While overly prominent ears seem to occur slightly more frequently in the Asian population, the stigma of a prominent ear as an undesirable facial feature is almost non-existent in Asia itself.

Flat ears are still seen as more desirable (especially on a slim face) but not to the point of causing most patients in the Orient to consider surgical correction.

Not so in the West, where patients of Asian descent seem to have adopted more European attitudes regarding large and wide ears as a negative facial trait. Noticeable asymmetry may be of even more concern.

Surgical correction, or otoplasty, is the same in the two groups:

• If the ear is seen as extending too far out from the head, skin excision behind the ear is not alone sufficient to move the ear inward. Both skin and cartilage must be excised and reshaped with sutures.

• If the ear is also seen as too large, additional tissue resection is required.

Almost all people have some asymmetry in ear shape and position due to basic anatomical variation that may not be adjustable. It is thus reasonable to expect some imbalance between the two sides to persist even after cosmetic ear surgery.