Otoplasty is a cosmetic surgery that corrects ear defects , first of all the defect of the protruding or snug ears, that is of the ears a little too far out, with a defect of projection with respect to the face , and in secondly also the shape and symmetry of the ears. Often, those who suffer from protruding ears can have the defect for both ears or only one, so otoplasty can also involve only one ear (unilateral otoplasty). Although it is an intervention of pure aesthetic correction that affects men and women, it is men who often ask for otoplasty, and among the celebrities who have undergone this intervention we find the actor Brad Pitt.

Otoplasty does not affect the functionality of the hearing system , nor does it improve it in any way: it consists in making a cut in the posterior portion of the ear and removing a small lozenge-shaped area of ​​cartilage, in order to improve the attachment of the ear that will be more adherent and less facing. The surgery can also be performed using a laser. It is also possible to improve the position of one ear in relation to the other and reshape the cartilage in case of congenital malformation of the auricle ( macrotia ). The operation is quite simple, takes about an hour and requires local anesthesia , rarely total.

Possible side effects relate to scarring and wound healing, or the need for further surgical correction following the first otoplasty. The scars are not very conspicuous and in any case camouflaged by the new position of the ears. What are the costs? The costs of otoplasty are around 1500 per ear, for a total of between 2500 and 4000 euros.