PROCEDURES · Face & Neck

Otoplasty (Ears)

Discuss ear shape, position, and symmetry, including whether one or both ears concern you.

UNDERSTAND THE PROCEDURE

What this procedure may address

Otoplasty reshapes or repositions parts of the outer ear. It can address prominent ears or selected differences in shape. The surgical approach depends on cartilage, anatomy, and whether one or both ears are involved.

Consultation topics for this procedure. Your clinician will explain the approach, risks, and alternatives for you.

RELATED PATIENT INFORMATION ↗

YOUR QUESTIONS, ANSWERED

Is this suitable for me?

A consultation reviews your ear development, health, previous injuries or surgery, and the degree of change you want. Perfect symmetry is not a realistic surgical promise.

What should I expect during recovery?

Dressings and, in some cases, a protective headband help protect the ears during healing. Follow your surgeon's instructions on sleeping position, exercise, and avoiding pressure or injury. Tenderness and swelling should be considered when planning time away from activities.

What risks should I understand?

Possible risks include infection, bleeding, visible scars, altered sensation, asymmetry, and recurrence of prominence. Further surgery may be needed.

How much will it cost?

Veloré has not published pricing. Before committing, request an itemised estimate covering the procedure, any facility and anaesthesia fees, and follow-up care. Financing and memberships are not confirmed.

What matters in your assessment

Start by describing which part of the ear bothers you: the upper fold, the distance from the head, the earlobe or a difference between sides. Your surgeon should examine cartilage, skin and old scars. Previous ear surgery or injury can change the options. The goal is a proportionate outer-ear shape, not a promise that both ears will match exactly.

How the procedure is planned

Otoplasty may reshape cartilage, adjust folds or bring the ear closer to the head. Incisions are often placed behind the ear, but the plan varies with the problem. Ask whether stitches, cartilage reshaping or both are proposed. Discuss the front and side views together; simply bringing an ear as close to the head as possible is not the objective.

Getting ready for surgery

Tell the team about hearing aids, glasses, piercings and activities that put pressure on your ears. Ask how dressings will fit around these and whether help is needed to check them at home. Arrange transport and time away from contact sports. Do not assume the same plan applies to an adult and a younger patient; age suitability needs confirmation.

Recovery in everyday life

Tenderness can make sleeping on the treated side uncomfortable. Dressings or a headband may protect the ears, and you should receive instructions on their fit and duration. Avoid folding or pulling an ear while changing clothes. A return to school or work needs to account for dressings, comfort and the risk of an accidental knock.

Early healingArrange a ride and the help recommended for your operation. Follow instructions for wound care, medicines and gentle movement; feeling better does not mean the tissues are fully healed.
As activity increasesUse follow-up to review the incision and agree on work and exercise. Driving requires safe movement and freedom from the effects of sedating medicines.
Over the following monthsScars and remaining swelling may continue to change. Keep scheduled checks and ask about a result that is not progressing as expected.

Scars and longer-term results

Early swelling may make the ears look uneven before healing progresses. A scar behind the ear may be less noticeable from the front, but it is not invisible and can thicken. Some prominence or asymmetry may remain or return. Discuss how the team would evaluate an unexpected result and when a revision could reasonably be considered.

Other options to discuss

Outer-ear reshaping and earlobe repair address different problems. A torn piercing may need a smaller repair rather than cartilage surgery. If your main concern is hearing, an ear specialist should evaluate it; cosmetic otoplasty does not treat hearing loss. Waiting or leaving a mild asymmetry alone is also an option.

Earlobe Repair

Costs and your estimate

Your estimate should reflect one or both ears, the cartilage work required and whether previous surgery makes the repair more involved. Ask for the surgeon, anesthesia and facility charges to be listed, along with garments, tests, follow-up and any costs for a complication or revision. Confirm what happens if the plan changes or surgery is postponed. This website does not provide a confirmed price, insurance decision or financing offer.

Procedure FAQs

Can just one ear be treated?

Sometimes. The surgeon should assess both ears and explain how a one-sided change would affect balance. Treating both is not automatically necessary, but exact symmetry is not realistic with either approach.

Will I need to wear a headband?

Your plan may include one, especially to protect the ears while sleeping. Ask when to wear it, how tight it should feel and what to do if it rubs. Do not replace the prescribed dressing plan with an online routine.

Can prominent ears come forward again?

Some recurrence is possible, as are changes from injury or healing. Ask how your cartilage and the proposed technique affect that risk. A persistent difference should be assessed after appropriate healing rather than judged from an early photograph.

When to seek help

Before discharge, get written instructions explaining expected symptoms, warning signs, an after-hours contact and where to go if help is needed. Report worsening pain, fever, spreading redness, unexpected drainage or a wound that opens. Uncontrolled bleeding, chest pain, trouble breathing or fainting needs emergency care; call 911 in the United States. A website guide cannot assess a postoperative symptom or replace your team’s instructions.

First, let’s understand you.

Discuss which features concern you from the front and side. Your plan should clarify the likely scar location, how the ears will be protected during healing and whether treating one or both ears is appropriate.

PLAN YOUR CONSULTATION ↗

YOUR NEXT CHAPTER

It begins with
a conversation.

Your questions. Your pace. A space to feel heard.