Overview of Earlobe Repair Procedure
A Dermatologist or Cosmetic Surgeon can perform the earlobe repair procedure in the office using local anesthetic. The anesthetic is placed into the lobe, and the stretched hole or split is very carefully cut out using high precision instruments. Then, tiny sutures (stitches) are used to close it up. About one week later, the sutures can be removed. It takes about 30 minutes to repair one earlobe, approximately 45 minutes for both lobes. Re-piercing can be done in eight to twelve weeks.
Re-piercing the Ears
After the stitches are removed, it is best to wait a couple of months before re-piercing to allow the skin edges to grow back together and the scar tissue to become strong again. The surgeon will then re-pierce the ear in skin adjacent to the scar to provide the strongest support for the earring.
CorenPS is a commonly used system that provides studs with a surgical stainless steel base that are hypoallergenic. Studs come in 24k gold plated or silver plated with or without simulated diamonds. After the studs are placed, you care for the newly pierced ears by cleaning with alcohol twice daily for one week to prevent infection. After four to six weeks, you can switch to your own earrings. However, you may want to avoid heavy chandelier type earrings for 12 weeks to allow your repaired ear to be at its strongest.
Prevent Torn Ear Lobes
To prevent torn earlobes, take precautions. Don’t sleep in chandelier or loop earrings. When talking on the phone, don’t press against the earrings. If the hole is just slightly stretched, an alternative to surgery is to place a little hyaluronic acid filler such as Restylane© or Juvederm© under the hole to strengthen the lobe. Fillers typically come in 1cc syringes and usually only a fraction of this amount is needed to treat the earlobe. You could try this solution while having other areas treated with filler.
Ears, Earrings and More
If you have an event coming up in the near future, clip-ons are still an excellent option if your holes will not support earrings. Once the earlobe is repaired, have fun with earrings – from diamond studs to chandeliers. Your ears can show them off and be good for something other than a perch for reading glasses!
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