Question:
I had my "shapely" ears pinned back when I was 16. Now at 21, my ears could still be described as swollen. The shapely parts, the scapha and fossa triangularis, are now just fat. I kept hoping this would subside, but after five years it still hasn't. If I touch it I can still feel a curve, but it is no longer visible. Is there any way to fix this?

Answer:
To address this problem, surgical revision will be necessary. There could be one of two problems. Firstly, any bleeding under the skin of the ear results in scar tissue and this can hide the shape of the cartilage — the most extreme case is the "cauliflower ears" we often see in footballers who have had multiple bleeds under the skin of the ear.

The other problem is that the cartilage and its curve need to be better defined to be seen through the skin and this can only be achieved by reoperating on the ear. The benefit, though, will need to be weighed against the risk of surgery.

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