Repairing a Torn Earlobe

Earlobes may not seem crucial, when one is torn, they can be disfiguring. The soft cartilage can easily be torn and will often heal oddly, which can be embarrassing for some people. To repair an earlobe, minor cosmetic surgery is needed to make the two pieces whole again.

Causes of Torn Earlobes

The most common cause of torn earlobes is earrings. Heavy earrings can stretch the holes in the earlobe and create a thin piece of cartilage holding the jewelry in place. Add extra pressure of talking on the phone or wearing headphones, and the hole can become even larger. It can only take a slight tug on an earring to tear through the thin cartilage, leaving the earlobe in two pieces.

Earlobes can also be torn due to trauma or other injuries, especially when the ears are pierced. An earring can get caught during an accident and tear through the lobe.

Undergoing Earlobe Surgery

The good news is that torn earlobe repair can be done quickly by a plastic surgeon. In most cases, the lobe can be carefully sewn back together during an office visit. Local anesthesia is usually all that is needed while the surgeon puts the pieces of the lobe back together. If done successfully, some people can wear earrings again once the lobe has been completely healed, although they may need to have the lobe re-pierced.

If you have an earlobe that has torn or been disfigured, call a local plastic surgeon that specializes in cosmetic ear repairs. Most earlobes can be repaired quickly and made whole again with an outpatient cosmetic procedure to fix the damaged cartilage.

Posted on behalf of:
Maurice M. Khosh, MD, FACS
580 Park Avenue, Suite 1BE
New York, NY 10065
212-339-9988

Earlobe Repair Surgery

Having your ears pierced is one of the most common beauty enhancement in the world. Both men and women are at risk for stretching, tearing, and scarring. Heavy earrings and other jewelry attached at the ear can cause the earlobes to be damaged. With severe damage or tearing of the earlobe, people who desire to continue wearing earrings will not be able to with out repair.

Most earlobes can be correctively repaired using delicate surgical repair techniques. Earlobe repair surgery is able to be done in the office as an out patient procedure. A surgeon will use local anesthesia to numb the earlobe before the procedure is started. 

In order to repair the earlobe, the parts of the tear that have begun to heal will have to be removed. Your surgeon will want “fresh” skin to work with in order to avoid scar tissue building up after the repair. Your doctor will sew up the torn lobe with either a straight line or a zigzag sewing technique. The technique that will be be used will determined prior to the surgical repair. The specific location of the tear and the anatomy of the earlobe will help to make that decision. Fine suture threads will be used to minimize scaring and to support the repair as it heals. 

Once you leave the doctor’s office, a prescription for an antibiotic ointment will be given to you. The ointment will be applied at home for a few days to ensure the area stays clean and free from infection. Most earlobe repair surgeries result in a very visible scar. It is recommended that patients wait a minimum of 8 weeks, but the earlobe can be pierced again. Patients are given caution to avoid heavy and large ear jewelry to avoid re-injury to the earlobe. 

Posted on behalf of Benjamin Stong, MD, Kalos Facial Plastic Surgery, LLC 

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