Is there surgery for my asymmetrical earlobes?

Question

I was wondering if there is cosmetic surgery for my very asymmetrical earlobes. My left earlobe is curled upwards in a very weird way and is a lot larger than my right one.

Daniel Barrett, MD · Answer

Dear Alex Wilson,it is hard to tell for sure without an examination, but you might be a candidate for otoplasty. My patients who get otoplasty tend to be the happiest patients I get to work with.  Otoplasty can be done under local in the office which means it typically doesn't take long to get you in.  If you are considering a surgery, I would suggest you to consult a board-certified plastic surgeon. Only after a thorough examination you will get more information and recommendations.Daniel Barrett, MD
Certified, American Board of Plastic Surgery
Member, American Society of Plastic Surgery
Member, American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery

James F. Boynton, MD, FACS · Answer

Thanks for your question. I agree with my colleagues.  Earlobes are never exactly symmetric in the first place.  Typically earlobe lift/reduction can reduce the size / droopiness of the earlobe.  From the limited photos above it appears that the earlobe soft tissue is rotated forward.  Sometimes to correct this, a more formal otoplasty procedure may need to be considered to help rotate the earlobe back with the cartilage so it is in line with the middle and upper thirds of the ear.  I would recommend visiting with one or several board-certified plastic surgeons who routinely perform otoplasty in their practices. I hope this is helpful.  Good luck!

Ronald J. Edelson, MD · Answer

It seems that your left earlobe folds a bit forward relative to the left.  This could be corrected with a minor procedure but getting perfect symmetry might not be acheivable.  I would remove a crescent of skin behind your left earlobe with should make  it fold back.  Depending on the situation it may need to be done on both ears.

Garrett A. Wirth, MD, MS, FACS · Answer

Yes, there usually is a solution to this.  Get a formal consultation with a surgeon that does many of these to evaluate your best possible options.

Kapil Saigal, MD, FACS · Answer

You may benefit from earlobe repair to reduce the size of the larger earlobe and improve the asymmetry between the two ears. It would be best to schedule consultation with a board certified specialist for careful physical examination prior to moving forward with surgery. Best of luck to you!

Joshua A. Halpern, MD, PA · Answer

You would need a physical exam in order to better answer your question. Having said that one can reduce the larger earlobe. In addition if one excises skin on the back side of the earlobe this may help to pull the earlobe back so it matches the other side better. I hope you find this information useful.

Sapna A. Patel, MD · Answer

Ear lobe asymmetry can be surgically treated. It won't be 100% symmetric but can be closer to it. The curling up could be due to the cartilage framework VS soft tissue; sometimes, removing the cartilage or taking the memory out of the soft tissue by scoring/excising parts of it can allow it to unravel. It is hard to say what is needed without a formal evaluation but should be doable.

Is there surgery for my asymmetrical earlobes?

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