Ear Molding Before & After Photos

Ear molding is a way to gently reshape an infant’s ears while the cartilage is still soft.

Most ears at the top have upper and lower folds that come together to make a curved Y shape. (These are the upper and lower crus, leading into the antihelix.)

In this case, you see a third crus, which is also known as a Stahl’s crus or Stahl’s ear deformity.

If left untreated, the ear remains in this shape, and may worsen over time as the peak grows further out from the rest of the ear.

Ear molding is the treatment of choice to achieve the most natural-appearing results — with the fewest risks — using a non-surgical procedure.

The small amount of crusting and dried skin may be seen immediately after removing the molds, but normally clears up after a few days of gentle bathing.

Call our office at 972-331-1900 to schedule a consultation. Insurance usually does cover the treatment, though individual plans differ.

Ear molding is a way to gently reshape an infant’s ears while the cartilage is pliable.

Most ears at the top have upper and lower folds that come together to make a curved Y shape with the antihelix.

Here the upper crus is not seen in its usual position. Instead, there is a crus going back instead of up and forwards.

This is known as a Stahl’s crus or Stahl’s ear deformity.

If left untreated, the ear does not correct itself, and may become more noticeable over time as the peak grows further outwards.

Ear molding is the treatment of choice to achieve the most natural-appearing results — with the fewest risks — using a non-surgical procedure.

Correction later in life requires surgery under general anesthesia.

A course of treatment is 2-6 weeks, depending on the child’s age and anatomy.

This is an in-office procedure, though I am also available at some hospitals in the DFW area to begin treatment while still in the hospital.

Call our office at 972-331-1900 to schedule a consultation. Insurance usually does cover the treatment, though individual plans differ.

This infant has cupping and lidding of the ear, also known as a constricted ear.

Ear molding is the treatment of choice if identified in the first few weeks of life. Molding gently reshapes an infant’s ears while the cartilage is pliable, similar to braces for teeth.

A course of ear molding is typically 2-6 weeks, depending on the child’s age and individual anatomy.

This is an in-office procedure, though I am also available at some hospitals in the DFW area to begin treatment while still in the hospital.

The main benefits of correction with ear molding are:

• avoiding surgery and anesthesia
• a smoother, more natural contour than typically achieved with surgery
• minimizing the chances of teasing or worries about severe ear differences
• improving the symmetry and contour so that even if reconstructive surgery is done later on, the starting point will be further ahead than if no molding was done.
• insurance usually covers ear molding, while ear surgery (otoplasty) often is considered cosmetic by insurance companies.

Credit to Becon Medical for providing the steps of Earwell placement.

Ear malformations like this one are best corrected in the first few weeks after birth.

The extra fold seen here, extending towards the back of the head, will continue to grow over time. Untreated, it will progressively push that rim out and be more and more noticeable.

Some centers do not offer treatment after 3 weeks of age.

Here, this child was started in their 4th week of age, and is seen here with a fantastic result after a typical 6 weeks of treatment.

Thank you to this mother for letting us share her baby’s before and after!

Ear molding is a simple and effective way to correct or improve differences in an ear’s appearance for babies.

We use an #Earwell setup as our primary base, but then customize the application for each individual baby.

This family came to us after an initial application by another center was unsatisfactory.

Attention to detail corrected an avoidable notch.

4 weeks later we were able to lift and round the ear, with a smoother contour than we’d be able to achieve with surgery later on.

Ear molding with an Earwell device, before and after just two weeks of treatment.

The correction is far and away better than what can be done with surgery.

The critical window for molding is the first several weeks after birth; after that, the cartilage becomes more and more firm, and then requires surgery to reshape.

We tailor the treatment style and duration to each individual baby and ear. Some babies receive the full base and several individual modifications; others just some tape.

And finally we have families who come and leave with just some reassurance that their baby won’t notice any difference at all whether they do molding or not.

Ear molding with the #EarWell device is a gentle, nonsurgical way to improve ear asymmetry, deformation, or malformation.

If a severe difference is seen, treatment is recommended to begin as soon as possible – even in the first week after birth – to make as much difference as possible while the cartilage is the easiest to reshape.

This is because high maternal estrogen levels that are important for birth, are passed on to the child. The estrogen levels are then highest right after birth, and then fade down over a few weeks.

