ORIGINAL RESEARCH ARTICLE | July 17, 2026
Anthropometric Study of the Normal Pinna in Males and Females Among Students of the University of Abuja
Aniah JA, Chima CU, Ukpai CJ, Inyang BA
Page no 89-95 |
https://doi.org/10.36348/sijap.2026.v09i04.001
The external ear is a defining feature of the face and sometimes has variations. This study was designed to obtain information about the dimensions, morphological, and aesthetic differences of the pinna amongst Nigerians who are students of the University of Abuja. For the photographic aspect of the study, 99 volunteers met the inclusion criteria. Results showed the following: for the lateral view, the detached lobule was 5.9% greater in females than in males, while the attached lobule was larger in males compared to females by 5.9%. An everted helix was not found in the entire population. For the posterior view, the lateral displacement of the pinna was greater in males compared to females by 17.2%. No hairy pinna was observed in the entire population. For the morphometric aspect of the study, 185 volunteers met the inclusion criteria. The mean total ear height and mean lobular height across the cohort were 5.72cm and 1.58cm, respectively, while the average lobular width measured 2.05cm. The average height of the pinna was 4.14cm. The mean total ear height was higher in males compared to females, while the mean values for lobular height and width were both slightly higher in females compared to males. The study establishes normative data for incidence in structural positioning of the ear pinna between male and female sexes, while making clear that hairy pinna and congenital abnormality of the ear are not common occurrences among Nigerians.