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What to ask · Last reviewed 23 October 2025
Written and maintained by the Clinics for Kings editorial desk·Edited by Morten Andersen & Fredrik Filipsson
Fact-checked against the cited medical and cost sources by the Clinics for Kings editorial desk·General information, not a clinician’s review — always consult a licensed doctor.

Otoplasty: the questions that protect you.

Ear surgery is delicate work on cartilage that has to heal in a new shape. Ask these before you pay a deposit, at home or abroad.

General health information, not medical advice, and not a substitute for a qualified doctor. Always consult a licensed professional before making any decision.
£1,500+
Indicative abroad
all in, from about
8 to 10
Key questions
before any deposit
In writing
Technique and price
never verbal only
The one honest thing
A firm price quoted before anyone has examined your ears in person is marketing, not an estimate.
Quick answer

What should I ask?

Ask who performs the surgery and what they are qualified and registered to do, which technique they plan and why, what the all inclusive price actually covers, what happens if the ears relapse or heal unevenly, and how aftercare works once you fly home. Get the answers in writing.

The goal is simple. You want to leave the consultation knowing exactly who, exactly what, exactly how much, and exactly what happens if something is not right.

The surgeon and the plan

Who, and exactly what.

A clear answer to who operates and which method they use tells you most of what you need to know.

Start with the person, not the package. Ask who will actually perform the operation, what specialist qualification they hold, where they are registered to practise, and how often they do this exact procedure. Ask whether the same surgeon will see you for your follow up, or whether you are handed to a different team.

Then the plan. Otoplasty can use cartilage sparing suture techniques or cartilage scoring methods, and the right choice depends on your ears. Ask which technique they recommend for you and why, whether one ear or both are being treated, and how they will keep the two ears balanced. A surgeon who has examined your ears in person should be able to explain this in plain language.

Ask to understand realistic outcomes rather than a guaranteed look. Anyone who promises a perfect, permanent result with no chance of relapse is overselling. Honest answers sound careful, not absolute.

Price, safety and aftercare

The questions about money and safety.

A good clinic answers these without hesitation and puts the answers in writing.

On price, ask exactly what the all inclusive figure covers. Does it include the consultation, anaesthesia, the facility, medication, the protective headband, and your follow up reviews? Ask which currency you are billed in, what a revision would cost if the ears need adjusting, and whether there is any cover for complications. A firm price quoted before anyone has examined your ears is marketing, not an estimate.

On safety, ask how the facility is accredited and what anaesthesia is used, since otoplasty is often done under local anaesthetic. Ask about their reported rates of relapse and infection, how they manage a bleed under the skin, and who you call if something goes wrong after you land at home. Ask what records you will be given to take to a doctor in your own country.

On aftercare, ask how long you must wear the headband, when stitches come out, how soon you can fly, and what the plan is if you notice swelling, pain, or a change in the shape weeks later. Travelling home does not end the recovery, so the answer to who cares for you afterwards matters as much as the surgery itself.

Get Matched with a vetted clinic

Now you know what to ask, compare safely.

Send one brief and we route it to vetted clinics that meet the standards above. They return tailored plans and all in prices. You choose, with no pressure.

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How we make money: the guides are free and no clinic can pay to be named, ranked or recommended. We never name clinics. Get Matched is an optional service that helps keep the guides free and independent of any one clinic; using it is always your choice and you are never charged. How this works.

Common questions

The things everyone asks.

What is the single most important question?

Who will actually perform my surgery, and what are they qualified and registered to do. Everything else follows from a clear answer to that.

How do I check a surgeon from another country?

Ask for their full name and registration details, then verify them with the relevant national medical regulator. A clinic with nothing to hide will give you this readily.

What should the written quote include?

The technique planned, the surgeon, anaesthesia, the facility, medication, the protective headband, follow up reviews, the billing currency, and the cost of a revision if one is needed.

What if the ears relapse after I fly home?

Ask before you book. Relapse is the most common reason for a second otoplasty, so you want to know who reviews you, what a revision costs, and how it is arranged from a distance.

Is it a red flag if they quote a price straight away?

A firm price before anyone has examined your ears in person is marketing, not a real estimate. A genuine quote follows an assessment and states which technique is planned.

Keep reading

Where to go next.

More otoplasty guides are in production. In the meantime you can Get Matched or browse all procedures.

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