Earfold is performed under local anaesthesia and takes about 30 minutes.  Mr Nassab will begin with demonstrating your result using the Prefold device.  This will give you an idea of what your ear will look like when the device is inserted.  The desired position of the implant is marked.  A few injections of anaesthetic are given to numb the area of the ear.  A small incision is made on the front of the ear near the markings.  A space is created for the device to be placed just under the skin directly onto the ear cartilage.  The Earfold is released and instantly the cartilage folds to create the antihelical fold which is often not present in patients with prominent ears.  The incision are stitched closed and the procedure complete.

There will be some bruising and swelling immediately after the procedure.  There will be a small dressing covering the incision.  Unlike traditional surgery there is no need for a bulky head dressing afterwards.  The stitches used will normally fall out after about 2 weeks.

There will often be some bruising and swelling following the procedure.  This will normally resolve by about 2 weeks.  The scar will be on the front of the ear and this may be visible although with time it will fade.  Sometimes scars can become hypertrophic or keloid.  Most people will have some degree of asymmetry before the procedure and this will remain afterwards.  Less common complications include: visibility of the clips under the skin; residual prominence that may require additional clips; extrusion of the device; skin necrosis; irregularities; cauliflower ear deformity; haematoma.

The procedure is performed under local anaesthetic and so the ears will remain numb for a few hours afterwards. Once this wears off you will expect some mild pain and discomfort. This is usually controlled with simple painkillers such as paracetamol.

The ears will have tape dressings covering them for the first week after the procedure. These can normally be removed after a week. There will be stitches in place and these are usually removed at 2 weeks. At this point the wounds are usually fully healed.

You can expect some bruising and swelling after the procedure. These usually last from 2-4 weeks but may be longer in some patients. In in the initial few weeks the ears may be slightly more sensitive.

You should wear a headband for the first 6 weeks following your procedure at night. This will protect the ears during sleep. You should also sleep on your back for the first 4 weeks. In the first 2-3 days we also recommend sleep with 2-3 pillows under your head to keep the head up to reduce bleeding and swelling.

We normally recommend avoiding strenuous exercise for the first 4 weeks. You can resume normal activities such as working or normal walking immediately afterwards. Contact sports should be avoided for the first 6 weeks.

We would recommend avoiding smoking for 4 weeks before and after the procedure. This includes all nicotine replacement such as patches, gum and e-cigarettes. The nicotine reduces the blood supply to the ear and this can result in increased risks of complications. This includes skin necrosis, which is the breakdown of the skin over the implant that will then leave the implant exposed and require removal of the clip.

This is the most common question we are asked by patients having the procedure. The Earfold should not set off airport metal detectors.  It is composed of metals that do not normally trigger the alarm.

The Earfold clips are placed directly under the skin on the front of ear.  The skin of the ear in some patients is thin and so the implants may be visible.  The gold plating should make the clips less visible when in place.

The Earfold clips are designed to remain in place permanently.  They can be removed if desired in the future but the ear prominence may recur.

Some patients that have had pinnaplasty or otoplasty previously may have recurrence of their prominent ears.  The Earfold may be used in such patients that have previously had ear surgery.

The cost of Earfold will depend on the number of clips used and where it is performed.  Most patients will require 1 clip in each ear and so 2 clips in total.  The price for 2 clips starts from £3500.