TORN EARLOBE REPAIR IS EASIER THAN YOU THINK
How many of you have been walking around for years with torn or elongated earring holes? Are you avoiding wearing those expensive diamond studs you got for some special occasion?
The ears add to the overall aesthetics and balance of the face. A torn earlobe is unattractive and can draw attention away from other facial features. The biggest culprits causing torn earlobes are babies, sweaters, and hairbrushes. Additionally, earlobes may have stretched from years of wearing heavy earrings. Or maybe you have intentionally stretched your earlobes during the recent trend but have now decided you no longer want gauged earlobes. Whatever the reason, earlobe repair is a quick and easy fix.
REPAIRING YOUR EARLOBES
Earlobe repair is a surgery intended to close any gaps and restore the earlobe to its original shape. The procedure to repair the earlobe is fairly quick, painless, and considered minimally invasive. The surgery is performed in an office-based facility under local anesthesia to numb the area, and it typically takes around 20 minutes per ear to complete. During the procedure, the side of the earlobe that is split or torn is removed and then sutured back together. We may use sophisticated surgical techniques such as z-plasty or a rotation flap.
AFTER SURGERY
There is no downtime following earlobe repair surgery, and dressings are unnecessary after the procedure. Patients typically return to work the very next day. Bruising is usually minimal at the suture site, though slight swelling and redness can be expected in the treatment area. These side effects are temporary and should subside within a few days. Though not expected, if pain medication is required, an over-the-counter oral medication, such as acetaminophen (TYLENOL®), should be sufficient.
Patients may be instructed to apply an antibiotic ointment two times daily for one week, depending on the physician’s preference. Patients will be advised to avoid strenuous activity to keep swelling to a minimum and ensure proper healing. Seven to 10 days after surgery, the sutures will be removed and the healing progress will be assessed. Scarring is minimal, and earlobes can usually be pierced again in approximately six weeks if desired.
REDUCING EARLOBES.
Sometimes we may even reduce the size of aging, pendulous earlobes as a single procedure or combined with facelift surgery.
RESHAPING EAR DEFECTS
Ear surgery, medically known as otoplasty is a more complex procedure and will be discussed in more detail in a future blog. Otoplasty includes surgical and non-surgical procedures to address congenital or cosmetic defects of the ears. In reshaping the outer ear, ear surgery can correct deformities and improve appearance, thus improving self-esteem and instilling confidence in the patient. Some of the issues that reconstructive ear surgery can address include:
- Protruding ears
- Lop ear
- Constricted ear
- Microtia
Many issues of the outer ear can be corrected with ear surgery. It’s worth it to see what ear surgery can do for you. If you are interested in earlobe repair or have misshapen ears, seek out the experts at Pearlman Aesthetic Surgery. Contact our office at 212-223-8300 to schedule your consultation today.
