Why Ears Stick Out: Cartilage Folds Explained and How Prominent Ear Surgery Corrects Them

The side-profile selfie is where most people first notice it. A nineteen-year-old scrolling through photos from a friend’s wedding sees the same thing in every shot taken from the side: the ear sitting well away from the head, a soft shadow between it and the skull. A father sees it too, at the barber’s, when the clippers lift the hair and his six-year-old’s ears appear before the rest of the haircut does.

Both of them end up typing the same question late at night: why do ears stick out? The honest answer is more interesting than most search results suggest. It is a story about cartilage that stopped folding a little early, a growth window that closes before kindergarten, and a surgical procedure that is older than the telephone.

This explainer walks through the anatomy, the myths, the one non-surgical option that genuinely works, and what otoplasty involves, so that whatever a person decides, they decide it with clear eyes and a good conversation with their care team.

Why do ears stick out? The three cartilage folds that decide it

The outer ear, called the auricle or pinna, is a single sheet of flexible cartilage wrapped in thin skin. What makes it look like an ear rather than a saucer is a set of folds that form during the first months of pregnancy. Two of those folds matter most for how far the ear sits from the head.

The first is the antihelix, a plain-language definition being the raised Y-shaped ridge just inside the outer rim. When the antihelix folds properly, it pulls the upper ear back toward the skull, like the crease in a paper airplane wing that gives it lift. When the fold is shallow or missing, the upper third of the ear flares outward. Surgeons call this an underdeveloped antihelical fold, and it is the single most common reason ears look prominent, according to Mayo Clinic.

The second is the concha, the deep bowl that funnels sound into the ear canal. Some people simply have a larger or deeper bowl than average. A tall conchal wall acts like a pedestal, pushing the whole ear away from the head even when the antihelix is well formed.

The third contributor is smaller but real: the angle at which the earlobe attaches. A lobe that projects forward can make an otherwise ordinary ear look more prominent, and a surgeon who ignores it may leave a corrected upper ear with a lobe that still pokes out.

Most prominent ears combine two of these features. That is why there is no single “ear pinning” operation, and why a careful examination matters more than any before-and-after gallery. The anatomy dictates the technique, not the other way round.

What does it mean if your ears stick out? Usually, nothing medical at all

Prominent ears are a variation in shape, not a disease. Hearing is not affected, because the parts of the ear that process sound, the ear canal, eardrum and inner ear, are unrelated to how far the outer ear projects. Balance is unaffected for the same reason. The NHS describes ear correction as a cosmetic procedure, which is a precise way of saying the body works perfectly well either way.

Doctors do look at the whole ear during routine newborn checks, because the outer ear forms at the same time as the kidneys and the structures of the face. A small number of ear differences, such as missing parts of the ear, skin tags in front of the ear or an ear canal that has not opened, can be associated with other conditions and prompt further checks. Simple prominence is not in that category. A child whose ears stick out but are otherwise fully formed has, in medical terms, a normal ear.

What prominence can mean is social. Ears are one of the few features visible from every angle, and children notice differences early. Schoolyard nicknames are the most common reason families ask about correction, and the most common reason surgeons agree it is reasonable to consider. That is a legitimate concern, but it is a different kind of concern from a medical one, and it deserves a different kind of conversation: one that includes the child, the family and a surgeon who is willing to say when waiting is the better option.

Put simply, if your ears stick out, your body is not telling you anything is wrong. Whether to change them is a personal decision, not a medical necessity.

Protruding ears causes: genetics, growth and why they look bigger on children

Prominent ears run in families. A parent who spent childhood tugging a hat over their ears often recognizes the shape in a newborn within hours of birth. The inheritance pattern is not tidy, and no single gene explains it, but the tendency for the antihelix to under-fold or the concha to sit deep clearly passes down generations. MedlinePlus notes that ear shape differences are usually present from birth rather than acquired later.

Timing explains why ears seem so dominant on young children. The outer ear grows fast and finishes early. Both Mayo Clinic and the NHS state that the ears have reached close to adult size by around age 5. The rest of the face keeps growing for another decade. A five-year-old therefore has nearly grown-up ears on a small head, which is why school photographs from that age make ears look larger than they ever will again in proportion.

Nothing in childhood behavior causes prominence. Sleeping on one side does not push an ear out, and neither do headphones, hats or being held a certain way as a baby. The fold either formed or it did not, and the cartilage set into that pattern in the weeks after birth.

