The ears on the side of the head are relatively inconspicuous unless they stick out too far. A good looking ear is one that goes unnoticed, only bad looking ears catch our attention. But despite the small size of the ear, it has a compact anatomy that is filled with ridges and valleys. By description they comprise a dozen specific parts that collectively form what is recognized as a normal ear. When the ear sticks out too far, its most common cosmetic deformity, it is the result of a fold deformity (lack of the fold) of the antihelix or excessive development of the underlying concha. (the bowl of the ear) In some protruding ears it is a combination of both. Surgical correction involves making the antihelix fold by placing sutures on the backside of the ear to bring the outer helical rim closer to the side of the head. For the overgrown or too big concha, it may be pulled back by sutures to the mastoid bone or weakened by cartilage removal and then sutured back. Either cosmetic otoplasty is about ear reshaping by folding and bending.
Dr. Barry Eppley
Indianapolis, Indiana