Ear Lobe Repair
DO YOU HAVE AN EARLOBE THAT WAS TORN FROM AN EARRING BEING PULLED THROUGH IT?
You will be relieved to know that this can easily be repaired as an in-office procedure.
Ear lobe repair is a surgical procedure performed under local anesthesia that involves restoration of the natural shape of the ear lobe that has been torn usually with earrings.
An earlobe tear may be partial or complete. A partial tear is when the gap is enlarged, but the lobe is not split. Although it is partial, some of these tears can cause severe disfigurement, like in the case of gauges. Complete split refers to ear lobes that have the gap separated, giving it the appearance of two flaps.
The procedure consists of "freshening" the edges of the split by removing a small amount of skin. Then using fine sutures, the split is stitched together restoring the beautiful contour of the lobe. Patients go home immediately after the procedure with flesh colored steri-strips over the incisions. Sutures will be removed in about a week and the ears may be re-pierced six to eight weeks later. Clip-on or magnetic earrings may be worn at four weeks after the procedure.
Who Are Good Candidates For An Ear Lobe Repair?
Someone who has one of the following conditions:
- A typical split ear lobe
- Stretched hole from an earring not completely torn through
- Another split earlobe that wears their earrings in a second upper piercing
- Someone who wore gauged earrings before and now wants a “normal” earlobe