Adults can acquire a changed ear shape through injury. Repeated blows to the ear, common in wrestling and rugby, can cause bleeding between the cartilage and its covering, leading to the thickened, lumpy shape called cauliflower ear. That is a separate problem with a separate treatment pathway, and it is worth mentioning only because people sometimes confuse the two.

For the ordinary case of ears that have always stuck out, the cause is simply the blueprint a person was born with.

Can you train your ears to not stick out with tape, glue or headbands?

Search this question and you will find tapes, adhesive strips, silicone “ear correctors” and instructions for sleeping in a tight headband for months. The appeal is obvious. The physiology, unfortunately, is against it once infancy has passed.

Cartilage is not muscle. It does not respond to training, and it does not remodel in response to sustained pressure the way bone can during orthodontic treatment. From late infancy onward, ear cartilage holds a fixed memory of its shape. Bend it, and it springs back. Hold it bent for eight hours, and it springs back the moment the tape comes off. The NHS is direct on this point: in older children and adults, surgery is the only established way to change the position of a prominent ear.

The harms of home taping are modest but real. Prolonged adhesive contact can strip the delicate skin behind the ear, and moisture trapped under tape encourages irritation and fungal growth in the fold. A headband tight enough to hold the ear flat for a night is tight enough to cause pressure marks and headaches, and worn long enough it can leave a groove without changing the cartilage underneath.

The one legitimate exception is the newborn period, covered in the next section, when the cartilage is still soft and molding devices can work. That exception is often used to sell adult products by implication, which is misleading.

For a teenager or adult, the kindest honest answer is this: there is no exercise, gadget or sleeping position that will move the ear. Hairstyles that cover or frame the ears are a perfectly reasonable choice, and so is doing nothing. If the position genuinely bothers someone, the conversation to have is with a surgeon, not with a tape dispenser.

Newborn ear molding: the short window when shaping without surgery works

For a few weeks after birth, a baby’s ear cartilage behaves differently from an adult’s. Hormones passed from the mother during pregnancy keep the cartilage unusually soft and pliable, and as those hormone levels fall the cartilage stiffens into whatever shape it happens to be holding. That biological quirk is the basis of ear molding, sometimes called ear splinting.

The NHS describes splinting as an option for babies in the first months of life, when the cartilage can still be reshaped. A small, soft splint is fitted into the fold of the ear and held in place with adhesive tape, gently reforming the antihelical crease while the cartilage sets. Treatment runs for weeks rather than days, and the earlier it begins the shorter it usually needs to be.

Molding is not painless for parents to watch, since it involves tape on a newborn’s skin, but it is not a surgical procedure and the baby needs no anesthesia. Skin irritation is the main practical issue, and the team fitting the device will show families how to check for redness and when to pause.

Two honest caveats belong here. First, the window is short. Published descriptions vary, but the consensus across pediatric and plastic surgery services is that results are best when molding starts within the first few weeks, and success falls away as the cartilage hardens. Families who notice prominent ears at birth should raise it at the first newborn check rather than waiting to see if it settles. Second, not every ear shape responds. A deep conchal bowl is harder to mold than a missing antihelical fold.

Who provides molding varies between regions, and the decision on whether it is appropriate sits with the newborn’s care team.

How prominent ear surgery (otoplasty) actually corrects the folds

Otoplasty is the medical term for surgery that reshapes or repositions the outer ear; “ear pinning” is the everyday name for the version that sets prominent ears closer to the head. Whatever the name, the surgeon is doing one or more of three things, chosen to match the anatomy found in the examination.

Recreating the antihelical fold is the first. Working through an incision hidden in the crease behind the ear, the surgeon exposes the back of the cartilage. The fold can then be created either by placing permanent stitches that bend the cartilage into a new ridge and hold it there, or by lightly scoring the front of the cartilage so it naturally curls backward, or by a combination. Mayo Clinic describes both stitch-based and cartilage-shaping approaches as standard.

Reducing conchal projection is the second. If the bowl is deep, the surgeon may remove a thin crescent of cartilage from it or, more often, place stitches that anchor the bowl to the firm tissue over the skull behind the ear, effectively lowering the pedestal.

Adjusting the lobe is the third, usually a small skin excision or stitch that tucks a forward-pointing lobe into line with the corrected ear above it.

