Ear correction (pinnaplasty / otoplasty)

What is ear correction (pinnaplasty/otoplasty)?

Ear correction, also called pinnaplasty or otoplasty, is surgery to reshape the cartilage of prominent or misshapen ears so they sit closer to the head and look more even. It is most often done for ears that stick out, but can also reshape a folded or cup-shaped ear.

The surgeon works through a cut usually hidden behind the ear, then reshapes, folds or stitches the cartilage and sometimes removes a little skin. In adults and older children it is often done under local anaesthetic; younger children usually need a general anaesthetic.

It changes the shape and position of the ear. It does not change hearing, and it does not treat ear infections or other ear problems. Both ears are usually treated, even if only one looks prominent, to help them match.

For children, this is a decision made with the family. Surgery is generally not offered to very young children, and most guidance advises that the child should want the correction themselves rather than it being only the parents' wish.

Types & techniques

There isn't one single operation. The right approach depends on you — which is something to discuss with your surgeon.

Options at a glance

These are the main approaches described in this guide. The right option depends on the diagnosis, your goals and what your clinician thinks is safe.

Preparing for your surgery

• See the surgeon who will operate; for a child, both the child and parent or guardian should be involved and the child's own wishes considered.
• Discuss whether one or both ears will be treated — both are usually done to help them match.
• Tell the team about all medicines, bleeding tendencies and any previous ear problems or surgery.
• For children, plan how the general anaesthetic and fasting will work, and arrange time off school.
• Stop smoking and vaping beforehand (for adults), as nicotine slows healing.
• Arrange comfortable clothing that does the up at the front, so nothing is pulled over the head and ears.
• Have a soft headband or any recommended dressing materials ready for after surgery.

What happens

Ear correction usually takes about one to two hours and is normally a day case. Adults and older children often have it under local anaesthetic, while younger children have a general anaesthetic and are asleep.

The surgeon makes a cut, usually in the crease behind the ear, then reshapes the cartilage using scoring, permanent stitches or both, and may remove a little skin or cartilage. Both ears are usually treated so they match. The cuts are closed and a supportive dressing or bandage is applied.

After surgery the ears are bandaged, and you or your child will be shown how to look after them. A protective headband is usually worn for several weeks, including at night, to support the ears and protect them from being knocked while they heal.

Is this operation right for me?

A good consultation should explore whether it's the right choice for you now — including reasons to wait or consider something else.

Before you decide

Use this as a shared-decision checklist. The aim is not just “can this be done?”, but whether it is right for you, now, with the risks and alternatives clearly understood.

Anaesthetic choices

The safest option depends on the operation, your health, the facility and your surgeon/anaesthetist. Ask what is planned and why.

The risks that matter most are recurrence (the ear gradually drifting back out, which can need further surgery), asymmetry between the two ears, and stitch or wound problems. A haematoma or cartilage infection is uncommon but needs urgent treatment to protect the ear. Choose a surgeon experienced specifically in ear surgery, and for a child make sure the child themselves is comfortable with the plan. Ask how often the surgeon sees recurrence and revision in their own practice.

Published figures to discuss

Reliable, comparable complication rates for ear correction are limited, as studies are mostly small case series and outcomes depend on the technique and the surgeon. Most complications are minor and settle. Recurrence (the ear drifting back) and stitch problems are the issues most likely to lead to further surgery, but pooled rates vary, so the wording below is deliberately cautious.

These are literature figures, not a personalised prediction. Your own risks and likely benefits depend on your circumstances, your health, and how your care is carried out and followed up.

Recovery — what to expect, and when

Recovery is mostly about protecting the ears while they settle into their new shape. Most people are back to school or work within one to two weeks, but the headband is worn for longer and contact activities are limited for several weeks.

