Med Insider
- Apr 13
- 2 min read

Ear Pinning Surgery

By Sena Kuniyoshi

Highlights

What is Ear Pinning Surgery
Who is the recipient of this surgery
Procedure (process, healing stage, cost)
Risks

Introduction / Ear Pinning Surgery

“Ear pinning” surgery is a cosmetic ear procedure also known as Otoplasty. It is a procedure to change the size, position, shape, and overall appearance of ears. This procedure can be operated once the ear has reached its full size, which is usually after age of 5.

Why It's Done

This is done for individuals who are unsatisfying/self-conscious with the appearance of ears. This procedure isn’t done for any medical reason.

Procedure

This procedure usually takes about 2 hours. They will first put the patient under anesthesia. Once that is done, the surgeon will start the operation.

There are times when the procedure doesn’t have a need to make any incision and is done by just stitches. When the surgery is done by stitches, they simply will use sutures to hold the ear cartilage close to the head. Positioning it to the desired place.

In other cases, surgeons will make an incision just behind the ear, then they will remove, trim, or shape the cartilage and skin, shaping it into the patient’s desirable form. Lastly, they will secure it with stitches.

Healing stage

After the surgery, the ears will be covered with bandages, securing their shape. The recipient will most likely experience discomfort and itching in the area after the surgery. They will follow up with pain meds and in a few days, the badges can be removed by the doctor. The doctor may remove the stitches if needed (some dissolve on their own). Keep up with the doctor’s instructions and within six weeks, your ears will be completely healed.

Cost

The price of the procedure will vary depending on the complexity of the surgery. It can vary from CAD $4,500 to CAD $7,000. Because this is cosmetic surgery, it is not typically covered by insurance plans.

Risks

There are minimal risks involved with this surgery, especially if your surgeon is board-certified and specializes in this surgical procedure. Possible risks could be some scarring, infection due to after-care, mistakes done during the procedure, or unsymmetrical results. There are no big risks that come with this procedure such as hearing complications.