Amber Tamblyn is discussing her choice to have plastic surgery when she was quite young.

The 41-year-old actress, known for her role in “Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants,” shared in a recent New York Times essay that she underwent ear-pinning surgery at the age of 12 after landing her first significant TV role.

Tamblyn explained that as a child, she had “ears that stuck out like big butterfly wings,” which led to teasing from her peers. She often found herself looking in the mirror wishing her ears would lie flat against her head, but the turning point for her decision to get surgery came as she prepared to appear on television.

“Knowing that millions would be judging me on their screens, rather than just on a playground, changed everything for me,” she reflected.

While she did not specify which role, it’s notable that she began her appearance on “General Hospital” in 1995, the year she turned 12.

Tamblyn also candidly admitted that her choice to have the surgery made her feel like a “hypocrite,” especially since she was known as a passionate young feminist at the time. She even wrote a poem criticizing the lengths women go to be “young and desirable.” She stated that the surgery felt like a defensive measure against her own perceived disposability.

According to the Cleveland Clinic, ear-pinning surgery is a permanent procedure that draws a person’s ears closer to their head. The operation typically lasts about two hours and is usually performed under general anesthesia, with a strong safety record, according to the clinic.

Tamblyn’s piece was linked to “The Substance,” a new body horror film featuring Demi Moore. In the film, Moore portrays a fitness show host who is dismissed on her 50th birthday as the network seeks a younger replacement. Consequently, she turns to a black market drug that generates a younger version of herself but leads to disturbing side effects.

Demi Moore, during an interview with YSL News, mentioned that “The Substance” reflects the reality that “we all experience self-judgment and criticism, which can lead to a kind of violence against ourselves.” She hopes the film can contribute to a cultural shift by raising awareness on this issue.

In her New York Times article, Tamblyn connected her story to the film, sharing her struggles as a “child actress under the intense scrutiny of the entertainment industry.” She recounted a director advising her in her 20s that maintaining youthfulness was essential for a lasting career, and she once overheard an agent describe working with actresses over 30 as “hell on earth.”

“Such distorted beliefs have become the norm — and women often end up being their own worst enemies,” she noted. “Would I have been less content if I had rejected the urge to have my ears pinned back, if they still stuck out today? I can’t say for certain — but it’s a thought I often revisit, considering how I conformed to the industry’s standards.”

Other celebrities, like Bella Hadid, have also spoken out about their regrets regarding plastic surgery, with Hadid revealing in a 2022 Vogue interview that she had a nose job at age 14.

“I wish I had kept the nose that my ancestors gave me,” she admitted. “I believe I would have grown into it.”