• Aching, throbbing or tenderness of the ears in the first days
• Numbness or tingling of the ears that gradually recovers
• A tight feeling while the ears are held in their new position
• Mild itching as the wounds behind the ears heal
• Slight differences between the two ears while swelling settles

Aftercare

• Wear the protective headband exactly as advised, including at night for the recommended period.
• Keep the wounds and dressings clean and dry, and follow the team's washing instructions.
• Avoid knocking, bending or pulling the ears, and take care with glasses, clothing and combing.
• Avoid contact sports and rough play for the time advised, and swimming until allowed.
• Take painkillers as recommended and report any worsening or one-sided pain.
• Keep follow-up appointments so healing and stitch sites are checked.
• For a child, keep them off school for the advised time and tell the school about avoiding contact games.
• Keep the clinic's contact details in case of bleeding, severe pain or signs of infection.

• Soft protective headband ready for day and night use
• About 1–2 weeks off school or work booked
• Simple painkillers suitable for the patient (including the right child dose)
• Loose, front-fastening clothing so nothing is pulled over the ears
• Clinic's out-of-hours number saved
• Follow-up appointment for wound and stitch check noted
• Plan for avoiding sport and swimming for the advised period

Scars and how they heal

The cut is usually placed in the crease behind the ear, so the scar is hidden and is rarely a problem. It is pink and firm at first and usually fades over months. Some people, particularly those prone to keloid scarring, can develop a raised, thickened scar behind the ear; tell your surgeon if you or your child have had keloid scars before so this risk can be discussed.

⚠ Get urgent help if…

• Severe or increasing pain, especially on one side (possible bleeding under the skin)
• Sudden swelling, tightness or a feeling of pressure in one ear
• Spreading redness, heat, swelling or discharge (signs of infection)
• A fever or feeling generally unwell after surgery
• Bleeding through the dressing that does not stop
• A wound that opens or a stitch causing increasing redness and pain

Who to contact: your surgeon or clinic first (keep their number to hand). For urgent advice when you can't reach them, call NHS 111. In an emergency, call 999.

General guidance — it doesn't replace the specific advice your surgeon gives you.

Results & realistic expectations

A good result is ears that sit closer to the head, look more even and have a natural fold, with the scar hidden behind the ear. The ears are swollen and tender at first; the final shape settles over a few months as swelling resolves and the cartilage holds its new position.

Ear correction does not change hearing and does not treat other ear problems. A careful surgeon aims for a natural, balanced result rather than ears that are flattened too far back, and is honest that some asymmetry between the two ears is normal because no two ears are identical.

Results are usually long-lasting once the ears have healed. However, the ear can drift back towards its original position, particularly if a holding stitch fails, and this recurrence sometimes needs further surgery. How well the result lasts depends on the technique, the cartilage and how well the ears are protected while healing.

Combining with other procedures

Ear correction is usually done on its own and both ears are typically treated together so they match. It is not normally combined with other facial surgery. If a child has other ear concerns, such as hearing problems or a missing or underdeveloped ear, these are different issues that need separate, specialist assessment and should not be bundled into a cosmetic correction.

Follow-up & long-term care

You or your child will usually be seen within the first week or two to change the dressing and check healing, with further review as the shape settles and stitches are checked. Report severe or one-sided pain, sudden swelling, spreading redness or a fever straight away.

Revision and secondary surgery reality

• Recurrence is the most common reason for further surgery, particularly with suture-only techniques.
• Some asymmetry between the two ears is normal and may not need correcting.
• Over-correction (ears set too far back) can look unnatural and is harder to reverse.
• Stitches surfacing or causing irritation may need a minor procedure to remove or replace them.

Ask your surgeon for their own revision rate, what counts as a revision, and what is included in the written aftercare policy.

What good aftercare looks like

• Clear written instructions on headband use, wound care, and avoiding contact sport and swimming.
• A named contact and out-of-hours route for severe or one-sided pain, bleeding or infection.
• Early review to change dressings and check the wounds, then later review of the settled result.
• An honest plan for what happens, and who pays, if the ears drift back and need revision.
• For a child, coordination with school about time off and avoiding rough play.

