“Prominent ears can affect confidence in ways that are difficult to articulate until they are corrected. Children and adults alike describe the same experience after otoplasty — a quiet sense of freedom. Wearing hair up. Going swimming without self-consciousness. Looking in the mirror without immediately cataloguing the one thing that felt out of proportion. Otoplasty is technically demanding and the aesthetic standard is high — but when done well, the result is completely natural and permanently life-improving.”
What otoplasty can do for you
Otoplasty repositions prominent or protruding ears closer to the head with incisions hidden entirely behind the ear. Patients describe an immediate psychological transformation — no more hair arrangement strategies, no more self-consciousness in photographs.
- Ears that read as balanced — prominent ears quietly brought back into natural proportion with the head.
- Hidden scar behind the ear — nothing visible from the front or the side; the repair is completely concealed.
- Works for children and adults — appropriate from age five onward — life-changing at any stage.
- Long-lasting, no maintenance — the cartilage is reshaped and held in its new position, with nothing to maintain afterward.
- Newfound confidence in any hairstyle, in any setting — the moment patients describe most is forgetting their ears were ever something they thought about.
Ready to discuss your ear surgery goals?
Understanding the otoplasty
What the otoplasty is
Otoplasty repositions prominent or protruding ears closer to the head with incisions hidden entirely behind the ear. Patients consistently describe an immediate psychological transformation — the kind of change that makes every photograph feel like theirs again.
Who the otoplasty is for
If any of the following describes you, the otoplasty may be worth exploring:
What makes Dr. Truesdale’s approach different
Dr. Truesdale’s approach to every procedure reflects a consistent set of principles — the same standards that inform every consultation, every surgical plan, and every post-operative follow-up.
Restraint, Not Over-Correction
The most over-done procedures in facial aesthetics are over-done because someone kept going past the right stopping point. Dr. Truesdale's rule: when the result is right, stop — even if more could technically be done. For otoplasty, that means restoring natural ear position — not over-pinning or over-flattening.
The Artist's Eye
Before becoming a surgeon, Dr. Truesdale was a trained portrait artist. That lens shapes every decision — proportion, light, shadow, the relationship between every feature — in a way purely clinical training alone does not. For the ear, that lens calibrates symmetry, projection, and the natural cartilage curves so each ear reads as one of a balanced pair.
Personal, Start to Finish
Every consultation, every surgical plan, every procedure — performed personally by Dr. Truesdale. No delegation to coordinators, PAs, or residents. Dr. Truesdale is personally involved every step of the way. Every otoplasty cartilage suture is placed by Dr. Truesdale. The result depends on hand-tied suture position.
Natural Is Non-Negotiable
The only acceptable outcome is one that no one can identify as a procedure — a result that reads as a better version of you. No pulled look, no frozen expression, no obvious work. The otoplasty goal: ears that simply read as belonging on the head — not as “pinned back.”
“Otoplasty is one of the most life-altering small operations in facial plastic surgery.”
— Dr. Carl Truesdale, MD
Otoplasty before & afters
Real otoplasty patients of Dr. Truesdale — children and adults. Every ear is reshaped to sit in natural proportion to the face.
Your transformation starts with a conversation.
From first consultation to final reveal
We always tell our patients to ‘trust the process.’ You are in good hands on every step of the journey to your unique masterpiece.
Consultation
Personal session with Dr. Truesdale — facial analysis, honest assessment of candidacy, and a clear plan for what the procedure can and cannot achieve.
Planning
Pre-operative instructions, medical clearance when you have sedation, and a personalized plan Dr. Truesdale reviews with you before the day of the procedure.
Procedure Day
Performed personally by Dr. Truesdale through hidden incisions behind the ears. Local anesthesia for adults; general anesthesia for younger children.
Headband & Sutures
Soft headband worn 24/7 for the first 1–2 weeks, then nights only for an additional 2–4 weeks. Non-dissolvable sutures removed at Day 7; dissolvable sutures need no removal. Clean incisions with a Q-tip, gentle soap, and water; apply Aquaphor multiple times daily. Do not pull the ear forward; avoid tight hairstyles and ponytails.
Ears Settle
Most swelling resolved. Ears settling into their new, naturally positioned shape.
Look and Feel Like a Masterpiece
Ears sit in their natural, balanced position with a discreet post-auricular scar.
Individual timelines vary. Dr. Truesdale sets realistic, patient-specific expectations during your consultation — not exaggerated claims.
See if Ear Surgery is right for you.
Meet Dr. Truesdale
Otoplasty in Beverly Hills: the essentials
- Your surgeon
- Dr. Truesdale personally. He places and ties every cartilage suture himself.
