Why do human ears get longer with age? Auricular stretching by facial adiposity: A hypothesis

Historically, in old Chinese writings, long human ears were associated with wealth and increased survival. Over the last three decades, several studies have demonstrated that ear length increases as we age. Despite various hypotheses, there is no clear understanding of the mechanism or the purpose of such an interesting phenomenon. The author is proposing, herein that ear elongation occurs secondary to chronic mechanical tension on the auricle by the facial fat accumulation (facial adiposity), particularly in the area anterior to the ear. Facial adiposity occurs not only during aging but also with postmenopausal transition, as well as medical conditions associated with central obesity. Further research is needed to test the proposed hypothesis.