{"id":117035,"date":"2026-10-18T22:32:05","date_gmt":"2026-10-18T22:32:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mallorcamedicalgroup.com\/blog\/uncategorized\/otoplastia-in-children-when-it-makes-sense-and-when-to-wait\/"},"modified":"2026-10-18T22:35:47","modified_gmt":"2026-10-18T22:35:47","slug":"otoplastia-in-children-when-it-makes-sense-and-when-to-wait","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mallorcamedicalgroup.com\/en\/blog\/plastic-surgery-en\/otoplastia-in-children-when-it-makes-sense-and-when-to-wait\/","title":{"rendered":"Otoplastia in children: when it makes sense and when to wait"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<article>\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_89 ez-toc-wrap-left counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Tabla de Contenidos<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-1'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"#\" data-href=\"https:\/\/mallorcamedicalgroup.com\/en\/blog\/plastic-surgery-en\/otoplastia-in-children-when-it-makes-sense-and-when-to-wait\/#Otoplasty_in_children_when_it_makes_sense_and_when_to_wait\" >Otoplasty in children: when it makes sense and when to wait<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-2' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"#\" data-href=\"https:\/\/mallorcamedicalgroup.com\/en\/blog\/plastic-surgery-en\/otoplastia-in-children-when-it-makes-sense-and-when-to-wait\/#What_otoplasty_corrects_and_what_it_does_not\" >What otoplasty corrects and what it does not<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"#\" data-href=\"https:\/\/mallorcamedicalgroup.com\/en\/blog\/plastic-surgery-en\/otoplastia-in-children-when-it-makes-sense-and-when-to-wait\/#At_what_age_it_is_considered\" >At what age it is considered<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"#\" data-href=\"https:\/\/mallorcamedicalgroup.com\/en\/blog\/plastic-surgery-en\/otoplastia-in-children-when-it-makes-sense-and-when-to-wait\/#The_indication_is_not_determined_by_the_family_alone\" >The indication is not determined by the family alone<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"#\" data-href=\"https:\/\/mallorcamedicalgroup.com\/en\/blog\/plastic-surgery-en\/otoplastia-in-children-when-it-makes-sense-and-when-to-wait\/#How_the_procedure_is_planned\" >How the procedure is planned<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"#\" data-href=\"https:\/\/mallorcamedicalgroup.com\/en\/blog\/plastic-surgery-en\/otoplastia-in-children-when-it-makes-sense-and-when-to-wait\/#What_the_family_should_know_before_deciding\" >What the family should know before deciding<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"#\" data-href=\"https:\/\/mallorcamedicalgroup.com\/en\/blog\/plastic-surgery-en\/otoplastia-in-children-when-it-makes-sense-and-when-to-wait\/#Medical_review_and_editorial_transparency\" >Medical review and editorial transparency<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h1><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Otoplasty_in_children_when_it_makes_sense_and_when_to_wait\"><\/span>Otoplasty in children: when it makes sense and when to wait<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h1>\n\n<p>Consultations for prominent ears, often called &#8220;bat ears,&#8221; are frequently initiated by a parent rather than the child. At Mallorca Medical Group, that distinction matters. <a href=\"https:\/\/mallorcamedicalgroup.com\/en\/procedures\/plastic-surgery\/facial-surgery\/otoplasty\/\">Otoplasty<\/a> can correct the position and fold of the auricle, but it is not indicated just because an adult deems it convenient. Clinical criteria combine anatomy, age, and, above all, whether the child perceives the shape as their own problem.<\/p>\n\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_otoplasty_corrects_and_what_it_does_not\"><\/span>What otoplasty corrects and what it does not<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n<p>Otoplasty is the surgery that brings the auricle closer to the head and, when missing, defines the antihelical fold or reduces excess concha. It does not improve hearing. It does not reconstruct a missing ear or treat complex malformations: those cases belong to reconstructive surgery and are assessed separately. Nor does it match two ears to the millimeter. The goal is a more discreet position and a proportionate contour, not laboratory symmetry.<\/p>\n\n<p>The clinic&#8217;s clinical records note a nuance worth repeating: in some children, skull growth can compensate for ear projection. Therefore, a protruding ear at four or five years old is not, by itself, a surgical indication.<\/p>\n\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"At_what_age_it_is_considered\"><\/span>At what age it is considered<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n<p>The auricle reaches much of its adult size in early childhood. The <a href=\"https:\/\/secpre.org\/cirugia-de-las-orejas\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Spanish Society of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery<\/a> generally places ear surgery from the age of six, when the child can express if they want a change. In Mallorca Medical Group&#8217;s practice, the age considered appropriate to contemplate pediatric otoplasty is from seven or eight years old, and only if the child themselves is affected.<\/p>\n\n<p>Before that window, the indication is exceptional. Operating because school &#8220;will start soon&#8221; or because a relative insists brings forward a decision that the child cannot yet support. Waiting is not inaction: it is part of the assessment.<\/p>\n\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_indication_is_not_determined_by_the_family_alone\"><\/span>The indication is not determined by the family alone<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n<p>The fact that a child has protruding ears does not mandate surgery. The indication is based on whether the condition creates a complex for them, often linked to comments or marginalization at school, and whether they experience it as a problem themselves. It is not enough for a parent to believe it is convenient to correct their child&#8217;s bat ears.<\/p>\n\n<p>In the consultation, we observe how the child speaks about their ears, not just how the adults speak. If the discomfort belongs to the parents and the child does not share it, the usual recommendation is not to intervene and to review later. If the discomfort is the child&#8217;s, persistent and understandable for their age, surgery may make sense. This conversation is part of the <a href=\"https:\/\/mallorcamedicalgroup.com\/contacto-y-cita\/\">personalized assessment<\/a>, which carries a fee.