The NHS gives a typical operating time of one to two hours; Mayo Clinic quotes about two hours. Adults commonly have it under local anesthetic with sedation, while children are usually asleep under general anesthetic. Both ears are almost always treated in the same session, even if only one looks prominent, because symmetry is judged against the other side.

The scar sits in the fold behind the ear, where it is difficult to see once healed.

Who otoplasty is usually for, and who is usually asked to wait

Surgeons tend to agree on the broad categories, even if individual judgment varies at the edges.

Children from around age 5 onward are the largest group. Both Mayo Clinic and the NHS note that the ears are close to full size by this age, so a correction made then will not be undone by growth. Many surgeons prefer to wait a year or two beyond that, until a child can describe in their own words why they want the change and can be trusted to keep a headband on at night. A child who is unbothered by their ears, and whose parents are the ones asking, is often asked to wait.

Teenagers and adults of any age are candidates if the cartilage is healthy and expectations are realistic. Otoplasty is one of the few cosmetic operations where being older carries no particular disadvantage in terms of the tissue itself.

Several situations usually prompt a pause or a no:

• Active infection of the ear or surrounding skin, which is treated first.
• A history of thick, raised scarring (keloids), which increases the chance of a troublesome scar behind the ear and needs a specific discussion about risk.
• Bleeding disorders or medicines that affect clotting, which the surgical and prescribing teams will review together; no medicine should be stopped without that review.
• Uncontrolled medical conditions that make any elective anesthetic unwise.
• Expectations that surgery will change how others treat them, fix a relationship, or produce two perfectly identical ears. No surgery does those things.

Contact-sport athletes are not excluded, but they will be asked about timing, since a blow to a freshly corrected ear can undo the repair. The final call in every case rests with the operating surgeon and anesthetic team.

Ear pinning surgery options compared: molding, suture, scoring and conchal setback

People often arrive at a consultation asking for “the incision-less technique” or “the stitch method” because a search result praised one. The table below lays out what each approach does and where its limits lie, so that the surgeon’s recommendation makes sense in context rather than sounding like a sales pitch.

Approach	What it does	Typically suited to	Main limitation
Newborn molding	Soft splint and tape reshape still-pliable cartilage	Babies in the first weeks of life	Window closes as cartilage stiffens; less effective for deep bowls
Suture (stitch) antihelix technique	Permanent stitches behind the ear bend cartilage into a new fold	Softer cartilage, missing or shallow antihelix	Fold can partly relax if a stitch loosens; stitch can occasionally work through skin
Cartilage scoring	Front of cartilage lightly cut so it curls backward	Stiff, thick cartilage	Slightly higher chance of visible ridges or sharp edges if overdone
Conchal setback	Stitches anchor the ear bowl to tissue behind it, or a strip of bowl cartilage is removed	Deep or tall concha	Can narrow the ear canal opening if over-tightened
Combined otoplasty	Two or more of the above in one session	Most adult and child prominent ears	Longer operation; needs careful balance to avoid over-correction

Two points are worth drawing out. Techniques that use only stitches are sometimes marketed as scarless or minimally invasive; they still require an incision behind the ear, and Mayo Clinic lists stitch-related problems among the recognized risks. And no technique is “best”: the right one is the one that matches the specific folds that are missing on a specific pair of ears. A surgeon who examines both ears carefully and explains which of these they plan to use, and why, is offering the most useful information a patient can get.

Otoplasty recovery time: what the first days and weeks usually look like

Otoplasty is a day procedure for most people, meaning they go home the same day. What follows is a fairly predictable sequence, though every surgeon’s protocol differs slightly and theirs takes priority over anything written here.

The first few days are about the dressing. A bulky bandage wraps the head to protect the ears and hold them in position while swelling settles. It feels tight and warm, and sleeping propped up on pillows is easier than lying flat. Discomfort is usually described as aching rather than sharp, and is managed with pain relief chosen by the surgical team. Numbness or tingling of the ear skin is common and typically fades over weeks. Mayo Clinic notes that the dressing is generally removed after several days, at which point the ears look swollen, bruised and slightly overcorrected. That last part alarms people. It is intentional, since a little of the correction relaxes as the swelling goes down.

The following weeks are about the headband. A soft, loose band worn over the ears at night keeps them from being pulled forward against the pillow. Mayo Clinic gives a typical range of two to six weeks for nighttime headband use. The NHS suggests most people take about a week or two off school or work.

