Melynda Moon, a 23-year-old Canadian model, has put herself through one of the most bizarre cosmetic surgeries I’ve heard of. While most people ask their surgeons to make their nose smaller or lips fuller, Moon aimed at making her ears pointier. Why? Because she wanted to look like an elf. “I have always had fantasies about what it would be like to be something other than human,” Moon said. “So I decided to change my appearance to look supernatural.” In August 2011, she spent $400 on a painful surgery to have her ears modified. To achieve the desired result, the tops of Moon’s ear cartilage were skinned. Pieces were cut from the tips to form points. Her ears were almost ‘carved’ into a triangular shape, reminiscent of the Elves from the Lord of the Rings.

Photo: Melynda Moon/Instagram

The two-hour long treatment was by no means easy for her. She has confessed that her ears “were really swollen and sore with a slight burning sensation.” The stitches stayed in for a couple of weeks – that’s how long it took for the skin to heal into their new ‘elven’ shape.

Photo: Trillance Photography

But Moon said that the entire process was “worth it.” “Pointed ears are the most adorable thing, and I find the elven attire so elegant. My inspiration comes from The Lord of the Rings: the long hair, dresses and the closeness to nature. When I found I could have my ears pointed I have never been so sure of something my entire life.”

Photo: Melynda Moon/Instagram

It’s not just the ears, Moon dresses like an elf too. She has a subdermal implant in her hand, representing the symbol of the Legend of Zelda. Even her name isn’t original; she had it changed by deed poll to suit her new personality.

with Dezi Desire – Photo by Trillance Photography

“I am drawn to elves because of their innocence, elegance and free spirit. They are a symbol of love and laughter.” Moon strongly believes she was a fairy in a previous life. In fact, she has been “obsessed with all things mythical” since childhood. When she was a teenager, Moon would Photoshop her ears to make them pointed in pictures, and use makeup to make herself look ‘elven’.

Photo: Melynda Moon/Facebook

Reactions to Moon’s appearance are varied. “I have a handful of people assume I am dressed up because I have put on pointed ears. When I tell them they are real, they look pretty confused as if they are waiting for me to say ‘just kidding’ – but I am not.” Some of her friends get their kids to behave by saying that they know someone who knows Santa. “Then their children see my ears and realize their parents aren’t joking.”

 

To critics, Moon has just this to say: “Not everyone is going to like you for a lot of things. When you stand out, you get more grief. Ignorance is bliss. If people want to judge me because their head is so far up their ass, then that is fine by me.” That doesn’t sound too elf-like, but she does have a point. For photos of the actual surgery and the healing process, check out this post on Melynda’s Tumblr blog.