Cosmetic ear surgery or otoplasty can be performed to reshape the ears in many different ways. The most common procedure is ear pinning to correct ears which stick out by setting them back closer to the head; although ear surgery can also be used to reduce large ears, reshape the cartilage in ears with unnatural shapes, reduce large or stretched earlobes, rebuild new ears for people born without lobes or after an injury, reduce large creases and wrinkles in the ear or increase the size of very small ears. Otoplasty is usually performed on children between 5 and 14 years of age, as having the procedure at a young age is highly desirable and recommended. The operation can be performed under a local anaesthetic; however, some people are given their anaesthetic via an intravenous drip or a general anaesthetic, (this is particularly common when children are having the surgery). Most people find that they can go back to work or school after one to two days and it is usually around a couple of months before normal contact sport activities can be resumed. Private costs for ear surgery can range from approximately £1,000 - £3,000. In some cases children can have this procedure via the NHS.