Otoplasty

What is otoplasty?

Otoplasty corrects prominent or misshapen ears by reshaping the cartilage and setting the ears closer to the head. The incision hides in the natural fold behind the ear, so there is no visible scar.

It is a precise, elegant operation — typically one to two hours — with an immediate, permanent change.

Are you a good candidate?

Anyone troubled by prominent ears — adult or teenager — is a potential candidate, provided the ears have finished growing (from around age six) and health is good. What matters most is motivation: the wish should be yours, not someone else’s.

Asymmetry, “lop ear” and other shape concerns can also be corrected. The surgeon assesses your cartilage and explains exactly what is possible.

The process, step by step

Adults and teens usually have the procedure under local anaesthesia with sedation; general anaesthesia is an option. Through the hidden incision behind the ear, the surgeon reshapes and fixes the cartilage with fine internal sutures.

A head bandage is worn for the first days, then a soft headband — especially at night — for a few weeks to protect the result while it sets.

Recovery

Ears feel sore and tight for a few days, manageable with simple pain relief. Most patients return to work or school within 5–7 days, wearing the headband at night.

Contact sports should wait about six weeks. Otherwise, normal life resumes quickly — with a profile you no longer think about.

Risks — honestly

Risks include infection, bleeding, asymmetry, over-correction, and recurrence if the cartilage memory pulls back (uncommon with modern suturing techniques). Your surgeon will explain the aftercare that protects your result.

Why Agadir?

Otoplasty costs €2,800–4,500 in Western Europe; in Agadir it is €1,400–2,000 with a professor surgeon, plus a week of sea air while the bandages come off. A small procedure, a lifelong difference.