Skip to main content

Prominent ear correction - reshaped, not just pinned.

Otoplasty for protruding ears in children and adults - suture, cartilage-scoring or incisionless techniques, chosen for the shape of your ear. A named surgeon, a day-case, and honest advice on whether it is the right step now.

See indicative pricing
A radiographer guides a patient onto the bed of an advanced 3 Tesla MRI scanner in a London imaging suite

Indicative pricing

What private prominent ear correction costs in the UK.

Indicative ranges across our partner plastic and ENT units.

In short

£2,800–£4,800, home the same day.

Procedure Indicative range
Otoplasty, both ears (suture technique) £2,800–£4,000
Otoplasty, both ears (cartilage-scoring) £3,200–£4,800
Otoplasty, single ear £2,200–£3,200
Child otoplasty under general anaesthetic £3,500–£5,500
Incisionless (suture-only) ear pinning £2,500–£3,800
Revision otoplasty (previous surgery) £3,500–£6,000
Surgical consultation only £200–£350

Prices vary by hospital, by the surgeon, by technique, and by whether the case is local or general anaesthetic. Children under general anaesthetic and revision cases sit at the top of the range.

The problem

The right technique, a natural result, and honesty about a child’s wishes.

Ear correction is where cosmetic clinics can over-promise - one house technique for every ear, a rush to operate on a young child. We do the opposite.

  • Match the technique to the cartilage

    Soft young cartilage suits sutures; stiff adult cartilage often needs scoring. The right choice is the difference between a natural fold and an over-tight, telephone-ear look.

  • A result that does not spring back

    Combined suture-and-scoring holds better than stitches alone. We are upfront about recurrence rates and the headband routine that protects the correction.

  • For a child, it has to be their choice

    We will not push surgery on a five-year-old to reassure a parent. If the child is not bothered, waiting is often the right answer - and we will say so.

When it helps

When ear correction is the right step.

The situations we see most, plus a note on the newborns who do not need surgery at all.

  • Ears that stand out from the head

    An auriculocephalic angle wider than about 35 degrees - the classic prominent or protruding ear that sits away from the skull.

  • An underdeveloped antihelical fold

    The natural Y-shaped ridge inside the ear has not formed, so the upper ear flops forward. Suture or scoring techniques recreate the fold.

  • A deep or bowl-like concha

    An overly deep conchal bowl pushes the whole ear outward. Conchal setback stitches or a small cartilage excision bring it back.

  • Bullying or distress in a child

    A school-age child who is teased or self-conscious about their ears - often the trigger for surgery once cartilage has matured, usually from around five or six.

  • Recurrence after previous pinning

    Ears that have partly sprung back after childhood surgery or after a suture-only technique, where a revision with cartilage work is needed.

  • Asymmetry between the two ears

    One ear noticeably more prominent than the other - correcting a single ear, or adjusting both, to match.

  • Adult self-consciousness

    An adult who has covered their ears with hair for years and wants the option of shorter styles, or simply to stop thinking about it.

  • Note: this is not for a newborn

    Very soft newborn cartilage can sometimes be reshaped non-surgically with moulding splints in the first weeks of life - a different pathway, not surgery.

Procedure options

Technique and anaesthetic both depend on the ear.

What each option involves - how the cartilage is reshaped, and whether the case is best done under local or general anaesthetic.

  • Suture techniques (Mustardé, Furnas)

    Permanent stitches fold the cartilage to create an antihelical fold (Mustardé) or pull the conchal bowl back to the mastoid (Furnas). No cartilage is cut, so the ear keeps a natural spring.

  • Cartilage-scoring techniques

    The front surface of the cartilage is gently abraded or scored so it curls backwards on itself. Favoured for stiffer adult cartilage that resists sutures alone.

  • Combined suture and scoring

    The most common adult approach - scoring weakens rigid cartilage and sutures hold the new shape. Gives a durable, natural result across a range of ear types.

  • Incisionless (suture-only) pinning

    Fine stitches are placed through tiny needle punctures with no formal skin incision. Quick and low-scar, but recurrence is a little higher and it suits only certain ear shapes.

  • Conchal setback

    Where the deep conchal bowl is the main problem, setback sutures or a strip of cartilage excision reduce the bowl and reposition the whole ear.

  • Local vs general anaesthetic

    Most adults choose local anaesthetic, sometimes with sedation. Children and very anxious patients have a general anaesthetic. Both are day-case.

  • Single ear vs both ears

    Correcting one ear to match the other is common. Where both protrude, operating on both at once gives the most symmetrical result.

  • Revision otoplasty

    For ears that have sprung back, over-corrected or become irregular after earlier surgery - technically harder and best done by a surgeon who revises regularly.

Safety and recovery

What to expect afterwards - honestly.

Otoplasty is a well-established day-case operation. The things worth planning are the technique, the anaesthetic, and the headband routine that protects the result.

