Ears that stick out are often viewed in oriental countries as signs of intelligence, whereas in the western world, they can often be a cause of ridicule and teasing. In children particularly, this can lead to an inferiority complex or a loss of self-confidence.

A cause of these frequent, hereditary deformities can be excessive or insufficiently formed ear cartilage. Holding a baby's head the wrong way has no affect whatsoever on the development of the ear's form.

Surgery can only be performed after the child's fifth year, when approximately 80% of the cartilage has grown.

Surgical procedures
Depending on the cause of the deformity, incisions behind the ear or inside the auricle (outer ear) are necessary. By doing this, we can uncover and reshape the cartilage. Removal of individual portions of cartilage is extremely rare. After successful surgery, your ear will have an anatomically correct position on the side of your head.

Chances of success
By using the appropriate surgical procedure for your case, the results will be extremely good and permanent. Scarring behind or inside the ears will be invisible to other people.

The operation
You or your child have the choice between general or local anaesthetic. After reforming and stitching the ear, we will apply a head bandage, which must be worn for 10 days to stabilize the ear's new form and minimise the risk of haemorrhaging. In order to be able to efficiently treat any pain, we recommended an overnight stay in our clinic.

The time after the operation
Bleeding stops quickly but swelling can last for up to six weeks. It is therefore advisable not to cut your hair too short before the operation so that you can hide this condition. After removing the head bandage, we recommend that you wear a headband at night for four weeks, in order to avoid breaking the ear.

It is also advisable to refrain from exposure to the sun, visiting the sauna or partaking in any intense sporting activities for approximately 6 weeks.

Surgery-specific risks
Infections and healing disorders, widened scar formations, post-operative haemorrhages and temporary loss of feeling are regarded as special risks of this surgery. Discreet asymmetries usually exist before the operation. In some rare cases, sharp edges of cartilage can be seen (especially when one has extremely thin skin).