How Can I Bring My Ears Closer To The Side Of My Head?

Q: Dr. Eppley, I came across your case study for the Postauricular Sulcus Reduction procedure.I have struggled with the look of the tops of my ears sticking out for as long as I can remember. Many years ago I had the non surgical sutures to reshape the anti-helical fold, but my ears have returned to my natural shape. I have quite hard cartilage and from what I’ve researched, any attempt to suture the fold at the top of the ear won’t give me the results I’m wanting. I have quite a shallow conchal so I think I’m a good candidate for the Postauricular Sulcus Reduction. Your case study is exactly what I would like. I have gone as far as super gluing the top of my ears to my head, it created the smooth outline of the helical rim that I would like.

A:Thank you for your inquiry and sending your pictures. Any form of cartilage manipulation will not change the top of the ears in any sustained fashion. It requires the reduction of the depth of the postauricular sulcus by skin removal on both sides of the sulcus.  (extreme setback otoplasty) How the top of the ear moves inward towards the side of the head depends on how much the depth of the sulcus is reduced.Your gluing of the ears to the side of the head for that effect indicates a substantial sulcus reduction is needed.

Dr. Barry Eppley

World-Renowned Plastic Surgeon