What affects the cost

Costs vary a great deal between people and providers, and we don't publish prices. What matters is understanding what drives the cost and making sure your quote is complete. The main things that affect it:

• The surgeon's experience and fee
• Whether one or both ears are treated and how complex the reshaping is
• Anaesthetic type (local in adults, general in younger children) and any anaesthetist's fee
• Theatre and facility fees, and day-case care
• Follow-up appointments, dressing changes and stitch checks
• The clinic's policy on managing recurrence or revision surgery

• The named operating surgeon and their fee
• Whether one or both ears are included
• Anaesthetist and theatre or facility fees, including child general-anaesthetic care
• All follow-up appointments, dressing changes and stitch removal
• What happens, and what it costs, if the ears drift back and need revision
• The cancellation and cooling-off policy
• Who to contact, and what is covered, if a complication such as bleeding or infection occurs

On the NHS? Ear correction is sometimes funded by the NHS for children where local criteria are met, but many areas no longer routinely fund it for cosmetic reasons; your GP can explain the local policy.

You're entitled to your total cost in writing — including aftercare and any revision — before you decide.

Consent traps and marketing red flags

These are not small details. They are often where patients lose choice, time to reflect, or realistic expectations.

Choosing a surgeon safely

• Check your surgeon is on the GMC Specialist Register for this area.
• Make sure they practise at a CQC-registered location, and look for membership of bodies like BAAPS or BAPRAS.
• You're entitled to a two-stage consent process with time to reflect (a cooling-off period). The surgeon who will operate must consent you — not a salesperson.
• Be wary of pressure: time-limited offers, discounts or deposits taken before you've had time to think are red flags, not bargains.
• You're entitled to your total cost in writing — including aftercare and any revision — before you decide.

How Vuemedics verifies every consultant →

Take this to your consultation. A good surgeon will welcome every one of these.

• Will you treat one ear or both, and why?
• Which technique do you use, and how do you reduce the chance of recurrence or sharp edges?
• How often do you see the ears drift back out, asymmetry, or stitch problems?
• For my child, how will the anaesthetic work and how do you check they really want this?
• What would you do, and what would it cost, if the ears needed further correction?
• Are you on the GMC Specialist Register for this area, and which Royal College or professional body are you a member of?
• Will you be the surgeon who carries out my operation, and who looks after me afterwards?
• What are the risks for someone like me, and how often do your own patients have a problem or need it repeated or redone?
• What does a realistic result look like — and what can this operation not achieve?
• What are my options, including waiting, doing nothing for now, or choosing a different approach?
• Can I have written information, results and aftercare instructions in a format I can use, including any accessibility or communication support I need?
• What is the total cost in writing, including any follow-ups, and how much time do I have to decide?

Find a verified surgeon for ear correction (pinnaplasty / otoplasty)

Every consultant is GMC-checked and independently reviewed. Search by postcode and distance, or switch to a map. Ordered by rating, relevance and recency — never by who pays.

How we made this page

Medically reviewed by a GMC-registered consultant. Written in plain English, checked against NHS, NICE, GMC and relevant Royal College / specialist-society guidance, and kept under review. No clinic paid to appear on this page, and we publish no pricing. This is general information to help you prepare — it is not a substitute for advice from your own clinician. How we review our guides →

Source hierarchy: UK regulator and NHS/NICE guidance first, then relevant Royal College or specialist-society guidance, then peer-reviewed evidence for procedure-specific figures where available.

Sources & standards: Royal College of Surgeons — Pinnaplasty commissioning guide Evelina London (NHS) — Prominent ear surgery (pinnaplasty) Alder Hey Children's Hospital (NHS) — Prominent ears surgery / otoplasty GMC — Cosmetic interventions guidance BAAPS — Patient safety and advice

Reviews reflect patients' experience of care, not clinical outcomes. For procedure volumes and outcome data see PHIN.

Last medically reviewed 2026-09-21. Spotted something wrong or out of date? Report an error in this guide.