Looking tough has apparently become a little too literal for some men. A cosmetic procedure is gaining attention for giving people something that usually comes from years of getting hit, grabbed, and generally having a very rough time in combat sports. They are called cauliflower ears.
What's that? You may wonder. Cauliflower ear is the thick, misshapen appearance that can develop when the ear suffers repeated trauma. The impact can separate the skin from the cartilage and interfere with its blood supply, eventually leaving the ear permanently deformed.
Some men are reportedly paying to deliberately deform their ears so they can get the "cauliflower ear" look associated with combat sports
The procedure reportedly costs around 6,000 rubles per ear, with intimidation said to be one of the main reasons behind the unusual trend
For boxers, rugby players, and MMA fighters, it is usually an injury rather than a fashion choice. Many athletes actually have fluid drained from their ears to prevent the damage from becoming permanent. Now, however, some men are apparently skipping the years of fighting and going straight for the finished product.
According to Russian Telegram channel Baza, via VICE, Russian men specifically are paying around 6,000 rubles, or approximately £55, for each ear to be deliberately deformed. Reconstructive surgery can then cost considerably more if someone eventually decides they have had enough of their new look.
The reason behind the trend is reportedly intimidation. The thinking seems to be that someone with visibly damaged ears will be assumed to have experience in combat sports and, therefore, might not be someone others want to mess with. Still, there is just one slight flaw in that plan. The ears might suggest a fighting background, but they cannot actually prove one.
Psychologist Ekaterina Trofimova discussed the idea with Moskva 24 and argued that genuine confidence tends to look very different from an exaggerated display of masculinity. "Sometimes true strength hides behind a mask of outward composure and absolute tranquility," she said.
According to Trofimova, someone who is genuinely skilled in martial arts might not look particularly intimidating at all. Their confidence can instead show through their calmness and the way they carry themselves. There is no need for an elaborate performance of toughness.
That is an interesting contrast with the reason behind the procedure. Someone can spend money deliberately creating an injury associated with years of fighting, only for the person they are trying to intimidate to realize that the ears are doing most of the talking.
The trend also comes at a time when social media has made appearance-based ideas of masculinity increasingly difficult to escape. Men are regularly presented with carefully constructed images of what they supposedly need to look like, and some of those ideals can get pretty extreme.
Still, deliberately changing your ears so strangers assume you have been in countless fights is certainly an unusual addition to the list. Because while real fighters might spend years earning their cauliflower ears by accident, these men are apparently willing to pay for theirs upfront. What do you think about this? What’s the strangest cosmetic procedure or appearance trend you’ve ever heard of? We would love to hear from you!
Psychologist argues that genuine strength comes from calm confidence rather than exaggerated displays of masculinity, and netizens agree that cauliflower ears are rather earned from fighting
