Otoplasty in Turkey

Otoplasty in Turkey: what ear pinning corrects

Otoplasty — ear pinning surgery or ear correction — sets prominent ears closer to the head and gives them a natural fold. Prominent ears are usually present from birth: the fold in the upper part of the ear (the antihelix) has not formed, the bowl of the ear (the concha) is deep, or both. The ears hear normally; the operation is about shape, but for many children and adults it ends years of comments and of hiding the ears under hair.

Otoplasty is a short operation, done through an incision hidden behind the ear, and it suits both adults and children from about 5–6 years. This page explains the right age, the techniques, the stay in Istanbul and the recovery. Ear reconstruction after injury or for a missing or very small ear (microtia) is a different, staged operation — see ear reconstruction.

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How much does otoplasty cost in Turkey?

Otoplasty in Turkey usually costs about €1,500–€2,800 for both ears (approximate, confirmed in a written quote); the hospitals on this page show their own price when they list one. The otoplasty cost depends on whether one or both ears are treated, on local or general anaesthesia (general for children), on the technique, and on whether it is a first operation or a revision.

Can you get ear pinning on the NHS?

Not usually. The NHS describes ear correction as a cosmetic operation that is rarely funded; some areas fund it for children with significant psychological distress through an individual application, and the rules differ between local health boards. Adults almost always pay privately, which is why many UK families compare private prices at home with ear pinning in Turkey.

The package contents, payment at the hospital and hidden costs to check are the same as for other plastic surgery; see how it works and the plastic surgery hospitals.

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Otoplasty for children: the right age

The ear reaches most of its adult size by about 5–6 years, so otoplasty for children is usually done from that age — often before or in the first years of school, when teasing tends to start. Operating earlier does not help the result and makes aftercare harder.

• Newborns: in the first weeks after birth the ear cartilage is soft enough to be reshaped with a splint (ear moulding), without surgery. This is done at home, not abroad, and is most effective when started very early.
• Children 5–6 years and older: surgery under general anaesthesia, usually as a day case or with one night in hospital. A child should be old enough to keep the bandage on and, ideally, want the operation themselves.
• Teenagers and adults: there is no upper age limit. Adult cartilage is stiffer, so the surgeon may need to score or reshape it rather than rely on stitches alone; most adults have the operation under local anaesthesia.

Parents should plan for a parent to stay with the child throughout, about a week off school, and no swimming or contact sports for several weeks.

Who is a good candidate for ear pinning surgery?

Prominent ears are not a single shape. Before recommending surgery, the surgeon looks at which part of the ear stands out, measures how far the rim sits from the side of the head at the upper, middle and lower levels, and compares the two sides. Typical good candidates are:

• Children from about 5–6 years and adults whose ears stand out because the upper fold is missing or the bowl of the ear is deep.
• Ears that differ from each other, where one is set back to match the other or both are adjusted.
• Patients with a "lop" or folded upper rim, or a prominent earlobe, which can often be corrected in the same operation.
• People in good general health who can keep the bandage and the night headband on for the full time.

Who should wait or choose differently: children younger than about five, or a child who does not want the operation; anyone with an active skin infection around the ears; patients with a tendency to keloid scars, who should discuss this first; and people with a bleeding disorder or blood thinners that cannot be paused. Large deformities, a missing part of the ear or an ear damaged by injury need reconstruction rather than ear pinning. If you have had otoplasty before, a revision is planned more carefully, because the cartilage and scar tissue behave differently.

Send photos from the front, from behind and from each side with your hair tied back; the surgeon can then tell you before you travel whether otoplasty suits your ears and which technique is likely.

Ear pinning techniques

Most operations combine several steps chosen for the shape of each ear; the two ears are often different.

An incisionless otoplasty or a small implant placed under the skin sounds attractive, but it suits only some ears; ask the surgeon why a technique is recommended for yours and what happens if the ear moves back.

Otoplasty in Turkey: the operation and your stay

Otoplasty takes about one to two hours for both ears. Adults usually have local anaesthesia, sometimes with sedation, and go back to the hotel the same day; children have general anaesthesia and may stay one night in hospital. An incision is made in the crease behind the ear, the cartilage is shaped and fixed with stitches, and a padded head bandage is applied.

Plan about 4–5 days in Istanbul: consultation and tests on day 1, surgery on day 2, the bandage changed and the ears checked one to three days later, then the flight home. Stitches are usually absorbable; if not, they are removed after 7–10 days, which can be done by your own doctor. A companion is recommended for adults and essential for children. Flying soon after otoplasty is generally fine once the surgeon has seen the ears; our post on flying after surgery has practical tips.

Otoplasty recovery

• Days 1–5: the ears ache and throb, and painkillers control it. The head bandage stays on, usually for a few days to a week. Sudden severe pain in one ear is not normal and must be reported straight away — it can mean a collection of blood under the skin.
• Week 1–2: the bandage is replaced with a soft headband or sports band. Children usually return to school after about a week, adults to work after a few days to a week.
• Weeks 2–6: the headband is worn at night, typically for about six weeks, so the ear is not folded forward in sleep. No swimming for about four weeks and no contact sports for about six to eight.
• Months 3–6: swelling and numbness settle, and the ear takes its final shape.

Otoplasty recovery is usually easier than patients expect; the hardest part for children is wearing the headband at night.

Risks of otoplasty

NHS and British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (BAAPS) patient information list these as the main risks:

• Haematoma: blood collecting under the skin in the first days, which needs prompt drainage to protect the cartilage. Severe or one-sided pain is the warning sign.
• Infection of the skin or cartilage, treated with antibiotics and occasionally surgery.
• Stitch problems: permanent stitches can become visible or work through the skin behind the ear and need removing, sometimes months later.
• Relapse or asymmetry: an ear can move partly back out, especially after stitch-only techniques, or the two ears may differ slightly.
• Over-correction: ears pinned too flat or with an unnatural shape, such as the middle pulled back more than the upper and lower parts.
• Scarring: the scar is behind the ear, but thick or keloid scars occur in people prone to them.

Choose a plastic surgeon who performs otoplasty routinely — for a child, one used to operating on children — in a licensed hospital with an anaesthesiologist present. The plastic surgeons on our site are shown with their experience and reviews.

Combining otoplasty with other operations

Adults sometimes combine ear pinning with rhinoplasty in one trip and one anaesthetic, because a straighter profile and closer ears change the balance of the face together. The stay is then planned around the nose (about a week). For children, otoplasty is done on its own.

Otoplasty results: what to expect

A good result looks as if the ears were always that way: they sit about as far from the head as average ears, both sides match closely, and the upper fold is soft rather than sharp. From the front the ears should still be visible behind the face. The result is permanent in most patients; a small amount of movement back out in the first months is common and is the reason surgeons slightly over-correct. Judge the result after about three months, and ask to see before-and-after photos of ears like yours, from the front and from behind.

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Hospitals with Plastic & Aesthetic Surgery in Turkey

Academic Hospital

Üsküdar, Istanbul

MoHHealth Tourism Licence+2

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Lokman Hekim Istanbul Hospital

Pendik, Istanbul

JCIMoH+2

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