Earlobe Repair – The Complete Awesome Guide with Tips and Treatments
Earlobe repair is a precision cosmetic surgery performed to repair large ear holes or split earlobes.
Have you ever wondered why your ear holes have become big? Or, What can you do to prevent them from enlarging any further?
We have prepared this article as a complete guide to help you out with large ear holes or split earlobes. We have tried to keep things as simple as possible but as the nature of things are sometimes medical procedures become a tad difficult to explain.
Feel free to book an appointment with our consultants.
What are the benefits of Earlobe repair?
- Ears are an essential part of the face. Any abnormality is immediately noticeable. Enlarged ear holes or split earlobes don’t look aesthetically pleasing.
- Earlobe repair is a day care procedure, and you don’t have to stay back. It takes around an hour for the entire procedure.
- It is a quick, easy and painless way to restore the earlobe permanently.
- You can get an ear piercing again.
Contents
So, Why do the ear holes enlarge or split in the first place?
Weight of the Earrings
Heavy ear rings with Thin stalk or hook tend to cut through more easily. Thus an ear ring with a thicker hook or stud is preferable if your ear holes have a tendency to enlarge.
Ageing
During the natural process of ageing, the skin gradually loses collagen and elastin fibres which give strength, elasticity, and tightness to the skin.
Genetic Makeup
Shape and position of various parts of the face are also linked to our genetic traits like the shape of the nose, eye colour, eyebrows, lips etc.
Smoking
Smoking accelerates the natural ageing process by restricting the blood flow to the skin. This increased ageing of the skin and decreased collagen and elastin fibres result in the loose wrinkled skin.
Trauma
Sometimes earlobes may get cut because of trauma. Earloops may be pulled by getting entangled in stuff, or maybe a small child pulls at it too hard.
How to prevent ear holes from enlarging?
There is nothing you can do to change your skin type or eliminate gravity.
Use lighter earrings for routine wear. Danglers (ornaments that hang) tend to pull on the ear lobe as they sway, so studs are a better choice as they stay snug to the ear lobe.
Earrings with a thin central staff cut through the skin quicker than with thick stalk.
You need to be more careful if you have thin skin and thin earlobes. Your earholes will probably enlarge early. But do remember that given enough weight all ear holes will expand eventually.
How is Earlobe repair procedure performed? (Simplified steps)
The ear is made up of cartilage covered by the skin on both sides. It is a complicated structure in its 3D orientation whereas the earlobe is soft and devoid of any cartilage support.
The surgery is performed as a daycare procedure at our Clinic.
– Firstly skin marking is done to illustrate the final scar line to you.
– On the procedure chair, the ear is cleaned and infiltrated with a local anaesthetic so that you don’t feel any pain during the procedure.
– The extra skin on the inside edge of the enlarged ear hole or split ear hole is carefully removed preserving the natural contour of the ear.
– The skin on the front and back of the earlobe is approximated with fine sutures or skin glue.
– A small dressing is placed, and you are allowed to go home.
Suture-less Glue repair vs Sutured Earlobe Repair? (Which is better)
When correctly performed both types of repair can produce fantastic results. Though there are some caveats to either procedure.
The suture-less glue repair may leave a scar that is not flush with the surface of the earlobe. The inwards dipping suture-line catches the light at the wrong angles and creates a shadow along the ridge making the scar very prominent. The incision scar may also widen with time.
On the other hand, sutured repair causes the inconvenience of returning to the clinic for suture removal after seven days but produces a much better and thin scar which is generally flush with the surface of the earlobe.
The reason is that sutures grab the skin as well as the soft tissue inside and hold them together while the tissues heal. Glue approximates the skin surfaces only, and the healing soft tissue beneath the skin shrinks away from each other causing valley like a deep final incision scar.
Dr. Vishal Purohit
Cosmetic & Plastic Surgeon
Dr. Vishal Purohit is a board-certified Plastic Surgeon practicing in the Pink City Jaipur, Rajasthan. He is well versed in Cosmetic Surgery, Facial Aesthetic Surgery, Reconstructive Surgery, Hand Surgery, Microvascular Surgery, and Burns Surgery.
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Faq’s
When will I see the results?
Results are best appreciated around three weeks after the surgery.
What are the risks and safety considerations ?
Like all surgical procedures, there are risks related to surgery, anaesthesia, and sutures. Please read the Earlobe Repair Informed Consent document wholly and thoroughly to understand the risks involved.
Who are the best candidates for Earlobe repair?
Any teenager or adult who is otherwise healthy and does not have a life-threatening illness or medical conditions that can impair healing, are nonsmokers and are Individuals with a positive outlook are fit for earlobe repair surgery.