T he post auricular surface is a frequent site of dermatologic surgery. Because of the natural posterior reflection of the ear, it is often difficult to achieve adequate visualization and surgical access. Surgery in the postauricular area frequently requires the help of an assistant to reflect and retract the ear forward. This of course requires an extra set of hands and limits work space. In addition, the use of fingers to retract the ear while suturing poses a risk of a needlestick injury to the assistant. To eliminate these obstacles, we suggest a simple way of temporarily immobilizing the ear in anteriorly reflected position. A 4-0 nylon, 4-0 silk, or similar suture material is used to make an interrupted stitch on the anterior helical rim, with the tail of the suture kept several inches long. The stitch is placed through the soft tissue above the level of the cartilage and should be of sufficient thickness so as not to cause tissue tearing with light tension. A hemostat or a needle driver is then attached to the loose end of the suture and used to gently retract the pinna anteriorly (Fig 1). Although 1 stitch is usually sufficient, additional traction can be obtained for a large pinna by placing a stitch superior and inferior to the midline and then securing with a single hemostat. If an assistant is present, the tension on the suture can be varied during the procedure for optimal visualization without extending fingers into the surgical field. Care should be taken not to compromise the blood flow to the ear by bending the ear too far forward. If no assistant is present, a towel clip can then be used to hold the hemostat in place by clipping the handle of the hemostat to a sterile drape or by allowing gravity to maintain the ear position by draping the hemostat and towel clip over the angle of the zygomatic process or the nose with the patient’s head turned. When the procedure is completed, the hemostat can be released and the suture removed with no detrimental effect to the ear. This modification of the retraction suture technique previously described can also be applied to stabilize or manipulate other free margins such as the eyelid, earlobe, or nailfold.1