wide range of people (including toddlers and teens) feel more at ease and confident about their ear appearance.

Ear Surgery Candidate List

Candidates for ear surgery may feel self-conscious about one or more of the following:

Ears that are too big

Ears that are quite tiny

Ears with asymmetry

A abnormality in the ears or earlobes that affects their shape/position A deformity in the ears or earlobes that affects their shape/position

"Lop ear" is a condition in which the top of the ear folds downward and inward.

"Shell ear" is a condition in which the cartilage has no outside curvature.

Ear surgery is frequently performed on children. Dr. Schwartz feels that the operation will protect him from scorn from his peers. Dr. Schwartz advises waiting until a child's ears have nearly completely stopped growing before doing otoplasty (generally around age five). Good overall health is also a requirement for candidacy. Children should be able to show that they can listen to and follow directions.

Details on Ear Surgery

Ear surgery is usually done under general anesthesia as an outpatient procedure. Throughout the procedure, the patient is monitored by a board-certified anesthesiologist to guarantee their safety and comfort.

The surgical incisions are made either within or on the back of the ear by our expert (where it connects to the head). He removes extra cartilage/tissue that causes the ears to protrude from the skull or adds to their size through the incisions. We can also change the contour of the ear cartilage to make it bigger and more proportionate, or to make it seem more natural.

When your doctor is through with the surgical changes, he stitches the wounds and covers the ears in bandages.