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How long can I sleep on my ear after an otoplasty?

I had an otoplasty 3 weeks ago and i was wondering when is it safe to sleep on my ear?

Doctor Answers 4

November 2nd, 2016

How soon to sleep on a pillow after an otoplasty.

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It is recommended that patients wear a headband while they sleep to ensure optimal healing for at least four weeks post-op. However, if it is not painful to sleep on the ear, it is probably alright. I would discuss this situation with your surgeon to ensure ideal results.

All the best,

Dr. Jonathan Berman

Jonathan Berman, MD


Boca Raton Plastic Surgeon
4.7 out of 5 stars 19 reviews

October 18th, 2016

Healing from Otoplasty

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If it doesn't hurt to sleep on your ear, at 2 weeks is fine.  I do recommend patients to wear a headband at night for up to 4 weeks after surgery.  The headband is to prevent accidental pulling of the ear during sleep which could disrupt the sutures and healing.

Bounmany Kyle Keojampa, MD, FACS
Marina Del Rey Facial Plastic Surgeon

October 17th, 2016

Sleeping on ears

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In our practice, I recommend that patients wear a headband to hold the ears back for the first week, and then wear the headband at night for the next four weeks. Of course, no one can control where the headband goes in the sleep and it often comes off.  If you don't have pain when lying on your ear, it is probably safe.  Wearing a headband at night may help give additional support during the healing.

Best of luck,

Dr Rodman


Regina Rodman, MD

Regina Rodman, MD
Houston Facial Plastic Surgeon
5.0 out of 5 stars 14 reviews

October 17th, 2016

When to sleep on an Otoplasty ear

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Thank you for your question. Wound healing physiology suggests that a repair should be 80-90% as strong as it might ever be at 6-8 weeks. To be conservative and optimize patient outcomes, we recommend wearing a gentle headband while sleeping for the first 6-8 weeks after the procedure. While we understand that patients may awake without the headband as sleep is not always predictable, no adverse outcomes have yet occurred in our practice as a result. Guidelines are simply meant to improve patient outcomes!

Stephen P. Smith, Jr., MD
Columbus Facial Plastic Surgeon

These answers are for educational purposes and should not be relied upon as a substitute for medical advice you may receive from your physician. If you have a medical emergency, please call 911. These answers do not constitute or initiate a patient/doctor relationship.