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Do ears harden with age? Debunking the Myth of Stiffening Cartilage

While it's a popular belief that ear cartilage gets harder with age, this is a misconception; the opposite is true. The tissues in the ear actually become softer and more flexible over time due to the breakdown of collagen and elastin fibers. It is this loss of firmness, combined with the continuous pull of gravity, that makes ears appear larger and droopier in older individuals.