Ear surgery before & after photos
93%
28 reviews
Worth It Rating Our index shows the percentage of community members saying this was "Worth it". See cosmetic treatment rankings
Ear Surgery Cost $3,500 average cost

Will an Otoplasty Improve my Hearing?

I know that an otoplasty will make the ears look better, but does this also help improve hearing?

Tags:
Sort 35 expert answers by:
+3

What did you say? Otoplasty to improve hearing?

No, otoplasty does not help improve hearing. In some severe cases, the cartilage of the external ear may impinge upon the ear canal, but I have never seen or heard of a complete blockage that otoplasty corrected.
Michael A. Persky, MD
Los Angeles Facial Plastic Surgeon
+2

Will an Otoplasty Improve my Hearing?

This is a good question. Otoplasty is a purely aesthetic procedure used mostly to fix protruding pinna and ear lobes, which are both part of the external ear. Hearing, however, is mostly concerned with the inner ear: ear drum, malleus, cochlea, auditory nerve, etc, and is a highly specialized system that works together to allow you to hear things. It is very unlikely that any part of otoplasty, which focuses mostly on the cartilage of the outer ear, would improve your hearing in any way.... more
Kenneth Bermudez, MD
San Francisco Plastic Surgeon
+2

Otoplasties don't improve hearing

An otoplasty is a cosmetic procedure to improve the appearance of your ears. Typically it is done for ears that protrude too far from the head. This would have no bearing on hearing.
Richard P. Rand, MD, FACS
Seattle Plastic Surgeon
+2

An otoplasty won't improve hearing. But let's make sure...

An otoplasty won't improve hearing. But let's make sure we're talking about the right operation: Otoplasty is an operation to improve the appearance of prominent ears. Auricular reconstruction is an operation for correcting microtia, a condition where the ear is congenitally absent or underdeveloped. This operation is a multi-stage procedure and often also improves hearing (mainly by surgery directed to the ear canal and middle ear, but also a little bit from creation of a pinna--the part... more
David C. Pearson, MD
Jacksonville Facial Plastic Surgeon
+2

A true otoplasty will not effect your hearing. Otoplasty...

A true otoplasty will not effect your hearing. Otoplasty refers to the cosmetic changing of the external ear that you can see. If you should have a blockage of the ear canal then a surgery can be performed to open the ear canal which could improve your hearing - but this operation is not an otoplasty.
D.J. Verret, MD
Dallas Facial Plastic Surgeon
+1

Never

Otoplasties aim is to improve ear aesthetics and shape. It will never improve patients hearing,
Enrique Etxeberria, MD
Spain Plastic Surgeon
+1

Otoplasty and hearing

An otoplasty is a cosmetic procedure to improve the appearance of your ears. It has no effect on your hearing.
Laurence Weider, MD
Dallas Plastic Surgeon
+1

Hearing IS affected by otoplasty! Bur hearing deficits are not improved.

Interestingly, most of the answere here by my colleagues are generally correct in that otoplasty (which corrects the appearance of the external sound-catching cartilage and skin structure on our skulls) does not change the actual hearing apparatus (tympanic membrane, internal ear bones, and semicircular canals inside our skulls) that allows us to turn vibrations in the air into nerve signals that our brains percieve as sound. BUT, let's do a quick experiment. Cup your hands... more
Richard H. Tholen, MD, FACS
Minneapolis Plastic Surgeon
+1

Otoplasty Improves Appearance of Ear But Not Hearing

Surgey to change the shape of the external ear or Otoplasty has no effect on the hearing. Typicaly some of the external folds of the ear are reshaped or the base of the ear is brought closer to the head by removing some of the overly prominent cartilage. This has no significant effect on the hearing mechanism of the middle or inner ear.  
Thomas Buonassisi, MD
Vancouver Facial Plastic Surgeon
+1

Otoplasty and hearing

An otoplasty is performed to improve the shape and appearance of the ear. It will have no effect on hearing.
Steven Wallach, MD
Manhattan Plastic Surgeon
+1

Otoplasty and hearing

Otoplasty should not improve or hard your hearing. But, it will offer significant confidence and self-esteem to all patients seeking this treatment. I am a strong advocate of otoplasty.
Jon E. Mendelsohn, MD
Cincinnati Facial Plastic Surgeon
+1

