Earlobe repair Scottsdale

Many people enjoy wearing earrings. They can be a great form of self-expression, but unfortunately, wearing earrings sometimes leads to damage to the earlobes. Sometimes, an earring may be pulled or caught, leading to a tear in the earlobe. Wearing heavy earrings can also stretch the earlobes over time, leading to droopy earlobes with holes that are too large.

In the past few years, “gauged” earlobes also became very popular. This style involves placing objects of gradually increasing size into the earlobe, to stretch it out and create a large hole through the earlobe. Although some people continue to enjoy this look over the long term, there are others who later decide that it’s not right for them anymore.

If your earlobe has been torn or stretched, will it heal on its own? Is it possible to repair it?

A torn earlobe may not heal on its own

An earlobe that has been torn or stretched will generally not go back to normal on its own. If there has been a tear in the earlobe, then some degree of healing will take place; however, it’s unlikely that the healing process will produce a good cosmetic result. In many cases, after the earlobe is torn, the two sides will heal separately from each other (leaving a slit remaining in the earlobe), or they will come together unevenly.

If the earlobe has been stretched (by heavy earrings or by a gauge), the hole may shrink to some degree after the earring or gauge has been removed. However, it will usually not shrink all the way back down to its natural size and shape. If there was only mild stretching and it lasted for a shorter period of time, then the appearance of the earlobe may be acceptable after the natural healing process. In most cases, however, the earlobe will still appear droopy, and the large hole will remain obvious.

A plastic surgeon can help

Does this mean that you simply have to live with the damage to your earlobes? Fortunately not. A plastic surgeon can repair the earlobe and restore a good cosmetic appearance. This is a relatively simple procedure. In fact, it can often be performed under local anesthesia if the patient is comfortable with this. The surgeon will remove any excess drooping tissue, and reshape the earlobe so that it has as natural an appearance as possible.

After the procedure, there will still be scars on the earlobe. However, with good surgical skill, these can be minimized. Even with the scars, the appearance of the earlobe after the procedure is generally much more natural than before.

If you still wish to wear earrings after having your earlobe repaired, then it’s generally possible to have your ears re-pierced. You will need to wait until the healing process is complete (about six weeks after your procedure), and we recommend selecting smaller earrings in the future to avoid stretching the earlobe out again. If you’re interested in re-piercing, please discuss this with your plastic surgeon to get more details and personalized recommendations.

Earlobe repair Scottsdale

If your earlobe has been damaged, and you’d like to learn more about what would be involved in repairing it, please contact our office to schedule a consultation with Dr. Henderson. An examination will allow her to determine what you would need in order to restore your earlobe to its natural appearance. In general, the procedure is relatively quick, and recovery is not too difficult.

The earlobe repair procedure is not designed to reshape the ear overall. It is only intended to address the earlobe. If you would like to change the overall shape of the ear, including making the ear less prominent, then there is a more involved procedure known as an otoplasty that can reshape the cartilage of the ear in order to accomplish this. Dr. Henderson will be happy to discuss this possibility with you if you’re interested.