At what age can my child have ear surgery?

Children as young as five can undergo ear surgery.  Your Surgeon will consider the relevant physical and psychological factors and will consult with both you and your child to determine whether they are a suitable candidate for Ear Surgery. Children who are good candidates for Ear Surgery are:

  • Generally healthy and do not have untreated chronic ear infections.
  • At least 5 years old (this is the age at which a child’s ear cartilage is usually stable enough for correction).
  • Capable of communicating their feelings and able to voice objections to surgery at consultation.

​what are the possible risks and complications of ear surgery?

The risks associated with having an ear correction procedure are quite rare. However, as with all surgery, complications can still sometimes occur.

The best way to reduce risk is to find a fully qualified surgeon with formal training who has performed otoplasty surgery.

Make sure you familiarise yourself with the full list of complications that could arise because of any surgery.

Specific complications that may occur after ear correction surgery:

Numbness, tightness and sensitivity of the ear area will be present immediately after the surgery and usually returns to normal after a maximum of 1 month.

Broken sutures can result in the ears returning to their original position.

What you should remember regarding ear surgery

Ear correction surgery, or otoplasty, is usually done to move prominent ears closer to the head or to reduce the size of large ears. Like natural ears, the position of the ears after otoplasty will not match perfectly.

Ear cartilage is very elastic, so there will be some forward movement of the ears after the operation. Talk with your surgeon about the risks and benefits of otoplasty and what results you can expect.

For more information on Otoplasty, or to request an appointment, please contact us today.