Activity returns in stages. Hair washing is usually allowed once the dressing is off, with care around the incision. Swimming, and especially contact sports where the ear might be struck or bent, are held back for longer; the exact timing is set by the surgeon based on how the cartilage is settling.

The final shape takes months to declare itself. Bruising fades first, then swelling, and the scar behind the ear softens and pales gradually over about a year.

Risks and complications of prominent ear surgery in neutral terms

Otoplasty has a long safety record, but it is surgery, and honest counseling covers what can go wrong. Mayo Clinic, MedlinePlus and the NHS all describe a similar list.

Bleeding under the skin, called a hematoma, is the early complication surgeons watch for most closely. Blood collecting between the cartilage and skin causes rapidly increasing one-sided pain and pressure, and if it is not released promptly it can damage the cartilage and distort the shape. This is the main reason a bulky dressing is used and why sudden pain on one side is treated as urgent.

Infection of the incision or, more seriously, of the cartilage itself (chondritis) is uncommon but can threaten the result. Redness spreading beyond the wound, increasing warmth, discharge or fever are the signs.

Asymmetry is the most frequent long-term concern. No two ears are identical before surgery, and they will not be identical afterward. Small differences in fold height or projection are expected; a difference that is obvious at conversational distance may prompt a discussion about revision once healing is complete.

Recurrence, where a corrected ear gradually drifts back outward, happens when stitches loosen or the cartilage memory reasserts itself. Overcorrection, where the ear is pinned too flat or the upper rim disappears behind the antihelix from the front, is the opposite problem and is harder to fix.

Other recognized issues include stitches working through the skin behind the ear months later, sharp or visible cartilage ridges, thickened or keloid scars, changes in skin sensation and, with any anesthetic, the general risks that the anesthetic team will explain separately.

Surgeons quote their own complication rates differently, and this article deliberately gives none; the meaningful figure is the one your operating team provides from their own experience.

Otoplasty for children: pathway, preparation and comfort

When the patient is a child, the process runs on two tracks: the surgical one and the emotional one, and good teams treat the second as seriously as the first.

The pathway usually begins with a referral or consultation where the surgeon examines the ears, asks the child directly how they feel about them, and asks the parents separately. Surgeons are alert to the difference between a child who is being teased and wants the change and a child whose parent wants it for them. Many will suggest waiting when the child seems indifferent, since a headband tolerated willingly for six weeks is a very different proposition from one fought over every night.

Preparation focuses on removing surprises. Children cope better when they know the ears will be wrapped, that the bandage will feel tight, that the ears will look puffy and purple when it comes off, and that this is normal. Play hospitals, picture books and a chance to handle a headband beforehand all help. The anesthetic team will discuss fasting instructions and how the child will go to sleep; a parent is often present until then.

Comfort afterward is about the basics. A quiet week at home, propped-up sleeping, soft foods if jaw movement pulls at the dressing, and pain relief exactly as the team prescribes. Parents should never adjust doses or add medicines without asking, and the article will not suggest any. Distraction matters as much as medicine at this age.

Return to school within a week or two is typical, per the NHS, often with a note excusing physical education until the surgeon clears it. Teachers appreciate knowing that a headband may be worn and why.

Are ears that stick out attractive? Perception, teasing and deciding for the right reasons

The question comes up constantly, and it deserves a straight answer: attractiveness is not a medical category, and there is no evidence-based verdict on ear shape. Plenty of admired faces have prominent ears; plenty of people with tightly set ears never think about them. Cultural fashion swings, hairstyles change what is visible, and individual taste varies more than any survey can capture.

What the evidence does describe is the effect of teasing. Children are quick to spot difference, and ears are easy targets because they are always visible and rarely discussed. Families most often seek correction after a child comes home upset, not because a parent dislikes the shape. Surgeons generally see that as a reasonable trigger, provided the child shares the wish.

Adults describe something quieter: years of angling their head in photographs, avoiding short haircuts, or tucking hair forward in wind. None of that is a disorder, and none of it obliges anyone to have surgery. It is simply the ordinary cost of self-consciousness, and some people decide the operation is worth it to put the cost down.

