We have quite a few patients coming to our office stating they would like to have their pointed ‘elf ears’ reshaped and reduced in size.
You might be asking – seriously? Pointed, elf ears? People refer to their ears as looking like this? Take it from us, they and/or others do indeed.
Of course, this is an exaggerated description of their large ears. But, as you know, many patients have been bullied and belittled about their large, prominent ears. Of these patients, some have noted others making comments of them having elf ears. In some cases, this is the ‘straw that broke the camel’s back’ – precipitating a decision to seek out a cosmetic ear specialist, like Dr. Hilinski.
For example, we recently had a patient fly into San Diego who underwent ear reduction surgery by Dr. Hilinski because someone asked him in passing if he had undergone surgery to make his ears look like they did. The answer was no – he did not intentionally have his ears made to look like they were pointed. But, such an inquiry prompted this gentleman to pursue a corrective surgical procedure for his overly prominent ears.
Elf Ears = Macrotia
What elf ears are referring to is actually called macrotia – where the ear appears over developed – making the top part of the ear look like it is too prominent. That is where the similarities to an elf ear are drawn. In an elf ear, the exaggerated part is the top of the ear where it extends up to a point. This involves the upper one-third of the ear and includes what is called the scapha along with the helical rim. In an elf ear, the helical rim comes to a point, which makes the ear look dramatically different than a normal ear.
Compare this to an actual macrotia ear surgery patient of Dr. Hilinski. The preoperative photo is shown here. If you look closely at the top of his ear, you can see how it appears to extend upward in an exaggerated manner. Although it certainly isn’t as exaggerated as an elf ear, it has similar features and shape – minus the harsh point at the top. This is precisely why some people refer to these as elf ears, or elf-like ears.
Fixing Elf Ears
So how do you fix elf ears? The answer is with macrotia ear reduction surgery to make the size and shape of the ear smaller. Dr. Hilinski has been performing this highly specialized type of cosmetic ear surgery – or designer ear surgery as he calls it – for many years now. In fact, he has an international following of patients who fly to California from literally all over the world to have their ears reduced in size.
As you can see here in this before and after photo of the real-life patient shown above, all of the features of an elf-ear have now been fixed. The top of the ear has been reduced in size and the shape is now more of a gentle curvature, rather than a peak. And can you see the scars from the ear reduction surgery? It is there. But, fortunately, in most cases, like this one, the scar tends to heal very nicely to the point of being barely visible.
Elf Ear Correction Consult
If you have been the target of unwanted comments regarding elf ears – or you simply feel like your ears are too large in size and shape, do not hesitate in contacting the world’s best macrotia ear surgeon, Dr. John Hilinski.