Ear Tucking For Children and Adults

By William H. Lindsey, MD, FACS

Ophthalmic Plastic & Reconstructive Surgeon

. http://www.beauty4eye.com/

More Beauty Skin Care & Gorgeous Smiles Articles

Ear Tucking For Children and Adults

Protruding ears are a common complaint among children, parents concerned about their children, and even adults. The problem is not so much that the ear itself is large, but rather that one of the cartilage curves in the ear is not “folded” enough and that often times the angle that the ear makes with respect to the head is not pushed back enough. Both of these problems are correctable.

Prominent ears often run in families. I've seen lots of children brought by parents who had exactly the same condition and wanted to address this in their own children before other kids' comments became hurtful. Occasionally I will even see a child who's had a successful correction motivate a mom or dad to have the same procedure.

Ear cartilage is soft and moldable shortly after birth, and if caught early enough, a pressure dressing can reshape protruding ears. This same malleability of cartilage is utilized when puppy's ears are cropped and taped into a certain position. After a few weeks, cartilage firms-up and is no longer re-shapeable without surgery.

Two surgical options are commonly used to fix protruding ears.

This first option is cartilage cutting, which allows a permanent reshaping of the ear folds. This is a very secure “fix” but can leave unduly sharp creases where the cartilage was cut.

The second type is a cartilage suturing technique. In this procedure, a small incision is made on the back of the ear. The natural crease, which was underdeveloped in the patient to begin with, is recreated with permanent sutures. Next, the ear is “set back” along the side of the head also with permanent sutures.

This type of surgery, in my opinion, results in a more natural looking result. The drawback, however, is that if the sutures break, the ear may shift back to its former position. Therefore, patients are recommended to wear a tennis-style headband for two weeks after the procedure and to time the procedure so it does not interfere with school or recreational physical activities.

The procedure takes about an hour, and very light sedation is used at an outpatient surgical center. Complications are not common, and most patients report very little in terms of discomfort.

If protruding ears are a concern to you or your child, it is best to consult a facial plastic surgeon that is specifically trained in performing this type of procedure.