Otoplasty outcome

Otoplasty is unlikely to help or hinder your hearing.  It is generally considered an entirely cosmetic procedure.  The most likely complication of this procedure is recurrence of ear prominence. 
Jason R. Hess, MD
San Diego Plastic Surgeon
+1

Otoplasty will not improve hearing

The external ear changes that occur after otoplasty do not affect hearing. It shouldn't worsen it either, though. 
Thomas A Lamperti, MD
Seattle Facial Plastic Surgeon
+1

Otoplasty and Hearing

Otoplasty will have no effect on hearing.  Hearing loss in conjunction with prominent ears is the result of involvement of the middle or inner ear and is addressed completely separately from otoplasty surgery.
Jeffrey Weinzweig, MD
Chicago Plastic Surgeon
+1

Otoplasty and hearing

Typically, ear pinning or otoplasty surgery does not improve the hearing unless there is a complete cup ear where the ear topples over the ear canal. 
Scott Trimas, MD
Jacksonville Facial Plastic Surgeon
+1

Otoplasty will not improve hearing

An otoplasty can make a cosmetic improvement of  the appearance of your ears, but will not improve your hearing.     
Randy J. Buckspan, MD
Austin Plastic Surgeon
+1

Make sure your surgeon is Board Certified by The American Board of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, The American Board

Otoplasty should not change your hearing.  If you are concerned about your hearing, you may consider obtaining an audiogram (hearing test) prior to surgery.  Make sure your surgeon is Board Certified by The American Board of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, The American Board of Cosmetic Surgery or The American Board of Plastic Surgery.
Gregory Pippin, MD
New Orleans Facial Plastic Surgeon
+1

Otoplasty and hearing

Otoplasty will not change hearing in either a positive or negative manner.  The mechanism for hearing takes place in the middle and inner ear.  
Anil R. Shah, MD
Chicago Facial Plastic Surgeon
+1

Hearing not changed by Otoplasty

Your hearing will not be changed to any appreciable extent by an otoplasty.  There may be some very slight change in directional hearing.  This would be very subtle and nearly impossible to measure.  Your hearing test done by the standard head-phone technique would be unchanged.
Louis W. Apostolakis, MD
Austin Facial Plastic Surgeon
+1

Otoplasty Surgery for Large or Protruding Ears do NOT improve hearing

Otoplasty surgery is a good option to improve the appearance of large or protruding ears. Typically, this ear cosmetic surgery is performed once a child's ear size is mature, around age 6 or later. Otoplasty reshapes and pulls the ear back closer to the head. Unfortunately, this ear surgery does NOT improve hearing. Speak with a plastic surgeon to perform a comprehensive evaluation and to help determine appropriate options for you.
Houtan Chaboki, MD
Washington DC Facial Plastic Surgeon
+1

Otoplasty does not improve hearing.

An otoplasty is simply performed to correct the way the ears look. A person's ability to hear is not affected either positively or negatively from an otoplasty.
David Bogue, MD
Boca Raton Plastic Surgeon
+1

Otoplasty changes the appearance of the ear

Otoplasty is a procedure to change the shape of the ear. It uses a combination of suture techniques and incisions. It does not affect the organs of hearing and has no effect on auditory acuity.
Robert Mounsey, MD
Toronto Facial Plastic Surgeon
+1

Otoplasty Does Not Change Hearing

Since elephants have large ears, and can hear soft sounds at great distances, it makes sense that otoplasty might change hearing since the ears change in orientation.  This has been proven NOT to occur.  Otoplasty does not make hearing better or worse.  There is no change.
Minas Constantinides, MD
Manhattan Facial Plastic Surgeon
+1

Do otoplasties improve hearing?

Otoplasties do not affect a person's hearing. Otoplasties our surgeries that only address the external shape and position of the ear. They do not affect the middle ear or the inner ear and therefore will not affect your hearing.  
B. Pat Pazmino, MD
Miami Plastic Surgeon
+1

Better hearing through otoplasty

Otoplasty does not affect hearing. There are instances where the ear canal is tight and narrow and a different form of ear surgery (meatoplasty) can be used to open up the ear canal and improve hearing.
Sam Naficy, MD
Seattle Facial Plastic Surgeon
Use of this website and the posting of any reviews or other content on this website constitutes acceptance of the RealSelf® Terms of Service. The material on this site is for informational purposes only, and is not a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis or treatment provided by a qualified health care provider. © 2011 RealSelf, Inc. All rights reserved.