  • A day-case, but still real surgery

    Prominent ear correction is safe and routine, but it is an operation on cartilage. Local or general anaesthetic in a licensed facility, with a headband to wear afterwards, not a lunchtime touch-up.

  • Haematoma is the early one to watch

    A collection of blood under the skin is the main early complication - under a few percent. It needs the surgeon the same day, as untreated it can damage cartilage. The bandage helps prevent it.

  • Infection and, rarely, chondritis

    Wound infection is uncommon; infection of the cartilage itself (chondritis) is rare but serious and needs prompt antibiotics. Report spreading redness, heat or throbbing pain early.

  • Asymmetry and imperfect shape

    The two ears will not be identical - no ears are. Small differences in projection or fold are normal; a noticeable mismatch may need minor revision.

  • Recurrence or partial relapse

    Cartilage has memory and can spring back, more so with suture-only techniques. Wearing the night-time headband as advised for several weeks reduces the risk.

  • Numbness and altered sensation

    The ear is often numb or tingly for a few weeks as small nerves recover. Lasting numbness is unusual.

  • Scarring behind the ear

    The scar sits in the crease behind the ear and is usually well hidden. A minority of people, especially with darker skin, are prone to thickened or keloid scars - flag any tendency beforehand.

  • Suture problems

    Occasionally a permanent stitch works its way to the surface (extrusion) or becomes visible or palpable and needs removing or adjusting.

  • Red flags after surgery

    Severe or one-sided worsening pain, rapid swelling, bleeding through the dressing, fever or spreading redness need the surgical team the same day, not a routine call.

Reading your operation note

Your operation note in four parts. Read the last one first.

Whichever technique was used - sutures, scoring or a combination - the note the surgeon sends you keeps to the same shape.

A UK consultant surgeon reviewing a patient’s operation notes

A quiet reminder

Surgical language is precise and can read coldly - we translate it for you.

If you would like us to talk you through the operation note and the aftercare before your review, just ask.

  1. 01 Header

    Which ears, and which technique

    Whether one or both ears were corrected, and whether the surgeon used sutures, cartilage-scoring, a combination or conchal setback.

  2. 02 Technique

    What was done to the cartilage

    The specific manoeuvres - antihelical fold creation, conchal setback, any cartilage excised - and the type of sutures used to hold the new shape.

  3. 03 Findings

    Projection achieved and symmetry

    The new ear-to-head distance recorded at operation and any deliberate small differences left between the two sides.

  4. 04 Impression

    Aftercare and headband plan

    Read this first: how long to wear the supportive bandage and night-time headband, when sutures dissolve or come out, and when to return.

Recognised by major UK insurers

BupaAXA HealthVitalityAvivaWPACignaHealixBupaAXA HealthVitalityAvivaWPACignaHealixBupaAXA HealthVitalityAvivaWPACignaHealix

Prominent ear correction is usually treated as cosmetic and is generally not covered by insurance or funded by the NHS in adults. It is occasionally funded for children where there is documented psychological distress.

Frequently asked

Everything we get asked about ear correction.

Quick answers on the right age, anaesthetic, recovery, scarring, durability and cost.

  • What age can a child have their ears corrected?

    Ear cartilage is usually mature enough from around five or six, and this is when many children have otoplasty - often before or during early school, when teasing tends to start. The important thing is that the child, not only the parent, wants it. In newborns, very soft cartilage can sometimes be reshaped with non-surgical moulding splints in the first weeks of life, which is a separate pathway.

  • Is prominent ear correction done under local or general anaesthetic?

    Most adults have it under local anaesthetic, sometimes with sedation, and go home the same day. Children and very anxious patients usually have a general anaesthetic. Either way it is a day-case with no overnight stay.

  • How long is the recovery?

    You wear a supportive head bandage for about a week, then a headband at night for several weeks. Most adults return to desk work within a week and children go back to school after a week or two, avoiding contact sport and swimming for four to six weeks. Swelling settles over about six weeks and the final shape shows by a few months.

  • Will the ears stay in the new position permanently?

    Combined suture-and-scoring techniques give durable, long-lasting results. Cartilage does have memory, so some spring-back is possible, more so with suture-only methods. Wearing the night-time headband as advised is the single best way to protect the correction while it settles.

  • Will there be a visible scar?

    The scar sits in the natural crease behind the ear and is usually very hard to see. Incisionless techniques leave only tiny puncture marks. If you are prone to thickened or keloid scarring, tell the surgeon beforehand so it can be planned for.

  • How much does prominent ear correction cost privately in the UK, and does the NHS fund it?

    Privately, expect roughly £2,800–£4,800 for both ears, £2,200–£3,200 for one ear, and £3,500–£5,500 for a child under general anaesthetic. The NHS treats it as largely cosmetic and rarely funds it in adults; it is occasionally funded for children where there is significant, documented psychological distress, subject to local criteria.

Related treatments

Looking for something else?