Cosmetic ear surgery (otoplasty) is a type of plastic and reconstructive surgery that aims to improve the size, shape, or position of the outer ear, called the pinna or auricle.
In children, it can be performed after age 5 or 6, “when the ear has reached 90% of its adult size, and the cartilage has increased in stiffness,” according to the authors of a recent study.
Depending on the patient’s concerns, otoplasty can improve the appearance of ears by:
- reducing the projection of protruding ears via ear pinning
- making large ears look smaller
- correcting an ear deformity, caused by a congenital birth defect or trauma, that has affected the shape of the cartilage or earlobe
- reconstructing a folded, damaged, or missing ear (microtia)
- fixing the position, shape, or size of uneven ears (when one ear looks bigger than the other)Â
“One of the main reasons patients seek otoplasty is to address asymmetries between the two ears,” says Dr. Jacob Sedgh, a facial plastic surgeon in Beverly Hills. “Most people have at least a minor degree of asymmetry, but in the case of prominent ears, the difference can be more obvious.”Â
Cauliflower ear (an injury to the ear common with boxers and wrestlers) is very difficult to fix via otoplasty, though Dr. Sedgh says that "some modest improvements can be expected, depending on the case."
Cosmetic ear surgery also can’t repair a perforated eardrum or improve hearing. But it can provide psychological benefits to people who’ve been teased about the size and shape of their ears, have experienced an ear injury, or simply want to improve their appearance.
RealSelf Tip: Some patients seek out otoplasty to correct a Stahl’s ear deformity, sometimes called elf ears or “Spock’s ear” because of the point it creates at the top. In 2022, “elf ear surgery” took on a different meaning when the musician Grimes wore prosthetic elf ears to the Met Gala and expressed her desire for surgery to make the tops of her ears pointy. The results of this body modification procedure are permanent, so most reputable plastic surgeons won’t do it: they will only reduce points, to create a normal curve.
