The late President Lyndon B. Johnson sported a pair of saggy ear lobes. They were his defining feature in many a political cartoon. People can either be born with oversized ear lobes, or they can develop them as a part of aging. They’re just another set of soft tissue that is subject to volume loss and the forces of gravity over time.
Otoplasty is the surgical procedure used to correct deformities and irregularities in the cartilage of the ears. People with large, protruding ears benefit from the procedure because it makes them appear less prominent and seated naturally in relation to the patient’s face.
Ear reduction surgery is a separate procedure altogether. However, it can also be performed in combination with otoplasty or facelift procedures. Its primary purpose is to reduce the size or “sagginess” of the earlobes and bring them into correct balance with the overall shape and size of the ears.
The Long and the Short of Ear Lobe Reduction
Ear lobe reduction surgery is usually done in an outpatient setting and is a fast and reliable procedure involving minimal downtime and few complications. With ear lobe reduction surgery, a small amount of ear cartilage is removed from the lower ear. This prevents the ear lobe from sticking out. The surgeon then removes a wedge of soft tissue to reduce the size of the ear lobe. There is scarring, but the scars usually fade quickly in a matter of months.
Other Procedures Are Available
There are other procedures that reduce the size of ear lobes. The surgeon may simply tack the bottom portion of the ear cartilage back to the ear bowl. The V-Y advancement procedure is used to reduce physical soft tissue as well as tack the ear lobes back even further.
Whether done alone or as a combination procedure, ear reduction surgery improves the overall shape and size of the ear lobes. Otoplasty is done to set the ears backwards, so it may not involve the ear lobes directly. This is why it is important for you to talk with a qualified surgeon experienced in otoplasty. The doctor will examine your ears to determine the exact shape of your ear lobes and recommend the best procedure.
Since the ear lobes also lose volume with age, giving them a “flat tire” appearance, injectable fillers may also be used to restore lost volume. We like to replace this volume loss with Restylane.
The elongation of your ear lobes will determine how you and your doctor select a procedure to reduce them to a more proportionate size. A board certified facial plastic surgeon can help you make that important decision.
Dr. Edwin F. Williams is certified by the American Board of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, the American Board of Otolaryngology and he is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons, the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery and the American Academy of Otolaryngology — Head and Neck Surgery. If you’re considering a cosmetic procedure, and want to consult with an experienced New York facial plastic surgeon, call the Williams Center at 1-800-742-2797.
About the Author: Dr. Edwin Williams
Dr. Edwin Williams is a double board-certified facial plastic surgeon who founded The Williams Center in 1993. He has performed over 10,000 facial plastic surgery procedures and has pioneered the deep plane facelift. He served on the Board of Directors for the American Academy of Facial Plastic Surgery for over a decade, and served as President from 2015-2016. In 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019, Dr. Williams earned the Castle Connelly Top Doctors award in New York Facial Plastic Surgery.
Dr. Edwin F. Williams III attended Cornell University in Ithaca, New York where he received a Bachelor of Science degree in 1982. He began medical school at the State University of Buffalo School of Medicine and received his Doctor of Medicine in 1986.
Dr. Williams is actively involved in teaching facial plastic and reconstruction surgery to the residents of the Albany Medical Center and is former Chief of the Section of Facial and Plastic Reconstruction Surgery at Albany Medical Center where he received an academic appointment of Clinical Professor, Department of Surgery.