Why is one ear different than the other? (Photo)

This is a relatively frequent condition that you have. It looks that correction of left ear is all what you need. You should contact a board certified surgeon for consultation and discuss your options. Good luck.

Sometimes, ears develop with asymmetry.  This is due to the fact that the face is not totally symmetric and the ear is one of the more common areas of facial asymmetry.  When the ear forms, fibrocartilage, a special type of cartilage found in the body, develops the ear shape in a complex growth mechanism.  Often, the center of the ear (concha) grows outwards rather than back, and the upper-third of the ear (helix/antihelix) grows out rather than back.  This can lead to prominence on one side.    This tendency may be inherited in some people.  Hope this helps!

Symmetry of both ears only occurs as an exception in people. What is common is an average difference of 2mm between both sides when comparing the ear-to-head distances. In your case the difference between both sides is considerably greater, which may be congenital. That occurs often. The thickenings on the back of your ear are most unusual though. Could it be that you are a wrestler and obtained the so-called wrestler ears through playing this sport?

 Everyone has asymmetrical ears, but the degree of asymmetry is variable. An otoplasty procedure can be performed to make them both look more symmetrical. The otoplasty procedure can be performed under local anesthesia as an outpatient procedure. There is an additional fee for general anesthesia.  Anticipate 2 weeks of visible bruising and swelling around the ears after the surgery.