Asymmetric ears after otoplasty. Is it swelling, or are my ears just asymmetrical? Can it be revised? (Photo)

Question

I had otoplasty done 2 weeks ago, and my right ear seems to stick out more than the left at the top. It's only slightly more swollen than my left ear, and is a little more bruised. Prior to otoplasty, my right ear had protruded more than my left. I've been wearing a headband at night for 1 week already, and have 1 week left to go. Is my problem due to the slight swelling, or are my ears just asymmetric? Is this problem easily revised? Would it be worth it to even go for a revision if possible?

Earl Stephenson, Jr., MD, DDS, MBA · Answer

Thank you for your pictures. I think your result is excellent.  I the view that you are getting about your right is because the right ear is a little higher than your left ear.

Waldemar Merck, MD · Answer

Nothing can be said about the final position of the ears just 2 weeks after an otoplasty. You should wait at least 3 months. It is well-known that patients want to have their ears pinned as symmetrically as possible. One should know, nevertheless, that normal non-protruding ears are rarely naturally symmetrical. Even the face is not symmetrical, and the ears are a part of the face. In a publicised study, hundreds of non-protruding ears were measured and the result was that the average difference between both ears, when comparing ear-to-head distances, was 2 mm. Despite that, a surgeon pins the ears as symmetrically as possible. However, the ears can move outwards a few millimetres after the operation and this doesn’t always occur symmetrically. As long as this doesn’t result in protruding ears again, there is no sense in correcting them again, because it is well-known and proven by photo composition that a slightly asymmetrical face looks more interesting to an observer than a totally symmetrical one.There are also surgeons that have written about the subject of symmetry : „ The aim of otoplasty is not to achieve a complete symmetrical conformity of both ears. That is unnatural, whereas an individual asymmetry is natural “.

Asymmetric ears after otoplasty. Is it swelling, or are my ears just asymmetrical? Can it be revised? (Photo)

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Asymmetric ears after otoplasty. Is it swelling, or are my ears just asymmetrical? Can it be revised? (Photo)

Answers (2)

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Everything you need to know about Ear Surgery

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