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Protruding Ears: Causes and the procedure to Correct Them

Ears that stick out ?

On this page we tell you about the causes of protruding ears and the most suitable surgical treatment.


General overview

Ears that protrude 2cm from the head may seem anectotic. But it's exactly the size that creates the aesthetic appearance of protruding ears.


And having prominent ears can be the cause of a complex in both children and adults.


What are the causes of prominent ears?

Prominent ears are a genetic phenomenon, meaning they can only be caused by 2 defects in the constitution of the ear:

  • Absence of antihelix fold.
  • Concha (concave part of the ear) too deep.

The large ear can be visible since infancy in many cases; others can be seen in later stages of childhood.


When can we say that our ears are protruding?

Approximately 2% of the population is affected by the phenomenon of having large or too large ears, so it's safe to say that it's a very rare condition, however many of those who have protruding ears don't like their appearance and wish to make them smaller.
To find out if you have protruding ears or not, you have to question what science says or in other words, from when can we speak of protruding ears.
Protruding ears is when your ears exceed the axis of your head by 2 cm making them have a large look based on the proportions of your face.


How can protruding ears cause discomfort?

Having protruding ears does not cause any functional problem such as hearing loss.
It is, nevertheless, the origin of an aesthetic and social self-consciousness which can make you feel a large embarrassment, this can then add to your complex about your physical appearance.
A survey carried out in France in 2016 indicates that 90% of those questioned consider protruding ears do indeed hate their appearance and which to change how they look because their looks bother them.
During the same study, nearly 50% of these people indicate that having protruding ears corrected is an aesthetic wish, and nearly 30% consider that the operation has a psychological motivation.
So it's easy to see why so many people choose to have the operation to correcting the shape of the ears.

Does the condition happen to kids?

Having large ears is not only a condition that happens to adults, children as well ca get this condition, in fact having prominent ears is caused by an underdeveloped antihelical fold, this happens when someone is at a young age.
It's easy to see how this condition can be problematic especially for children because they can get bullied because of it, this in turn can lead them into losing confidence in their appearance which can lead to problems in their social development.
In fact, most adults that do undergo the procedure tell their doctors that they always had a problem with their large ears, but didn't have the tools or the chance to fix them when they were children, so they had to wait until they become adults.
The correction of protruding ears in children is possible around the age of 7 when the cartilage of the ear has finished growing.


What's the best treatment?

An otoplasty can be done using local anaesthetic on an older child or an adult, the procedure will also be done by either a plastic surgeon or an ENT (ear, nose and throat) doctor.
The procedure is highly efficient yet very simple.
The doctor will start by making a small incision behind your ear to expose it's cartilage, this will allow your surgeon to clearly see the inside of your ear.
After that, the doctor will start removing small pieces of cartilage to make the ear appear smaller.
Finally, the surgeon will finish the surgery by putting stitches at the back of your ear to reshape it and position it close to the head, this will give it a nice smooth and smaller look to it.
The operation takes about 1 to 2 hours to be done and usually you are able to go home on the same day.


How to recover after ear correction surgery?

After the operation your doctor will use bandages to cover your ears to reduce to the risk of harming them; you must keep these bandages clean and you will not be able to wash your hair until after they are removed.
The doctor will also advise you to wear a headband to protect your ears at night while you are sleeping, they will also give you some painkillers to remove any discomfort.
After 7 to 10 days, the bandages and stitches are removed, in the case of children they can be back to school after 1 to 2 weeks.
After 4 to 6 weeks activities like swimming and soft sports are allowed, contact sports and doing hard labor can be done after 12 weeks of recovery.
Make sure you always keep up with your follow-up appointments, these will allow your doctor to see the progress of your healing.


Otoplasty cost in Turkey

The ear pinning surgery cost from £1099 in Turkey.

Fees may vary depending on the individual case of otoplasty.


The operation is performed by a qualified plastic surgeon in otoplasty (pinnaplasty) operations at our ultra-modern clinic in Istanbul.

Indeed, cosmetic ear surgery is a procedure which must be performed by a doctor with a great deal of experience and who listens carefully, especially when it comes to correcting child's problem of ears that stick out.


Protruding Ears surgery : All inclusive stay in Istanbul

We provide a specific medical travel all inclusive package for your otoplasty in Istanbul with :

  • Operation in one of the best cosmetic surgery clinic in Istanbul
  • Surgery by a Board-Certified Surgeon
  • Private Aftercare at Hospital & Hotel
  • All Inner-City Transfers with Private Chauffeur
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