# Why do men's ears get larger as they age. " The better to hear you with my dear?"

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-mens-ears-get-larger-as-they-age-the-better-to-hear-you-with-my-dear/650621>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [February 17, 2013, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-mens-ears-get-larger-as-they-age-the-better-to-hear-you-with-my-dear/650621 "2013-02-17T20:42:54Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![ombre12](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/d26b3c/32.png) [@ombre12](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ombre12)\
**Post date:** [February 17, 2013, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-mens-ears-get-larger-as-they-age-the-better-to-hear-you-with-my-dear/650621/1 "2013-02-17T20:42:54Z")

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Recently compared my ears at the age of 70 to photos of me in my 20’s. Noticeably larger now.

Have always noticed that in older people. Thought it was just my imagination. But it does seem that ears grow larger with older men. (Haven’t really noticed that with older women…but could be camouflaged by longer hair.)

What causes that?

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**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\
**Post date:** [February 17, 2013, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-mens-ears-get-larger-as-they-age-the-better-to-hear-you-with-my-dear/650621/2 "2013-02-17T21:47:12Z")

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Not just your ears, but [your nose as well](http://discovermagazine.com/1996/jun/britishears800).

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**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\
**Post date:** [February 17, 2013, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-mens-ears-get-larger-as-they-age-the-better-to-hear-you-with-my-dear/650621/3 "2013-02-17T22:08:09Z")

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head shrinkage.

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**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\
**Post date:** [February 17, 2013, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-mens-ears-get-larger-as-they-age-the-better-to-hear-you-with-my-dear/650621/4 "2013-02-17T22:20:53Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> But cartilage - that’s the plastic-like stuff in ears and noses - cartilage continues to grow until the day you die. Not only does cartilage grow, but the earlobes elongate from gravity. And that makes ears look even larger.

[http://www.doctoroz.com/blog/arthur-perry-md/noses-and-ears-continue-grow-we-age](http://www.doctoroz.com/blog/arthur-perry-md/noses-and-ears-continue-grow-we-age)

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**Author:** ![ombre12](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/d26b3c/32.png) [@ombre12](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ombre12)\
**Post date:** [February 17, 2013, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-mens-ears-get-larger-as-they-age-the-better-to-hear-you-with-my-dear/650621/5 "2013-02-17T23:06:54Z")

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Thanks. Pretty much answers it.

My nose seems about the same size as ever, but I guess will need to give it another 10 years.

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**Author:** ![Sister\_Vigilante](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de0a6/32.png) [@Sister\_Vigilante](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sister_Vigilante)\
**Post date:** [February 17, 2013, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-mens-ears-get-larger-as-they-age-the-better-to-hear-you-with-my-dear/650621/6 "2013-02-17T23:45:45Z")

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And don’t our eyes remain the same size as when we’re born? Or was that debunked?