If you’ve worn heavy earrings for most of your life, your earlobes may be swinging down closer to your shoulders than you ever thought possible. A simple, 30-minute earlobe reduction can be performed in a plastic surgeon’s office or at the same time as a face-lift. Aesthetically speaking, or at least to be sure your earlobes don’t wobble, the earlobe should not be more than 25% of the total length of the ear. If it exceeds this, an L-shaped wedge can be cut away, and the earlobe edges can be brought together and sutured.
The earlobes can also protrude from the head. This protrusion can be part of the entire ear sticking out or be caused by an oversized ear shape that looks out of proportion to the shape of the head. Earlobe surgery can achieve an appearance that makes the ear more in balance with the face. One way to accomplish this is to position the ears closer to the head by reshaping the cartilage (supporting tissue). Otoplasty can be performed on children as early as age five or six.
(Source: Facial Plastic Surgery Clinics of North America, May 2006, pages 89-102.)