Ear surgery or otoplasty is done to reduce the size of large ears or to pin back prominent ears.  Otoplasty is usually performed between the ages of 4 and 14, ears are fully developed by age 4. The procedure is performed at a young age to prevent children from teasing and ridicule. Otoplasty includes a combination of moving, reshaping, adding, and removing structural ear elements.  This procedure is also for distorted, damaged or missing ear elements. Altering protruding ears are the most popular otoplasty procedure; the surgeon will reshaped the cartilage to position the ear closer to the head.  Incisions are made behind the ear concealed in the natural skin crease.  For small or missing ear deformities involving augmentation, the surgeon will remove cartilage from the ear or ribs.