Most of us don’t want to be noticed for our ears. Some people have ears that protrude too far away from the sides of the head. Others have an outer ear shape, specifically of the ear fold, with a flattened, abnormal appearance or pointy ears. If you have one or more of these concerns, you may be a candidate for otoplasty, also known as “ear pinning”. Otoplasty is a procedure in which the outer ear is reshaped and repositioned closer to the head to create a more normal shape and proportionate appearance to the outer ear. Ear abnormalities can vary depending on the individual and the ears can also be asymmetric.

Otoplasty is an outpatient procedure that Dr. Mandal performs in her office surgical suite in about 1½ hours under “twilight” or local anesthesia. She hides the incisions behind the ear. She them reshapes the outer ear cartilages and places sutures to bring the ears closer to the head and secures them into their new position. Sometimes, she also removes excess or bunching skin behind the ears. Since each person has unique anatomy, Dr. Mandal tailors otoplasty to her patients’ specific needs.