- Where
- True Surgical Center, the AAAHC-accredited surgical center at 150 S. Rodeo Drive, Suite 220, Beverly Hills.
- Anesthesia
- For adults, local anesthesia alone, or local anesthesia with MAC (monitored anesthesia care) and IV sedation; general anesthesia for younger children.
- Time in surgery
- About 1.5 to 2.5 hours.
- Going home
- Back to your hotel or home the same day. With sedation or general anesthesia, an adult takes you home and stays with you for the first 72 hours.
- Sutures
- Non-dissolvable sutures come out at your Day 7 visit with Dr. Truesdale; dissolvable sutures need no removal.
- If you travel
- Arrive the day before surgery and plan on about a week. Most patients stay 7 to 9 days for their post-op visits and fly home after their Day 7 visit.
- Back in public
- Swelling eases over about 6 days; most patients plan on 7 to 10 days before they feel ready to be seen.
- Exercise
- Light cardio at 2 weeks; heavier exercise at about 3 weeks, once Dr. Truesdale clears you.
- Final result
- The ears settle into their new position over the first weeks; most patients see the final shape at about 3 months.
The facts patients ask about first. Every plan is personal, so Dr. Truesdale confirms each of these for you at your consultation. Recovery, week by week
What happens on surgery day
Otoplasty brings prominent or protruding ears closer to the head by reshaping the cartilage, through incisions hidden behind the ears. Here is what the day looks like for you.
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01Before you go in
Dr. Truesdale goes over the plan with you before surgery. Adults have local anesthesia alone, or local anesthesia with MAC and IV sedation; younger children have general anesthesia.
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02An incision behind the ear
Dr. Truesdale works through an incision in the crease behind each ear, so nothing shows from the front or the side.
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03Reshaping the cartilage
Where the natural inner fold of the ear (the antihelix) is missing or underdeveloped, it is shaped; where the bowl of the ear (the concha) pushes the ear forward, it is set back. The new shape is held with sutures that Dr. Truesdale places and ties himself.
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04Balanced, not pinned
The goal is a natural ear position, never over-pinned or over-flattened. Symmetry, projection and the natural curves of the cartilage are matched so each ear reads as one of a balanced pair.
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05Closing and going home
The incisions are closed and your ears go into compression, which you wear as much as possible for the first week. You go back to your hotel or home the same day.
Torn or stretched earlobes: earlobe repair · Rhinoplasty, often considered alongside otoplasty · Scar care after facial surgery
Otoplasty recovery, week by week
This is the same protocol our patients receive in writing before surgery. The detailed instructions below come straight from it, so they change only when Dr. Truesdale changes them.
Swelling and bruising around the ears, easing over about 6 days. Wear ear compression as much as possible, ice 20 minutes on and 20 off for 5 days to a week, and sleep with your head raised on 2 to 3 pillows. Clean the incisions behind your ears with a Q-tip, gentle soap and water, and apply Aquaphor several times a day. Don’t pull your ears forward, and avoid tight hairstyles and ponytails. Day 7 visit with Dr. Truesdale: non-dissolvable sutures come out.
The ears may feel firm at first; this eases as they heal. Start silicone scar gel two days after your sutures come out, twice a day for a month, and keep Aquaphor on any dry areas. Light cardio from Day 14.
No bending, heavy lifting or straining until 3 weeks; heavier exercise then, once Dr. Truesdale clears you. Hair color from 1 month. SPF 50 and limited sun for 6 weeks.
The ears settle into their new position. Follow-ups at 1 week, 1 month and 3 months; the 3-month visit is your last scheduled one.
Your detailed instructions
Swelling and bruising around the ears. Sutures behind each ear. Wear ear compression as much as possible for the first week. Ice the ears 20 minutes on, 20 minutes off for 5 days to a week. Sleep with head elevated on 2–3 pillows.
Clean the incision behind the ear with a Q-tip, gentle soap, and water. Apply Aquaphor multiple times daily.
Post-op appointment with Dr. Truesdale — non-dissolvable sutures are removed; dissolvable sutures need no removal.
Pulling the ear forward. Bending, lifting, or straining. Tight hairstyles or ponytails.
Swelling persists for approximately 6 days with gradual reduction. The ear may feel firm initially — this resolves as healing progresses. Continue Aquaphor or Vaseline on dry incision areas.
Light cardio — elliptical, spin bike, low resistance — may resume at two weeks, for every procedure. Confirm with your surgeon at your follow-up before increasing intensity. Heavy cardio, weightlifting, bending over, yoga, and Pilates typically resume at three weeks — once your surgeon clears you at a follow-up. Three weeks is a judgment, not a date that clears itself. Avoid sun exposure for 6 weeks; daily SPF 50.
