Thank you very much to the patients and guardians. Since this study was not funded, parents were required to cover the costs associated with postoperative follow-up, such as transportation. Their excellent cooperation enabled us to obtain high-quality postoperative photographs and reliable recurrence rate statistics. Thank them for their great contributions.

This article consists of 7 pages, 2888 words, 2 tables and 14 images. It provides a detailed classification of Type 1 variant preauricular fistulas and the corresponding surgical management strategies. It also presents long-term postoperative follow-up photographs. The preliminary study suggests that classifying Type 1 VPFs facilitates the development of individualized surgical plans, thereby achieving better therapeutic and cosmetic outcomes.

© 2025 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc.