How Can I Fix My Pixie Ears and Retracted Tragus After A Mini Facelift?

Q: Dr. Eppley,  I had a mini facelift procedure done under local anesthesia. Looking back on it, I don’t feel that I needed the procedure at all, but the doctor was a double board certified plastic surgeon, so I trusted his judgment.

The procedure left me with bilateral retracted tragi. It’s as if the tragus on my left and right ear are being pulled forward for the whole world to see down my ear canal.  Also my ear lobes are attached to my face at a weird angle.  My tragi and earlobes look weird and strange.  If I barely press on my tragus my ear appears to look normal again.

I saw on your website where you talked about how to correct a retracted tragus and pixie ears. By the looks of my photos, do you think you can help me?

A:These are the unfortunate ear sequelae of having a mini lower facelift where all the tension from the lift has been placed on the ear skin and cartilage. The fix for the earlobes and tragus is to repeat the lift in a more formal fashion where the uplifted tissues are supported by the deeper tissues (SMAS) and not the ear skin.

Dr. Barry Eppley

World-Renowned Plastic Surgeon