Full post-operative care guide · Preparing for surgery · Traveling for surgery
Otoplasty risks, and how we keep you safe
Every operation carries risk. Dr. Truesdale goes through the risks that apply to your plan at your consultation, and each one is written in the consent you read and sign. For otoplasty, the consent lists:
- Recurrence. The ears may move back toward their old position over time as sutures loosen.
- Over- or Under-Correction. An ear folded back too far or not far enough, an unnatural contour, or a difference between the ears is possible, and more surgery may be needed.
- Blood Collection in the Ear. A collection of blood in the ear is possible and needs prompt drainage to protect the cartilage from lasting deformity (cauliflower ear).
- Cartilage Infection. Infection of the cartilage is possible.
- Suture Problems. A suture may come through the skin behind the ear or cause irritation and need trimming.
- Skin Necrosis. Loss of skin over part of the ear is possible if its blood supply is compromised.
- Keloid Behind the Ear. Itching or a growth behind the ear or along an incision can be a sign of a keloid. Let us know right away so it can be injected with a steroid to stop the keloid from forming.
Risks of any operation
- Bleeding. Bleeding during or after surgery is possible. A collection of blood under the skin (hematoma) may need drainage or a return to the operating room, and severe bleeding may need emergency treatment or a blood transfusion.
- Infection. Infection is possible and may need antibiotics, drainage or further surgery.
- Bruising and Swelling. Bruising and swelling are expected. They may last several weeks, and swelling or discoloration may persist longer.
- Scarring. Every incision or entry point leaves a permanent scar. A scar may be raised, widened, darker, lighter or more visible than expected, and takes at least 3 months to mature.
- Keloid or Raised Scar. Itching, thickening, pain or a growth along any incision can be the first sign of a keloid (a thick, raised scar). Let us know right away so it can be injected with a steroid to stop the keloid from forming. A keloid is more likely if you have had one before and may need further injections or treatment.
- Change in Skin Sensation. Numbness, tingling or a change in skin sensation around the treated areas is possible; it may be temporary or permanent.
- Delayed Healing. Delayed healing or separation of an incision is possible and much more likely with nicotine in any form.
- Allergic Reactions. Allergic reactions to tape, sutures, skin cleansers, latex or medications are possible.
- Blood Clots. Blood clots in the legs or lungs (deep vein thrombosis or pulmonary embolism) are possible and more likely with longer surgery; your surgical team uses the clot-prevention plan chosen for you.
- Anesthesia. Risks of anesthesia and sedation are possible; the anesthesia provider reviews them with you separately.
- Pain. Pain after surgery is expected and should settle over several days; pain that lasts longer is possible.
- Result and Revision. A result that does not meet your expectations is possible: healing differs between people, no result is guaranteed, and a revision may be advised, with the fees described in your patient policy.
- Serious Complications. Serious complications, including death, are possible with any surgery or anesthesia.
- Heart and Lung Problems. Heart or lung problems, such as pneumonia or an irregular heartbeat, are possible after surgery and anesthesia.
- Medication Side Effects. Side effects of the medications used during and after surgery, such as nausea, vomiting, constipation, dizziness or trouble urinating, are possible.
- Injury to Deeper Structures. Injury to deeper structures, such as nerves, blood vessels, muscles or glands, is possible.
- Persistent Sutures. A deeper stitch may work its way to the surface and need to be removed.
How we keep you safe
- Surgery only at True Surgical Center, an AAAHC-accredited surgical center, with a board-certified anesthesiologist whenever sedation or general anesthesia is used.
- Medical clearance, and blood-clot risk screening, before surgery with general anesthesia or sedation; surgery under local anesthesia alone needs no labs or clearance.
- No nicotine in any form for 3 weeks before surgery and 3 months after.
- With sedation or general anesthesia, someone with you for the first 72 hours.
- Ear compression for the first week, follow-up visits at 1 week, 1 month and 3 months, and a direct line to the team the whole time.
When to call us right away · Before & after gallery · Request a consultation
Otoplasty FAQs
Bring your own questions to consultation — Dr. Truesdale personally answers every one. Below are the questions patients ask most often about otoplasty.
The strongest candidates have prominent or protruding ears, asymmetric ear projection, or absent antihelical fold. Dr. Truesdale evaluates you personally in consultation and only recommends the procedure when it will genuinely help. If a different approach would serve you better, he’ll tell you that too.
Otoplasty is typically performed from age 5 onward, once the ear cartilage has largely matured. Earlier intervention can prevent years of teasing; waiting until the child can participate in the decision is equally reasonable. Dr. Truesdale evaluates the ear anatomy and family preference before recommending timing.
