Frequently asked questions

Q. I would really like to having my stick-out ears pinned back but I do not like the idea of permanent stitches left inside them. Can I still have surgery?

A. It is possible to set back the ears by either scoring the cartilage using multiple incisions, or by cutting out some of the cartilage, but this technique is less successful and has a greater risk of complications. Mr Gault would be prepared to undertake your surgery using this technique, so long as you were aware of the possible problems.

Q. I would like to have my bat ears pinned back but I wear glasses. Do I need different ones after surgery?

The arms of certain spectacles of all sorts can cause local cartilage discomfort on all ears, whether or not you have had surgery, , and your optician can sometimes adjust the comfort of your glasses.

If all spectacles cause the same discomfort at the same site after surgery, it may be due to an internal suture. Very occasionally your body may try to extrude sutures which it recognises as foreign and these can cause discomfort. Some work their way through the skin and poke out where they can be gradually trimmed as they emerge; rarely, removal is required.