# Prominent ears: moulding in babies, and when otoplasty is done

> Why ears stand out, moulding in a baby’s first weeks, the usual age for otoplasty in children, adults, the operation, the headband, recovery and the risks.

Source: https://www.drcenkteker.com/en/blog/prominent-ears-when-is-otoplasty-done/  
Updated: 2026-10-29

Published 26 October 2026 6 min read

Why ears stand out, moulding in a baby’s first weeks, the usual age for otoplasty in children, adults, the operation, the headband, recovery and the risks.

In short

In a baby’s first weeks a prominent ear can often be reshaped without surgery, with a small mould worn while the cartilage is still soft. Otoplasty is usually considered from about five or six years of age, once the ear has grown enough and the child wants it, and adults can have it at any age; asymmetry, the ear moving back towards its old position and scarring are the risks to weigh.

Ears that stand out from the head are common, and for most people they are simply the shape they were born with; they do not affect hearing or health. Some people never think about them, while others, children and adults alike, would rather their ears sat closer to the head. What can be done depends mainly on age: in a baby’s first weeks an ear can often be reshaped without surgery, and later the option is an operation called [otoplasty](https://www.drcenkteker.com/en/procedures/otoplasty/), or ear pinning. Whether any treatment suits you or your child is discussed at a consultation with an ENT specialist.

## What makes an ear stand out

Most prominent ears come down to the shape of the cartilage. Often the fold that normally curves through the upper ear, the antihelix, has not formed or has formed only partly, so the upper ear leans outwards. In other ears the bowl next to the ear canal, the concha, is deep and pushes the whole ear away from the head. Many ears have a little of both, and a person’s two ears often differ.

Doctors also describe this by the angle between the back of the ear and the side of the head: about 20–30 degrees in most ears, clearly wider in a prominent one. Prominent ears often run in families and are usually there from birth; an ear can also lose its shape after an injury. How much they matter is personal: many people are not bothered at all, while others feel self-conscious or are teased and would like a change.

## Moulding in the first weeks of life

A newborn’s ear cartilage is unusually soft. Hormones from the mother keep it pliable in the first days of life; as they fall away over roughly the first six weeks, the cartilage firms up. In this window a prominent or folded ear can often be reshaped without surgery, with a small splint or mould taped to the ear. It is usually worn day and night for a few weeks, with checks along the way; a mild case may need only two weeks.

Timing matters most here. Moulding works better when started in the first two weeks of life and loses effect over the following months; by about six months the cartilage is usually too firm. Some ears that look unusual at birth straighten by themselves in the first days, so a short wait may be suggested. Problems are usually minor, such as redness or small sores where the mould presses. If your baby’s ear stands out or is folded in the first days, mention it early to your baby’s doctor.

## At what age otoplasty is done in children

An ear grows quickly in early childhood and reaches most of its adult size by about five or six years of age. For this reason otoplasty is not usually done before five, and in children it is mostly considered from about five or six onwards. The ear keeps growing slowly after that, mainly in length, but an operation at this age is not thought to hold back that growth.

Age is not the only question; the other is whether the child wants the operation. Sometimes parents are keen while the child says the ears do not bother them. The child has the operation, wears the headband and lives with the result, so the child’s own wish carries the most weight. There is no need to hurry: if a child is not bothered at five, the question can wait until they are old enough to decide for themselves.

## Otoplasty in adults

There is no upper age limit, and adults decide for themselves whether to have the operation. Adult cartilage is firmer and less springy than a child’s, which affects how it is reshaped. Older children and adults can often have the operation under local anaesthesia, with the ear numbed and the person awake; younger children usually have a general anaesthetic.

## What the operation involves

The operation is done from behind the ear, through a cut near the crease where the ear meets the head, so the scar is hard to see from the front. Through it the cartilage is reshaped: the missing fold is created and held with permanent stitches under the skin, and a deep bowl can be set back towards the head or a small piece of it removed. There are several ways of shaping cartilage; your surgeon explains which suits your ear and why. The skin is then closed, often with dissolving stitches.

Both ears are often corrected in one operation, but one ear alone can be done when only one stands out. Otoplasty changes only the shape and position of the outer ear, so hearing is not expected to be affected.

## The headband and recovery

After the operation a padded bandage is wrapped around the head to protect the ears. It is usually checked within the first day or two and off within about a week; until then keep it clean and dry, and leave hair washing until it is off. Then a soft elastic headband, like a sports headband, is worn over the ears, often day and night at first and then at night for several more weeks, so the ears are not bent forward on the pillow. Your surgeon tells you how long to wear it.

The ears are sore and tender at first and can stay sensitive for several weeks; simple painkillers are usually enough. Numbness, tingling and slight bruising are common and fade over the following weeks. Most children are back at school within 1–2 weeks, and adults return to work in a similar time. Swimming is usually possible after 4–6 weeks and contact sports after about 8 weeks. The cartilage can feel stiff for several months while the ears settle.

## Risks of the operation

Like any operation, otoplasty carries a small risk of bleeding, infection and a reaction to the anaesthetic. Two early problems need prompt treatment: blood collecting under the skin of the ear (a haematoma) and inflammation of the ear cartilage (perichondritis). Call the practice the same day if pain under the bandage keeps increasing, especially on one side, or if you have a fever or bleeding that soaks through the bandage.

The result has limits too. No two ears are exactly alike, and a difference between them can remain or appear after surgery. Over months or years an ear can also move part of the way back towards its old position, even when the operation went as planned; this is the most common reason people are unhappy with the result, and a further correction may then be discussed. Less often an ear ends up too flat. The permanent stitches can sometimes be felt under the skin or come to the surface and need removing.

The scar behind the ear usually fades to a thin line in the crease. Occasionally it becomes thick and red, and rarely a keloid forms, a raised scar that grows beyond the cut; this is more likely if you or your family have had keloids, so mention it at the consultation.

Results differ from person to person, and no operation can promise ears of an exact shape. Whether to have otoplasty, and when, is the decision of the person whose ears they are; for a child, that means the child together with their parents. Questions about your own ears or your child’s are answered at a consultation.

## References

1. NHS. Ear correction surgery, including ear pinning. NHS (National Health Service, UK). 2023. Available from: [nhs.uk/tests-and-treatments/cosmetic-procedures/cosmetic-surgery/ear-correction-surgery](https://www.nhs.uk/tests-and-treatments/cosmetic-procedures/cosmetic-surgery/ear-correction-surgery/) \[cited 2026 Oct 26\].
2. Nazarian R, Eshraghi AA. Otoplasty for the Protruded Ear. Seminars in Plastic Surgery. 2011;25(4):288‑294. [doi:10.1055/s-0031-1288921](https://doi.org/10.1055/s-0031-1288921).
3. Naumann A. Otoplasty – techniques, characteristics and risks. GMS Current Topics in Otorhinolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery. 2007;6:Doc04. Available from: [pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3199845](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3199845/) \[cited 2026 Oct 26\].
4. Schultz K, Guillen D, Maricevich RS. Newborn Ear Deformities: Early Recognition and Novel Nonoperative Techniques. Seminars in Plastic Surgery. 2017;31(3):141‑145. [doi:10.1055/s-0037-1603958](https://doi.org/10.1055/s-0037-1603958).

Medically reviewed by Op. Dr. Cenk Teker, 26 October 2026

![Op. Dr. Cenk Teker, ear, nose and throat surgeon, standing by a window in a navy suit](https://www.drcenkteker.com/_astro/op-dr-cenk-teker-portrait-crop.BH1lhoBD_Z1TExjO.webp)

By

Op. Dr. Cenk Teker

Updated 26 October 2026

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