Earlobes and earring holes can get stretched over time from heavy earrings or gauges. An earlobe can be torn when an earring gets snagged in clothes or pulled by accident.

If your earlobes don’t look the way you want them to, or if they’re damaged by an earring injury or other type of injury, you may be a candidate for earlobe repair at Premier Plastic Surgery.

Earlobe Appearance

There are a number of conditions that can cause a patient to need or desire earlobe repair.

Trauma or earring accidents

Trauma such as a dog bite or other incident can rip or otherwise damage or destroy earlobes. Earrings getting snagged on things or pulled by children can cause the earlobe to be unable to hold earrings or be “split-looking.”

Ear gauges or earring holes

Ear gauges are designed to stretch the earlobes, creating holes significantly larger than the small hole of a typical earring piercing. These holes will remain even after the gauges are removed. Without the gauges, the holes will shrink, but they will never be without the larger hole that was left there. Patients should wait until the ear finishes shrinking on its own before considering surgery.

Some patients want to restore their earlobes to their original appearance with no gauge holes, while others would like to wear earrings again but can’t because of the gauge holes. Some patients would like their earlobe restored and closed when they no longer want a piercing of any kind.

When you have your initial consultation at Premier Plastic Surgery, we will begin by assessing the current condition of your ear or ears and recommend which method of restoration to use, basing this on whether you need torn earlobe repair, ear gauge surgery, or earlobe reduction.

Earlobe surgical repair

Earlobe surgery or repair is a reconstructive plastic surgery procedure performed to restore the appearance of earlobes that have been torn or stretched due to ear tearing, trauma, piercing, or gauges.

Torn earlobe surgery is usually performed in the office using a local anesthetic. The specific method of earlobe repair depends on how much tissue was lost and/or the nature of the earlobe injury. There are a number of different techniques that can be performed to close the wound, redistribute tissue, and reshape the ear to match the natural ear shape.

To repair holes, skin is removed from around the hole, and the hole is stitched closed. In cases where reconstruction is needed to repair the earlobe, small flaps are sometimes used to redesign the earlobe. Absorbable sutures can also be used, and we will use specific suturing techniques to minimize scarring.

How long will recovery take?

Patients can return to work immediately following the procedure. There will be mild pain for a couple of days and the ear will need a thin layer of antibiotic ointment. Patients will need to keep the sutured area clean.

In 2-6 months after the repair, patients can pierce their ears again. Re-piercing of the earlobe will likely need to be in a slightly different location than the original piercing to avoid any scar tissue.

Why choose Premier Plastic Surgery for my earlobe repair?

Dr. Heil and his team at Premier Plastic Surgery are a trusted team of doctors who highly value patient care and excellence in surgical procedures. Premier Plastic Surgery cares about giving you the best possible outcomes in a warm, welcoming and professional environment. Contact us today for a consultation about earlobe repair to restore your earlobes.