The positioning, size or shape of the ears can have a huge effect on a person’s confidence with their appearance. Otoplasty is a surgical procedure to reduce the size or prominence of the ears or improve their symmetry.
The standard operation involves an incision behind the back of the ear and some internal sutures to reshape the cartilage of the ears thereby holding them in place. This involves incisions made in the fold behind the ears to minimise the chance of visible scarring.
A newer alternative procedure called earFold involves a small cut to the outer ear, hidden at the rim, through which a shaped metal implant is inserted to recreate the fold of the ear. The procedure is generally done in outpatients rather than a full operating theatre.
Standard Otoplasty usually takes around one and a half hours, whereas the earFold technique takes around thirty minutes. It is usually performed under local anaesthetic (awake) but can be performed under general anaesthetic (asleep) if you prefer.
General or Local Anaesthetic
Reasonably mobile: Immediately
Hospital stay: None
Washing: 48 hours
Full recovery: 2-4 weeks
Surgery time: 1.5 hours (standard) / 30 minute (earFold)
Driving: Next day
Time off work: One week (standard) / 1-2 days (earFold)
Exercise: 2-4 weeks
Price: £2200 to £4000