Can Wearing a Tighter Headband Following Otoplasty (Ear Pinning) Affect Cosmetic Results?

Wow.  This is a great question.  To some extent, it depends on how the otoplasty was done in the first place.  If a Mustarde stitch was placed, a tight headband could injure the cartilage and cause the stitch to fail.  If the Stenstrum otobrasion was done, a tight headband again could decrease the fold of the ear.  If Furnas stitches were applied, it might help things.  Sorry for the doctor words in the previous couple of sentences, but what I am saying here is that overall, the answer depends on what your surgeon did, and your surgeon is the right one to ask the question, "should I wear the headband tighter or not?". 

Headbands serve several purposes after otoplasty.  These include:


Protect ears from outside trauma

Encourage healing in a proper position

Counteract postauricular edema which can serve to protrude ears forward


 

An ideal headband would be sufficiently tight to hold ears in place without placing too much tension on the ears.