Influencers Spark Surge in ‘Elf Ear’ Surgery in China

The viral “Elf Ear” trend on Chinese social media in 2021 is still quite popular several years later.

Recently, influencer Tian Jianan uploaded before and after photos on Weibo, the Chinese version of Twitter, showing off her “Elf Ear” procedure.

Tian shared she underwent the procedure because she believes that “such a small change makes my face look slimmer and younger.”

The “Elf Ear” trend involves pulling the ears closer to the face, making them more visible from the front. In the past, people used special adhesive tape to hold the ears in place. However, this method was easily noticeable from behind and had the disadvantage of suddenly coming off.

Many dermatology and plastic surgery clinics in China are now offering procedures for “Elf Ears,” and numerous Chinese women are known to be paying big money for surgeries to achieve protruding ears.

The simplest procedure involves injecting hyaluronic acid behind the earlobe to make it stick to the side. However, this is a temporary solution, as the ear returns to its original position once the injection effect disappears.

For permanent results, plastic surgeons have started performing surgeries that insert pieces of cartilage behind the ear, but these are riskier and more expensive.

In addition to “Elf Ears,” other unusual procedures Chinese women are getting include “Calf Blocking” surgeries. These involve surgically severing “less important” nerves in the leg to permanently atrophy calf muscles, creating the appearance of slimmer, straighter legs.

While the obsession with protruding “Elf Ears” has intensified in recent years, looking at past examples of Chinese actresses and models shows that this has been a preference among Chinese women for a long time.