Can The Top Of My Ear Be Brought Further In With Revisional Otoplasty?

Q: Dr. Eppley, I had otoplasty surgery done as well as an earlobe reduction a few years ago and then returned a few months later to have a revision done on the pinning of my ears. I can see a difference, but slowly the tops of my ears have gone back and continued to stick out and make me feel insecure. I am wondering if I have another revision done, what are the chances of it holding this time? Can it be done under local anesthesia?

In the pics you can see the tops of my ears stick out- not terribly, but enough to bother me. I would like for them to be pinned closer to my head & in (forward) Also, if we could make my earlobes more detached. I took some pictures of how I would like them to look when I shape them with my hand. Hopefully all of this makes sense, and If you need other photos I would be glad to send them. Thank you for your time and I hope to hear back from you soon!

A: Further improvements can be done to setting back the top of the ear through revisional otoplasty. But if the traditional cartilage suture techniques did not hold over time, a more ‘aggressive’ technique would be needed which involves suturing the cartilage to the temporalis fascia with skin removal.

Detaching the earlobes from the face further involves deepening of its inverted-V shape attachment by skin release.

Both procedures can be done at the same time under local anesthesia.

Dr. Barry Eppley

Indianapolis, Indiana