Most patients describe the discomfort as mild to moderate. For young children, light general anesthesia may be used instead. Dr. Truesdale’s team is available throughout recovery. See “What kind of anesthesia is used?” for details on intra-operative comfort. Dr. Truesdale’s team is available throughout recovery — you are not managing discomfort on your own.
Otoplasty in adults can be done under local anesthesia alone, or under local anesthesia with MAC and IV sedation; Dr. Truesdale decides with you. When sedation is used, our surgical procedures utilize a patient-focused anesthesia technique known as MAC (Monitored Anesthesia Care) and IV Sedation, ensuring your maximum comfort and safety. This method provides a level of gentle, deep sedation comparable to the comfortable experience many patients have during a colonoscopy, which we have found helps make patients less fearful. The anesthesia is administered intravenously and meticulously monitored by a hand-picked group of board-certified anesthesiologists, who are dedicated to your well-being throughout your entire procedure.
Plan on 7–10 days of social downtime. Expect a soft headband worn at night for 2–4 weeks; mild bruising for ~1 week. Light cardio resumes at 2 weeks; most patients are cleared for strenuous exercise at about three weeks, at a follow-up visit. Your follow-up appointments along the way are conducted by Dr. Truesdale and our physician assistant, with Dr. Truesdale seeing you personally at the key milestones.
That’s the entire standard Dr. Truesdale designs for. The new position should look like the one the ear was always meant to have. Every patient is evaluated in a seated, relaxed state beforehand so the target is based on your real anatomy — never on an idealized template.
Designed to last. The cartilage is reshaped to hold the ear in its new position. The most common complication is recurrence: the sutures that hold the new fold can lose strength over time, and the ear can protrude again. It is not harmful, and Dr. Truesdale reviews it with you at your consultation.
Yes. A significant portion of Dr. Truesdale’s patients travel from across the United States and internationally. The process begins with a virtual consultation with Dr. Truesdale himself (not a coordinator), followed by in-person pre-procedure evaluation. Our patient-care coordinators help arrange travel, accommodations, and local transportation, and Dr. Truesdale’s team conducts virtual follow-ups after you return home.
Request a consultation through the form at the bottom of this page, email contact@doctortruesdale.com, or call (424) 363-4112. Our team responds within one business day to schedule either an in-person consultation at 150 S. Rodeo Drive, Suite 360, Beverly Hills, or a virtual consultation worldwide. Every consultation is conducted personally by Dr. Truesdale.
Ear surgery can be performed at any age from 6 onward (once ear development is complete). Many families choose to address prominent ears before a child enters school, while adults pursuing otoplasty for self-image reasons do so at any age.
The cost of ear surgery can vary based on the patient’s situation, including if it is a revision surgery and if this surgery will be combined with other surgeries or treatments. The total cost may include the surgeon’s fee, operating room fees, and anesthesia fees. At Truesdale Facial Plastic Surgery, we believe the surgeon’s philosophy and experience, and your comfort with him, are just as important as the final cost of the surgery. We can provide an approximate range for this procedure over the phone, and your patient care coordinator (PCC) will confirm the pricing for you after your consultation with Dr. Truesdale.
At your Day 7 visit, Dr. Truesdale removes any sutures that are not dissolvable; dissolvable sutures need no removal. Until then, clean the incisions behind your ears with a Q-tip, gentle soap and water, and apply Aquaphor several times a day.
Yes. Wear ear compression as much as possible for the first week. Dr. Truesdale tells you at your follow-up whether to keep wearing it, and when.
Not while you heal. Avoid tight hairstyles and ponytails, and anything that pulls your ears forward, until Dr. Truesdale tells you it is safe at a follow-up visit. Hair color can resume 1 month after surgery.
On your back with your head raised on 2 to 3 pillows for the first two weeks, with your ear compression on during the first week. Ice 20 minutes on and 20 off for 5 days to a week to help the swelling.
Arrive the day before surgery and plan on about a week. Most patients stay 7 to 9 days for their post-op visits and fly home after their Day 7 visit. See traveling for surgery for hotels and aftercare.
The consent you sign lists these possible complications: the ears moving back toward their old position over time as the sutures loosen; an ear folded back too far or not far enough, or a difference between the ears; a collection of blood in the ear that needs prompt drainage; infection of the cartilage; a suture that comes through the skin; loss of skin over part of the ear; and a keloid behind the ear (itching or a growth there means call us, so it can be injected with a steroid). It also lists the risks of any operation, including bleeding, infection, blood clots and the risks of anesthesia. Dr. Truesdale reviews each one with you. See otoplasty risks and safety.
Schedule your otoplasty consultation
Permanent ear correction through an incision no one will ever see — and a confidence transformation that patients describe as life-changing. We respond same-day, Monday-Friday.
Book a Surgical Discovery Call online
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