Pointy Ears and Big Ears
Pointy ears and big ears are two common problems corrected by ear surgery.
Pointy Ears
Cartilage and skin of ears that narrow and flatten considerably at the top, appearing as if pointed, is another type of deformity affecting the external part of the hearing organ. The condition of pointy ears is fairly rare, afflicting more people of East Asian descent than any other. To date, only genetics has been pinpointed as a cause. There may be other causes, but what they are remains unknown.
Pointy ears is known officially as Stahl's Ear Deformity. While pointy ears are popular in science fiction shows, a feature of the extraterrestrial beings and half-human, half-beast monsters, they are definitely not a popular physical trait for humans in real life. In fact, they are considered unappealing and unattractive to many, on account of their visual prominence. And considering how they are represented in popular culture, it's not a surprise that it tends to adversely affect the psychological well-being of those bearing the trait.
If you have pointy ears and are seeking nonsurgical methods to correct the deformity, you are most likely out of luck if you can read and understand this. Choosing the nonsurgical route is an option open only to children in the first stages of life, when cartilage in the ears can be molded into a desirable shape without invasive tactics. This type of correction is most successful for babies under a year old; after that time, the chance of successful correction is dramatically reduced due to the hardening of cartilage. So, while you may be able to prevent years of grief for someone else, it's probably too late for yourself.
Any deformity of the physical body can cause great embarrassment and shame for those with it. Even if the deformity does not adversely affect physical capability, it sets the person apart from the norm. Though uniqueness is a treasured quality of North American society, the harshness of reality is that many deformities are perceived in a negative light. Like pointy ears, big ears is another example of such deformities.
Big Ears
Macrotia is the medical term for the condition of big or enlarged ears. Many who believe to suffer from macrotia in fact only suffer from protruding ears or excessive growth in specific parts of the ear. Enlarged and hypertrophied lobes is the most common example of this. As a result, it is an extremely rare condition for the entire ear.
The Solution
Even with today's knowledge and advanced technology, the only way to effectively smooth out pointy ears and downsize big ears and parts of the ears is by the surgical procedure, otoplasty. Otoplasty may involve one or more of the following: an alteration or sculpting of the cartilage in the problem area(s), removal of excess skin, and a "pinback" (such as in otoplasty for protruding ears).
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