Facial Rejuvenation for the Ears

The ears are a feature that often go unnoticed unless they are prominent and out of balance with the rest of a person’s face. Prominent ears tilt away from the scalp and pitch forward. Their shape is determined by the folding patterns of the cartilages that underlie a thin skin cover. Prominent ears can be corrected by reducing the size of the cartilages or by “pinning” the cartilages back with subcutaneous stitches that are placed behind the ears. Prominent ears are often recognized and corrected during early childhood, usually after age five. For adults, prominent ears can also be corrected employing techniques similar to those used for children. In older adults, enlarging ears and earlobes gradually become associated with advancing age. Earlobe reduction is a relatively simple procedure than reduce one of the signs of aging. Among the most commonly performed office procedures is repair of split earlobes. These are relatively inexpensive procedures that are performed under local anesthesia. The earlobes can then be re-pierced after an adequate period of healing.