Fixing elf ears: Are pointy ears something that is tough to fix? (photos)

Question

My right ear is pointy on the top and sticks out quite a bit compared to my left ear. The left ear has a slight fold but no where near as bad as my right. I get very self conscious about it and I was wondering if the procedure would be more difficult than normal ear pinning due to the point and fold of the ear.

C.W. David Chang, MD · Answer

This could be done, although I would have to see a picture of your ears to understand their "pointyness." The outer rim of the ear, called the helix, can be somewhat reshaped by reshaping the scapha portion of the ear. The scapha comprises a portion of the ear just inside the arc that forms the helix. Just imagine if you had to reshape a square pizza. You could take off the outer crust (helix), change the inside remaining shape of the pizza from Square to round, and then re-drape the crust. The pizza would no longer have pointy corners but now would be rounded. This analogously can be done with the ears.

Kris M. Reddy, MD, FACS · Answer

This is conceivable to fix. However, it would be appropriate to consult in person with 3 board certified plastic surgeons who are expert in the procedure to understand your options, and choose the treatment plan which best fits your needs/objectives.

Richard Galitz, MD, FACS (in memoriam) · Answer

First the ears need to be symmetrical with the ear that is protruding moved inward to match the other ear. As for the pointed aspect of the superior pole of the ear that protrudes; most likely this can be addressed to make a much closer match with the more normal looking ear. Whether this is a matter of skin or skin and cartilage work depends on the structural cause of the deformity. In any case all this work is done under simple and totally safe local anesthesia in about 45 minutes in the office operating room. There is no pain except for a few needle sticks to numb the area.. Sutures come out in a week and recovery is simple.

Fixing elf ears: Are pointy ears something that is tough to fix? (photos)

Answers (3)

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