Having the ears grow larger is a natural part of aging. Unfortunately, some people are born with ears that protrude more than average. In many cases, this can lead to decreased self-esteem and loss of confidence, especially if children are teased about the shape of their ears. Ear surgery is a great way to correct protruding ears and restore a more natural appearance. Because of the possibility of teasing and bullying for children who have protruding or prominent ears, our surgeons recommend having ear surgery at the age of six in order to correct the issue. While it’s possible to correct ears later in life, by that point, the patient might be psychologically and emotionally damaged from the judgment they’ve faced from others. However, it is possible for otoplasty to be performed too early, before the ears have finished developing. For most children, our surgeons recommend thinking about ear surgery around the ages of six to eight. At this point, the ears will have reached maturity and can be manipulated without the risk of them further changing shape. During ear surgery for children, your surgeon can work on a number of cosmetic defects, including: Ears that are the wrong size, position, or shape Shell ear, which is when part of the outer rim of the ear is missing Lop ear, which is when the ear tips fold down and forward Overall, our surgeon’s goal is to create a natural-looking ear that can help your child grow up to be confident in their appearance.