The reasons that give surgeons pause are the external ones. Wanting surgery because a partner mentioned it, because of a comment from a stranger, or in the hope of feeling completely different afterward tends to lead to disappointment. Otoplasty changes the position of two ears. It does not change how a person is treated, and a result that looks excellent to a surgeon can still feel underwhelming to someone who expected more than an ear.

A useful test is to imagine the ears corrected and ask what else would change. If the honest answer is “nothing much, I would just stop noticing them,” that is usually a sign the motivation is a healthy one.

What people often get wrong about ears that stick out

Myths cluster around this topic, partly because it is rarely discussed openly. Here are the ones that cause the most confusion, with what the evidence actually shows.

“They will grow out of it.” They will not, in the literal sense. The ear reaches near-adult size by around age 5, per Mayo Clinic, so the fold that is missing at that age stays missing. What does change is proportion, as the head and face grow around the ears for another decade, so prominence often looks less striking in adulthood without changing at all.

“Sleeping on one side or wearing headphones caused it.” No. Prominence is present from birth. Nothing in childhood habits bends cartilage.

“Tape or a tight headband will train them flat.” Only in the first weeks of life, using proper molding devices fitted by a clinician. Adult cartilage springs back, and the NHS identifies surgery as the established option after infancy.

“Otoplasty affects hearing.” It does not touch the ear canal, eardrum or inner ear. The one theoretical exception is an over-tightened conchal setback narrowing the canal opening, which surgeons specifically guard against.

“Stitch-only techniques are scarless.” They still require an incision behind the ear; the scar is hidden, not absent.

“Both ears will match afterward.” Natural ears differ from each other before surgery and will differ afterward. The goal is balance, not identical copies.

“Pinning them too close is safer than too little.” The reverse. Overcorrection, where the ear is flattened against the head or the outer rim vanishes behind the antihelix, is harder to revise than a modest undercorrection, which is one reason surgeons leave a slight, deliberate margin.

Questions to ask your care team before prominent ear surgery

A good consultation is a two-way examination. The surgeon studies the ears; the patient studies the plan. These questions, drawn from what people most often wish they had asked, help make sure the second half happens.

• Which specific features are making my ears prominent: the antihelical fold, the conchal bowl, the lobe, or a combination? Can you show me on my own ear?
• Which technique or combination do you plan to use for each feature, and why that one for my cartilage?
• Where exactly will the incision be, and what does the scar usually look like once it has matured?
• Will I be awake with local anesthetic and sedation, or asleep? Who provides the anesthetic, and when will I meet them?
• What will the dressing be like, how long will it stay on, and what should I do if it feels too tight or gets wet?
• How many weeks will I wear a headband at night, and what happens if I forget or it slips off?
• When can I return to school or work, wash my hair, swim, and take part in contact sport, and what would make you extend those timelines?
• Which early signs would you want me to call about the same day, and what number do I use out of hours?
• How do you decide whether a small asymmetry afterward needs revision, and how long would you wait before judging?
• If a stitch becomes visible or works through the skin months later, what is the usual plan?
• For a child: how do you decide whether they are ready, and what do you look for in the conversation with them?
• Are there any medicines or supplements I am taking that you and my prescribing clinician need to discuss before the operation?

Write the answers down. The most reassuring surgeons are usually the ones who welcome the list, explain the trade-offs without hurry, and are candid about what they cannot promise. A consultation that leaves no room for these questions is itself useful information.

When to call your doctor after ear surgery, or about a child's ears

After otoplasty, most discomfort is dull, symmetrical and steadily improving. The signs below break that pattern and warrant a same-day call to the surgical team, or emergency care if the team cannot be reached.

• Sudden or rapidly worsening pain in one ear, especially with a feeling of pressure or fullness under the dressing. This is the classic warning of a hematoma and needs prompt assessment.
• Bleeding that soaks through the bandage or does not stop with gentle pressure.
• Fever, or an ear that becomes increasingly red, hot, swollen or tender, or a wound that leaks cloudy or foul-smelling fluid. These can indicate infection of the skin or the cartilage itself, which is treated urgently to protect the ear’s shape.
• A dressing that has become so tight it causes numbness of the face, severe headache or a sensation of the skin being crushed.
• Skin behind or on the ear turning dark, dusky or black, which can signal compromised blood supply.
• A visible stitch poking through the skin, or an ear that has clearly shifted position after a knock, in the weeks after surgery.
• Any breathing difficulty, chest pain, severe nausea or drowsiness after an anesthetic, which should be treated as an emergency.

