Captain Spock Surgery (Ear Reshaping)

Cosmetic surgery is becoming more and more accessible to people all over the world and it is also much less of a taboo, meaning more and more people are deciding to go under the knife. This is popular with both men and women as well, with both sexes deciding to undergo rhinoplasty (nose job), liposuction, abdominoplasty (tummy tuck) and breast reduction surgery. There are also procedures such as blepharoplasty (eyelid surgery), chin surgeries and many more. Over the years the techniques and methods used by surgeons have developed and organisations monitoring the procedures and the clinics that carry them out have strengthened, meaning that safety is a big concern.

One form of cosmetic surgery that is becoming popular is otoplasty, or ear surgery, which is where someone might have their ears reshaped, particularly if they are sticking out. Patients might choose to have their ears pinned back (earning it the title ‘ear pinning’) solving a problem that might have been causing problems with confidence and self esteem. Overall, otoplasty can include a variety of procedures and can involve the simple pinning, or it could be much larger, encompassing the removal of tissue as well as the adding of tissue. As a result some people might have their ears modelled in a particular way, with surgery to have their ears shaped like those of Captain Spock of Star Trek becoming popular. Captain Spock surgery involves ear reshaping, making them pointed to resemble the famous captain.

However, if people do not want to the Captain Spock look, otoplasty will often result in a natural appearance. Most cosmetic surgery is performed in such a way to create little visible scarring and ear reshaping is no different. Any incisions are done in the natural crease of the skin so that the end result is a reshaped ear without evidence of work done.

For the most part, people will undergo otoplasty if their ears are too big, if they stick out too much or if they are asymmetrical. All of these can be embarrassing, particularly for children, which means that this form of cosmetic surgery is more popular with the younger generation. Usually, a doctor will perform the procedure on children aged between 4 and 14, but adults can undergo it as well.