The American Society of Plastic Surgeons reports that otoplasty accounted for 33 percent of all plastic surgeries in patients aged 13 to 19 in 2021. That is the highest percentage of all procedures in that age group, and it doesn’t account for otoplasty surgeries performed on children younger than 13 years of age.
There is a reason why otoplasty is so common among children and teens. Studies strongly support the emotional benefits this procedure has to offer young people. Correcting ear protrusion or abnormal shape early in life can spare a child the teasing that can alter their self-confidence. Children whose ears stick out are often subjected to unwanted stares, comments, and worse. The effects of this form of bullying can have long-lasting, detrimental effects. For this reason, parents might consider otoplasty as soon as their child’s ears have fully developed. It may be possible to schedule ear pinning surgery at age five or six.
While otoplasty might offer significant benefits to young patients, adults are not excluded from undergoing this advantageous surgery! At any age, the correction of protruding ears can supply a significant boost in self-confidence.