Earfold is performed under local anaesthesia and the actual procedure takes less than 20 minutes.  Mr Souéid will apply the Prefold device again to ensure you are happy with position again and this is then marked on the ear. A small amount of local anaesthetic is used to numb the area of the ear.  A small 8mm incision is made on the front of the ear on the front. After dissecting a space, the Earfold introducer is used and the Earfold is released and instantly the cartilage folds to create the antihelical fold. The incision are stitched closed with dissolving sutures and the procedure complete.

There might be some bruising after the procedure. Some degree of swelling can occur too. Small steristrips are used to cover the wounds. 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.

Earfold^® is a thin, curved, metal strip made of nitinol. Nitinol is a lightweight alloy made from two metals, titanium and nickel, and is widely used in medicine. Earfold^® is just 5 mm wide, 15 mm long and approximately 0.15 mm thick, weighing 0.068 grams. It is coated with 24-carat gold, to reduce visibility under your skin.

At your initial assessment with your consultant, if you are suitable to be treated with Earfold, you’ll be able to decide how far you would like your ears corrected. You and your consultant can talk through where to place the implants using small temporary positioners called Prefold^®, so that you can choose and agree how your ears will look BEFORE the permanent implants are put in on the day of your procedure.

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.

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.

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 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.

Most forms of traditional ear surgery (also known as otoplasty) leave a scar behind the ear where an incision has been made. Earfold^® only requires a small incision (eight to ten millimetres long) therefore results in a small scar. In the majority of the ears the scar is almost imperceptible after a few months.

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.

Earfold^® has been designed to be as minimally invasive as possible, but it is a medical treatment, so there are a few things to bear in mind after the procedure:

• Because of the local anaesthetic your ears will feel a little numb for a while (like after you’ve been to the dentist for a filling).
• You may also feel some minor pain after the procedure, which should fade within a couple of days.
• There may be some swelling or bruising, but this will fade over the week following the treatment.
• Your ears may feel a little more sensitive for a while, so although it’s fine to wash your hair or shower, be gentle.
• You should try and sleep on your back for up to four weeks to avoid pressure on your ears.
• Try and avoid swimming or contact sports for four weeks or so to let the implants settle.
• Avoid wearing earrings for two weeks or so to reduce any risk of infection.
• Try not to smoke for 3 months, because nicotine reduces the blood supply to your ear, which greatly increases the risk of complications. This is also true of e-cigarettes and nicotine patches or chewing gum.