<\/p>\n\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_the_procedure_is_planned\"><\/span>How the procedure is planned<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n<p>The usual approach is posterior, in the groove behind the ear, so the scar remains hidden. From there, the cartilage is remodeled: sutures to create the missing fold, reduction of the concha if it is the main component, or a combination of both. In children, the cartilage is more flexible than in adults; this difference changes the technique, not the goal.<\/p>\n\n<p>In young children, anesthesia is usually general, in a hospital operating room. In older children, local anesthesia with sedation may be considered, depending on cooperation and the plan. The approximate duration in the clinic&#8217;s practice is about sixty minutes for non-complex bilateral cases. This is not a figure promised to all patients: an asymmetrical auricle or a revision will extend the time.<\/p>\n\n<p>A turban-style bandage protects the new position for the first few days. Afterward, a soft elastic headband is used, especially at night, for several weeks. In children, stitches are usually absorbable. Sedentary school activity is resumed before contact sports or any play that might bend the ear. The settling of the contour is observed throughout the first year.<\/p>\n\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_the_family_should_know_before_deciding\"><\/span>What the family should know before deciding<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n<p>The desired result is a less projected ear and a more defined fold. There is no guarantee that comments from others will stop, nor that both ears will look identical. There may be hematoma, cartilage infection, residual asymmetry, or projection that partially reappears and requires a touch-up. These are infrequent, which is why they are explained before, not after.<\/p>\n\n<p>Otoplasty in adults follows a different timeline and involves different cartilage. Those seeking that planning can read <a href=\"https:\/\/mallorcamedicalgroup.com\/en\/blog\/plastic-surgery-en\/ear-surgery-in-adults-what-can-be-corrected-and-how-it-is-planned\/\">otoplasty in adults: what can be corrected and how it is planned<\/a>. This text does not replace it.<\/p>\n\n<p>Dr. Jos\u00e9 Ignacio Garc\u00eda Ceballos, MD, FCCP, MRCS I England, specialist in plastic, reconstructive and aesthetic surgery, with 25 years of clinical practice, assesses each case in consultation. The information in this article is for educational purposes and does not replace that assessment.<\/p>\n<\/article>\n\n<!-- mmg-editorial-footer -->\n<hr class=\"mmg-editorial-footer-sep\" style=\"margin:2em 0 1em;border:none;border-top:1px solid #ddd;\"\/>\n<section class=\"mmg-editorial-footer\" style=\"font-size:0.85em;line-height:1.45;color:#555;\">\n  <h3 style=\"font-size:1em;margin:0 0 0.6em;color:#444;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Medical_review_and_editorial_transparency\"><\/span>Medical review and editorial transparency<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n <p style=\"margin:0 0 0.4em;\"><strong>Medical review:<\/strong> Dr. Garcia Ceballos, 070707770, specialist in plastic, reconstructive and aesthetic surgery<\/p>\n <p style=\"margin:0 0 0.8em;\"><strong>Last review:<\/strong> 2026-10-19<\/p>\n <p style=\"margin:0 0 0.6em;\">This content has undergone human review and editorial control prior to publication. Mallorca Medical Group may use artificial intelligence tools to support certain stages of preparation, organization, translation, or editing of its content. These tools do not replace medical review or professional judgment, and Mallorca Medical Group maintains editorial responsibility for the published content.<\/p>\n <p style=\"margin:0 0 0.6em;\">The information provided is for informational and educational purposes only and does not replace an individualized medical assessment.<\/p>\n  <p style=\"margin:0;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/mallorcamedicalgroup.com\/en\/legal-2\/\"><strong>Review our Editorial Policy and Policy on the Use of Artificial Intelligence<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<\/section>\n<!-- \/mmg-editorial-footer -->\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Otoplasty in children is not indicated solely because the family desires it. Age, anatomy, and the child&#8217;s own discomfort determine when to operate and when to wait.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":117033,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"content-type":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[115,446,556,682],"tags":[608,1513,2127,2128,2236],"class_list":["post-117035","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-plastic-surgery-en","category-la-mejor-clinica-de-estetica-de-mallorca-en","category-facial-plastic-surgery-en","category-consejos-cirugia-plastica-en","tag-cirugia-plastica-facial-en","tag-otoplastia-en","tag-ear-surgery","tag-protruding-ears","tag-otoplasty-in-children"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/mallorcamedicalgroup.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/117035","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/mallorcamedicalgroup.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/mallorcamedicalgroup.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mallorcamedicalgroup.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mallorcamedicalgroup.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=117035"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/mallorcamedicalgroup.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/117035\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":117037,"href":"https:\/\/mallorcamedicalgroup.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/117035\/revisions\/117037"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mallorcamedicalgroup.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/117033"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/mallorcamedicalgroup.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=117035"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mallorcamedicalgroup.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=117035"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mallorcamedicalgroup.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=117035"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}