Otoplasty Recovery Time: Headband, Timeline, Kids vs Adults

Otoplasty (ear pinning) has a short recovery. The U.K.'s National Health Service (NHS) says the head bandage and stitches usually come off after 5 to 10 days, most children return to school after 1 to 2 weeks, swimming is usually fine after 4 to 6 weeks, and contact sports after about 8 weeks (NHS). A night-time headband for several weeks is common.

Below is the timeline, the headband question, how recovery differs for children and adults, and what to plan if you travel for the surgery.

Otoplasty recovery timeline

Your surgeon's plan may differ, especially for the bandage and headband.

What happens during otoplasty

ASPS says otoplasty can improve the shape, position or proportion of the ear. It is used for ears that stick out, overly large ears (macrotia), ears misshapen by injury, and adults unhappy with an earlier ear surgery. Protruding ears are not linked to hearing loss (ASPS).

For protruding ears, the surgeon reshapes the cartilage to create or deepen the fold just inside the rim and to reduce the deep bowl of the ear. Incisions are usually on the back of the ear, and permanent internal stitches hold the new shape (ASPS). Anesthesia can be local, intravenous sedation or general. The NHS also describes an "incisionless" technique in which stitches are placed through tiny needle holes without cutting the skin (NHS).

Results show almost right away. ASPS says the change is visible once the dressings come off, and scars are hidden behind the ear or in its natural creases (ASPS).

The first week: bandage, pain and sleep

ASPS says discomfort right after surgery is normal and can be controlled with medication. Its guidance is strict about dressings: bandages should stay intact and not be removed for any reason, because removing them may lose some of the correction and lead to more surgery (ASPS). An ASPS member surgeon describes most patients taking prescription pain medicine for a few days and then switching to over-the-counter medicine (ASPS).

The NHS adds practical points: keep the bandage clean and dry, and expect not to wash your hair until it is removed. The stitches may work their way to the surface or make the ear tender (NHS).

The headband: how long, and is it needed?

Surgeons agree less on dressings than you might expect:

• The NHS says you might need a headband at night for several weeks to protect your ears while you sleep (NHS).
• An ASPS member surgeon describes a special dressing for a couple of weeks, then a headband for a few weeks more, and taking it easy for six weeks because sports could rupture the repair. Until the tissue scars in, "only sutures hold the ears in place" (ASPS).
• Small studies have questioned the head bandage. In a U.K. study of 84 patients, those without a bandage had no more complications than those with one (Ear Nose Throat J). In another series of 52 patients, a bandage worn for only 24 hours led to minor complications in two (J Laryngol Otol).

These studies are small and old, and techniques vary. The safe rule is to follow your own surgeon's dressing and headband plan exactly, and to ask about it before surgery so you can plan school, work and travel around it.

Kids vs adults

Children

ASPS says children are generally candidates from about age 5, or once ear cartilage is stable enough, if they are healthy, can follow instructions and do not object to surgery (ASPS). The NHS agrees that surgery is not suitable before age 5, because the cartilage is too soft to hold stitches (NHS). Not every surgeon agrees on timing: one ASPS member surgeon prefers fully developed cartilage and puts the youngest age at about 14 to 16 (ASPS). For newborns, the NHS notes that ear splints used before 6 months of age can reshape the ear without surgery.

For children, the main recovery challenges are keeping the dressing on and avoiding knocks during play. Most go back to school after 1 to 2 weeks (NHS).

Teens and adults

ASPS says good adult and teen candidates are healthy, have no conditions that impair healing, and have specific goals of their own, rather than trying to meet someone else's ideal (ASPS). Adults are often done under local anesthetic and go home the same day (NHS). The NHS notes that ears can feel stiff for several months before they become flexible again, and that numbness or tingling can last several weeks. Ask your surgeon when glasses, earbuds, headphones and helmets are allowed, since all of them rest on or press against the ear.

What can go wrong

A 2017 systematic review of 28 studies (3,493 patients) found these pooled rates after prominent-ear surgery (J Plast Reconstr Aesthet Surg):

• Bleeding or hematoma: 2.5%
• Infection: 0.8%
• Skin or wound-healing problems: 3%
• Suture problems: 1.8%
• Pain and itching: 13%
• Revision surgery or recurrence: 5%

ASPS also lists asymmetry, persistent pain, changes in skin sensation and unfavorable scarring among the risks (ASPS). The NHS lists inflammation of the ear cartilage and a blood clot in the skin of the ear among the things that can occasionally go wrong, and advises contacting the clinic as soon as possible if you have severe pain or any unexpected symptoms (NHS).

Otoplasty abroad: planning the trip

ASPS and the NHS suggest waiting 7 to 10 days before flying after facial cosmetic procedures (ASPS, NHS). Neither names otoplasty specifically. Because the bandage and stitches usually come off at day 5 to 10, it makes sense to plan your stay around that visit. Practical points:

• Stay for dressing removal if you can, so the surgeon sees the result and checks for bleeding before you fly.
• Bring a soft headband or ask the clinic which type to use, and pack a travel pillow that doesn't press on the ears.
• Traveling with a child: plan for 1 to 2 weeks off school and protect the ears from bumps in airports and on planes.
• Insurance: otoplasty is usually cosmetic, but ASPS says some plans may cover it if it is medically necessary, so check first (ASPS). See our otoplasty cost page for U.S. prices.

To compare surgeons, use our plastic surgeon question checklist. For destinations, see the otoplasty guide and otoplasty in Turkey; our flying after surgery guide covers the travel rules.