If the difference is more mild, I recommend waiting a week or two and seeing what kind of natural rebound is seen once the ears aren’t being squished inside the womb.

This pause also gives time for families to take family photos without the molds in place, and take a breath before beginning any intervention. Even though it’s nonsurgical, it can feel like a big decision whether or not to do it, and I try to be very sensitive to never pressure anybody to do anything they’re not comfortable with!

Ear molding is a simple and effective way to improve congenital ear abnormalities.

Here, cupping/constriction of the ear was treated with an #Earwell device.

This system provides a sound foundation for improving the shape of the ear.

There is also quite a bit of customization for each ear. The medium rim retractor is a constant, but placement and tailoring changes each time.

Other pieces are in the toolkit, and are used as needed. Smaller rim retractors, conchal conformers, double-sided tape, and more, all find their way into use as needed to create a custom construct. Depending on age and severity, some patients are done after 1 round of the Earwell, and another 1-2 weeks of retention taping only.

Other patients may undergo 4-6 weeks of use of the larger base before graduating to tape only.

Immediate before/after ear molding.

The reshaping effect is strongest for the cartilage framework, since that starts so soft, and becomes more firm quickly over the first several weeks of life.

Please note that the ear lobe itself doesn’t have any cartilage! The conchal bowl above it does, but expectations for earlobe repositioning or reshaping have to be tempered.

There is always some amount of relapse, and some inherent, programmed growth of the ears. So we can do some retention taping like a retainer for a few weeks, but at some point we also accept the gains we made along with any slight asymmetries.

Early ear molding yields tremendous results!

We were able to begin treatment for this infant while in the hospital, and unveiled this result after just a single round of molding.

The cartilage is especially responsive in the first week, so the improvement and control of results is the best in that window.

In more severe cases, I recommend getting started early, before the cartilage becomes firm and unresponsive.

If the deformity is mild, though, and parents are unsure, I usually recommend a period of observation to see how much the ear self-corrects in the first 1-2 weeks before beginning treatment.

I do my best to guide families based on their wishes and goals, and sometimes that leads us to no treatment at all (and that’s ok!).

Ear molding is a nonsurgical way to help minimize unwanted attention later in life due to ear differences.

The sooner treatment is begun, the quicker we can reach our treatment goal. Satisfaction tends to drop after children reach 3 weeks old, so early recognition and intervention is important.

Children who are born prematurely have a longer window, usually following more closely with the expected due date rather than actual delivery date.

Some patients may begin treatment while in the hospital, especially if they need a longer admission in the NICU that carries them past that 3 week window.

Ear molding at older ages can be helpful for gentle reshaping, but with some limitation.

Here, we first saw the patient at closer to 3 months of age.

On the left side, contour of the helical rim and scapha was able to be improved greatly.

On the right side, some improvement was made, but even by this age, the cartilage is much more resistant to change, and pressure sores are more likely. Children are also already much larger and more likely to dislodge the adhesive base and tape!

If you’re thinking about ear molding, I do recommend seeing an experienced physician for it within the first three weeks of the due date / delivery if possible, to give the best possible result!

A quick two weeks of molding with an #Earwell can help smooth some crimps and crinkles that can happen from being in the womb, or sometimes seen with oxygen cannulas or other points of pressure that can happen for babies in the hospital.

Here, we were able to begin molding within the first couple weeks after birth, so the cartilage is soft and very responsive to treatment.

Many times we can do 1-2 rounds (2-4 weeks) with the larger framework. Then we usually have a round of wearing just some tape and silicone pieces, like a period of wearing a retainer after braces.

The redness from removing the adhesive base improves quickly, and the mini-haircut is usually not noticeable after 3-4 weeks.

Ears can be a bit folded up while in the womb, or from something unnoticed like some oxygen from a nasal cannula.

I tell most families that unless it’s severe, you can wait a week or two, take any planned baby and family photos, and see how well the ears rebound and take shape.

By the second and third week, though, the cartilage is becoming more firm, and what you see is what you get.

So for the best results in the quickest amount of time, I highly recommend to start #EarWell treatment by the 3rd week.

The associated haircut is necessary to let the base adhere and provide a foundation for treatment. The hair usually grows quickly and is not noticeable after about 4 weeks.