One area that can be often prone to damage is the earlobe. The reason for this is that earlobe skin is very delicate and highly vulnerable to trauma. A common reason for this is earrings. For example, wearing heavy earrings over time can cause stretching of the earlobe at the point of the piercing. Another way the earlobe can become damaged, is when earrings can occasionally catch in clothing, pulling on the lobe. This kind of trauma may also occur when playing sports, so it is important to remove earrings in these situations to avoid potential earlobe injury.
The worst case in these situations, is when the earlobe is ripped completely through, which results in a split-earlobe or torn earlobe. This damage can not only draw attention to the ear, but can also hinder a person’s ability to wear earrings.
Outside of accidental injury, it has become occasionally fashionable over the years to stretch the earlobe to insert larger ear ornaments such as “flesh tunnels” and “flesh plugs” within the earlobe itself. Generally, over time an increasingly bigger sized hole is created. Normally, at the earlier stages of this process this can be reversed quite easily and through a natural process. As the hole in the earlobe increases, it becomes increasingly difficult to reverse. In these cases, the size of the hole in question will determine how this can be repaired. There are a number of different options available here, which should be discussed with Dr. Green in order to determine the best course of action.
Repairing various types of earlobe damage
For smaller holes, droopy earlobes and tears then the process of repairing the damage can be quite straight forward. For many individuals a simple surgical repair can help tremendously. If the earlobes are simply droopy, Dr. Green can inject a dermal filler to plump up this droopy skin. If the tear is deeper, Dr. Green can surgically close the torn earlobe.
As a general guide, torn earlobes can easily be repaired in the office and the process takes only 30 minutes. In some cases, the entire earlobe can be re-shaped or shortened, but this is a bit more involved than a simple torn earlobe. Both procedures are performed by Dr. Green in her office with just local anaesthesia. Stitches are typically removed after 10 days.
For drooping and sagging earlobes
For dropping or sagging earlobes, Dr. Green often recommends Restylane or Juvederm injections in order to rejuvenate them. Using these Hyaluronic Acid fillers can help lift sagging earlobes and can provide more durability to take on heavier jewelry for instance. In some cases, these “earlobe rejuvenation” or “lobe lift” treatments only take a few minutes, but of course each case is different. Overall, a persons ears can handle a wide range of treatments, including Dermal Fillers like Restylane or Juvederm, Fraxel lasers and peels. The treatments are often combined with face lifts for a fuller overall appearance.
In addition to fixing earlobe damage, for those who would like to then have their ears re-pierced, Dr. Michele Green offers a service where all patients are welcome to return to the clinic to re-pierce the earlobes that she has repaired at no charge. One of the advantages of this is that Dr. Green ensures the placement of the new piercing is in the exact place and completely symmetric with the opposite side. Earlobe are re-pierced approximately one month later after the repair work has been carried out and once the area has healed.
Please don’t hesitate to Contact us online today or call 212-535-3088 if you’re ready to learn more about torn earlobe repair. Dr. Michele S. Green, a board certified NYC dermatologist, practices the latest techniques at the forefront of skin care to give you the look that you deserve.