Ear pinning surgery or otoplasty is an outpatient procedure where the ear cartilage is shaped to pin the ears closer to the side of the head. This can be done using sutures/stitches or cutting and shaping the cartilage. The surgery can be done as early as 5-6 years of age and anytime during adult life. The ears will be sore after ear surgery but with minimal medication, this pain is easily controlled. A wrap dressing is placed around the ears for the first night and typically removed he following day. I have my patients wear an elastic headband around the ears for the first 2 weeks after otoplasty, day and night. Then they wear the headband over the ears for 2 weeks just at night.

The ears may look over-corrected initially from the dressing and sutures but they will eventually settle down over time.

Dr. Funk is a board certified facial plastic surgeon in Houston, TX who performs otoplasty or ear pinning surgery.