If Ear Reduction Surgery Is Done Will My Ear Look Too Low Set?

Q: Dr. Eppley, I appreciate if you can provide feedback to my inquiry for ear surgery. Basically I have large size ear which requires upper pole and earlobe surgery and at the same time I am concern that if I do ear reduction surgery (upper pole + ear lobe) my ears might look lower from their position sort of become low set and I am wondering if you can perform AUROPEXY surgery ( lift & rotate) after ear reduction surgery. The purpose is to have smaller size ear but not low set. If this is possible then I would like to book for both surgeries and it is understood that they had to be done with some time distances and can not be done together. I appreciate if you can provide your feedback if this is possible. Thank you and regards

A:While ear reduction surgery can be performed with a very visible alteration in its vertical height, changing the position/orientation of the ear on the side of the ear is more limited. The ear is basically pinned to the side of the ear by the cartilaginous external auditory canal. The position of this canal is fixed as it passes through the skull into the inner ear. The ear canal can be partially released to allow for some ear rotation and the stretch of the ear can allow for some very modest elevation but these changes are less substantial in appearance than that of the ear reduction surgery.

The one question I would ask is how do you know the ear will look too low on the side of the head after ear reduction surgery? The best way to determine if this would even be an issue is to have some computer imaging of the ear reduction done and then see how it looks to you.

Dr. Barry Eppley

Indianapolis, Indiana