The best time to have ear reconstruction surgery is based on several factors: the growth pattern of the ear, the amount of rib cartilage, the age at school, and the risk of ridicule from peers. In terms of the growth pattern of the ear, the ear is 66% of the adult size at birth, 85% of the adult size at age 3, 95% of the adult size at age 6, and basically the same as an adult at age 10, when the width of the ear almost stops growing and the distance from the ear wheel to the mastoid remains the same from then on. In terms of rib cartilage development, there is not enough rib cartilage for ear reconstruction until the child is at least 5-6 years old, at which point an ear scaffold of sufficient size can be sculpted from autologous cartilage. Psychologically, a child’s body awareness usually develops between the ages of 4 and 5, which is the age when school starts, so it is ideal to complete the ear reconstruction surgery before the child starts school, thus avoiding the psychological damage caused by peer ridicule. However, the obvious psychological impact on the child may not become apparent until 7-10 years of age. Balancing these factors, most plastic surgeons prefer to perform auricular reconstruction around the age of 6 to 10 years old, and Brent recommends performing the surgery at the age of 7 or 8 years, when the child is more aware of his or her deformity and can be more cooperative throughout the procedure. However, if faced with intense pressure from the child’s parents to have the surgery, he will also start the surgery when the child is 4-6 years old, thus completing the surgery before the child goes to school. In addition, many surgeons, especially those who perform ear reconstruction surgery using the Nagata method, will start the surgery when the child is around 10 years old or when the child reaches at least 60 cm of chest circumference at the level of the scimitar, because ear reconstruction using the Nagata method requires a larger volume of cartilage, so the child is older for the surgery. If allograft material is used as scaffolding material for ear reconstruction, rib cartilage is no longer needed as a scaffold and the surgery can be performed at an earlier age. However, it is then necessary to make the appropriate size adjustment according to the growth pattern of the ear. The minimum age for ear reconstruction here is six years old, but there is also the condition that the child has a 60 cm chest circumference at the level of the glabella.