Ridgeland, MS Earlobe Repair with Faces PLLC
Earrings can be a beautiful addition to your appearance, but they can also damage your ears over time. Wearing heavy earrings or intentionally stretching your earlobes with gauges can create unsightly earlobe holes that don’t close on their own. In some cases, these practices may even cause your earlobes to split. Trauma to the earlobes can also lead to a permanent defect.
Earlobe repair is a minimally invasive procedure that can permanently close gaping holes or tears in the earlobes. This operation can help you feel more confident about your appearance and restore your ability to wear earrings normally. Dr. J. Randall Jordan performs earlobe repair surgery at our clinic located in Ridgeland, MS. He and his surgical team will be happy to answer any questions you have about this procedure.
About the Earlobe Repair Procedure
Earlobe repair surgery is different from otoplasty, which is used to correct congenital ear deformities. Earlobe repair heals earlobe damage that has occurred later in life as a result of injury, earlobe stretching, or prolonged earring use.
To perform earlobe repair, Dr. Jordan will start by injecting a local anesthetic around the treatment area to prevent discomfort. Then, they’ll make an incision in your earlobes and remove damaged tissue, as needed. Finally, your earlobes will be stitched closed with small sutures, allowing them to close and heal naturally. The ear can be re-pierced at 4-6 weeks after the repair.
Earlobe repair is an outpatient procedure, so you’ll be able to go home immediately afterward. Most earlobe repair procedures can be completed in under half an hour.
What are the Benefits of having Earlobe Repair at Our Ridgeland Clinic?
Dr. Jordan is an experienced, double board-certified facial plastic surgeon who only operates in fully accredited surgical facilities. When you choose Faces PLLC for your earlobe surgery, you’ll enjoy a safe surgical experience with superior results. We also provide all of our patients with thorough, attentive aftercare.
Earlobe repair can accomplish the following objectives:
- Restore your natural earlobe contours, even if your earlobes have split.
- Help your ears heal after significant injury.
- Allow you to wear earrings normally again.
- Give your earlobes a more youthful shape to complement the results of facelift surgery.
Who Makes a Good Candidate for Earlobe Repair?
Earlobe repair might be right for you if you meet any of the following criteria:
- You have worn heavy earrings for many years. With age, the skin loses its elasticity because the collagen and elastin in it slowly break down. This, combined with the effects of gravity, cause the earlobes to become stretched with the repeated use of heavy, dangling earrings. If the holes in your ears have become elongated over time, to the point where you cannot wear ear studs anymore, you may benefit from earlobe repair surgery.
- You have intentionally stretched your ears with plugs or gauges. Aesthetic preferences change over time, so it’s not uncommon for people to regret intentionally stretching their earlobes. Earlobe stretching can also cause the earlobes to split, preventing the use of earrings and creating unsightly damage. If you’ve harmed or distorted your earlobes with gauges, we can surgically recreate your original earlobe shape.
- Your earlobes have been injured. If your earlobes have been injured as a result of forcible earring removal (for example, your earrings were grabbed by a child or pet), you may need earlobe repair surgery. Calling a facial plastic surgeon as quickly as possible after earlobe injury will maximize your chances of completely correcting any damage that was done.
To have earlobe repair surgery, you will need to be in good overall health and preferably be a non-smoker. If you have a history of excessive or keloid scarring, earlobe repair may not be the right choice for you. We’ll let you know whether or not you’re a good candidate for scar revision after examining your skin and reviewing your medical history.
During your consultation, we will show you “before and after” photos to help you develop realistic expectations for this procedure. You’ll also be invited to discuss any concerns you have about earlobe surgery.
Recovering from Earlobe Surgery
Earlobe repair seldom causes noticeable postoperative discomfort, but you’ll need to follow specific instructions during healing to ensure satisfactory results. We recommend taking one to two days off work to rest after having this procedure. During this time, you should apply a cool compress to your ears at least three times per day to reduce swelling. Use any provided ointments and medications as directed to prevent soreness and infection.
For at least a month after you have earlobe surgery, you’ll need to protect your ears from sun exposure, as ultraviolet radiation can cause scar tissue to thicken and become darker. Use SPF 50 sunscreen when ever you go outside and wear a broad-brimmed hat, if possible.
Frequently Asked Questions About Earlobe Repair
Many things can happen to your ears that may result in misshapen or stretched earlobes that may require surgery. Some of the most common causes we encounter in our Ridgeland, MS, clinic include:
- Consistently wearing heavy earrings for extended periods
- Catching earrings on clothing
- Babies or young children pulling earrings
- Large holes left from earlobe discs or spacers
Yes! Within 4-6 weeks you should be able to pierce your ears again, if you wish to do so. Dr. Jordan will let you know when you’ve healed enough to take this step.
The procedure itself is relatively fast. Earlobe repair surgery usually takes 20 to 25 minutes per
ear, or approximately 45 minutes total.
If you don’t gauge your earlobes or wear heavy earrings, which can stretch your earlobes again, earlobe repair is a permanent fix.
Earlobe skin is delicate and easy to damage and distort. The most common causes of a torn earlobe are from wearing heavier earrings that eventually wear through the lobe or an earring getting caught in clothing or pulled on by a small child. When this happens, the only way to resolve it is through surgery. If you have very thin earlobes, they are more likely to tear, and one should avoid wearing heavy or hoop- type earrings in this case.
Dr. Jordan generally uses local anesthesia for this procedure. Before your surgery, he’ll inject an anesthetic that will disrupt all sensations, so you shouldn’t feel any pain while he performs the repair. In addition, you’ll be awake and fully alert throughout the entire procedure, so afterward, you’ll be free to leave without further observation and will be able to drive yourself home.
While there aren’t any clear restrictions on how you can or cannot sleep after an earlobe repair procedure, we recommend that you try to avoid sleeping on the repaired ear to limit any unintentional trauma and reduce the chances of infection. We also suggest that you sleep with your head raised, which will help with bruising and swelling.
After your procedure, you will have a small, fine scar on the repaired earlobe. This scar should gradually fade over time, becoming barely noticeable. You can help promote faster healing and lightening by keeping your incision clean and dry during the healing process and touching it as little as possible unless directed by Dr. Jordan. Once your earlobes have completely healed, protect them from sun damage with high-SPF sunscreen and a broad-brimmed hat. At Faces, we will re-pierce the repaired lobe at 1 month if so desired.
You can wash your hair and shower 24 hours after your procedure. Try to avoid getting your earlobes excessively wet or using your shampoo on the incision, and make sure to gently pat your ears dry with a clean cloth afterward.
Earlobe repairs can be safely performed at our clinic in Ridgeland.
Visit our Procedure Pricing page to learn more about the cost of an earlobe repair in Jackson, MS. Don’t let damaged or torn earlobes hold you back from wearing the hairstyles or earrings you enjoy. If you think earlobe repair might be right for you, contact Faces PLLC in Ridgeland, MS to arrange a one-on-one consultation. Our expert surgical team will discuss your options and personalize your procedure to meet your needs.
