I had Otoplasty in 2012. The antihelix is unnatural looking with 'bumps' protruding & deep 'dips'. Is it fixable? (photos)

Question

My surgeon said the antihelix would smooth out. I left a few weeks after the surgery for Thailand. The antihelix did not smooth out. I sought an opinion in Thailand and was told by surgeons there that the problem was not fixable. I have returned home after 1 and a half years, and my initial surgeon said I have chrondodermatitis & it's fixable, that the antihelix just needs to be shaved. The cartilage and skin around this area is thin. Can this be corrected with shaving?

Greg Chernoff, MD · Answer

As no one else was present for your surgery, it is not fair for others to speculate on what was don, or what happened. The asymmetry you see can be rectified with cartilage and soft tissue grafts. The skin is thin, but not insurmountable.Have all of your questions answered prior to any revisional attempt.

Waldemar Merck, MD · Answer

The changes in the middle third of the antihelix are most probably the result of too extensive excision of cartilage and regrettably can’t be corrected anymore. Fortunately, such changes no longer occur with the minimally invasive stitch method, as there is no working of cartilage with this method.

Samir Shureih, MD · Answer

Based on the pictures posted, there is loss of cartilage and may be skin scarring. This is not fixable by shaving cartilage. The portion of the anti-helix lost cartilage and some of the cartilage is shreaded.

I had Otoplasty in 2012. The antihelix is unnatural looking with 'bumps' protruding & deep 'dips'. Is it fixable? (photos)

Answers (3)