For a newborn or young child whose ears simply stick out, there is no emergency, but there are two reasons to raise it early. Molding works only while the cartilage is soft, so mention prominent ears at the first newborn check rather than waiting. And any ear that looks different in structure rather than position, such as a missing part, a skin tag in front, a pit, or a canal that appears closed, should be pointed out to the pediatric team so they can decide whether further checks are needed.

The MedlinePlus ear disorders resource is a reliable starting point for families, but no page replaces the judgment of the team that examined the ear in person. Every decision about treatment, timing and follow-up belongs with them.

Frequently asked questions

What does it mean if your ears stick out?

In almost every case it means the cartilage folded a little differently before birth, and nothing more. Prominent ears do not affect hearing or balance, and they are not a sign of illness. Ears that are structurally different, such as missing parts, skin tags or a closed canal, are a separate matter that pediatricians check for at birth. Simple prominence is a normal variation in shape.

Why do ears stick out in some children and not their siblings?

Because the tendency is inherited but not in a simple pattern. The genes that influence how the antihelix folds and how deep the concha sits are passed down unevenly, so one sibling may inherit a parent’s prominent ears while another does not. Nothing about pregnancy habits, sleeping position or infant care causes the difference; it is set before birth.

Can you fix ears that stick out without surgery?

Only in early infancy. Clinician-fitted molding splints can reshape a newborn’s still-soft cartilage during the first weeks of life, according to the NHS. After that window closes, cartilage holds its shape and tape, adhesive correctors or headbands will not move it permanently. For older children and adults, otoplasty is the established option; choosing a hairstyle that covers the ears, or doing nothing, are equally valid choices.

Can you train your ears to not stick out as an adult?

No. Cartilage is not muscle and does not respond to exercise or sustained pressure once it has matured. Taping an adult ear flat overnight produces no lasting change, and prolonged adhesive contact can irritate or damage the thin skin behind the ear. Products that imply otherwise are borrowing from the genuine success of newborn molding, which relies on cartilage softness that adults no longer have.

At what age is ear pinning surgery usually done?

From around age 5 onward, because both Mayo Clinic and the NHS note the ears are close to adult size by then. Many surgeons prefer to wait until a child clearly wants the change themselves and can cooperate with a nighttime headband. There is no upper age limit; adults of any age can be suitable if the cartilage is healthy and expectations are realistic. The treating team makes the final decision.

What is otoplasty recovery time like?

A head dressing is worn for several days, then a loose headband at night for roughly two to six weeks, according to Mayo Clinic. The NHS suggests a week or two away from school or work. Bruising and swelling fade over weeks, while the final shape and the softening of the scar behind the ear take months. Swimming and contact sport are held back until the surgeon clears them.

Does prominent ear surgery leave a visible scar?

The incision is placed in the natural crease where the ear meets the head, so the scar is hidden from the front and side in most people. It is present, however, even with stitch-only techniques that are sometimes described as scarless. People prone to thick or keloid scarring should raise this before surgery, since the skin behind the ear can occasionally form a raised scar.

Can otoplasty affect hearing?

It should not. The operation works on the outer ear cartilage and does not touch the ear canal, eardrum or inner ear, which are the parts that handle sound. The one theoretical risk is an over-tightened conchal setback narrowing the opening of the canal, which surgeons deliberately avoid. Temporary numbness of the ear skin is common after surgery but is unrelated to hearing.

Are ears that stick out attractive?

There is no medical or evidence-based answer, because attractiveness is a matter of taste and culture rather than anatomy. Many widely admired faces have prominent ears. What the evidence does describe is that children with noticeable ears are more often teased, which is the most common reason families consider correction. Deciding for one’s own comfort, rather than for someone else’s opinion, tends to lead to the most settled outcomes.

What causes an eargasm, and is it related to ear shape?

“Eargasm” is informal slang, not a medical term. People use it for the pleasant tingling or shiver triggered by certain sounds, whispering or gentle touch around the ear, similar to the sensation described as ASMR. It relates to how the brain responds to sensory input and to the dense nerve supply of the ear skin, not to how far the ear projects. Ear shape has no known bearing on it.

References

• NHS: Ear correction surgery, including ear pinning
• MedlinePlus: Ear surgery – cosmetic
• MedlinePlus: Ear disorders

This article is for general information only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Please consult a qualified doctor about your individual situation.