The ear lobes are composed of soft, delicate tissue. As such, they stretch and tear easily, often in response to a traumatic injury or simply wearing heavy earrings. Fortunately, your ear lobe can be repaired with a simple procedure at Dr. Reinblatt's office.
How do ear lobe tears happen?
- You wear heavy earrings
- Your earring catches on a piece of clothing
- An inquisitive child pulls down on your earring
How to treat a stretched ear lobe
Not all ear lobe damage is characterized by a complete tear. In some cases, the piercing hole is partially torn or stretched due to wearing heavy earrings for long periods of time.
When this occurs, it can be impossible to wear earrings comfortably - and you may be at a higher risk of a future tear. In these cases, Dr. Reinblatt can restore a tighter piercing hole before more extensive damage occurs.
The basics: What you need to know about ear lobe repair
- Simple, in-office procedure
- Done under local anesthesia
- Can fix a torn or stretched ear lobe
- Virtually no downtime or recovery
- Very minimal scarring
The ear lobe repair procedure
To perform this procedure, Dr. Reinblatt will first numb your ears with local anesthesia. As such, you will be awake and conscious throughout surgery, but you will feel no pain. She will then remove any scar tissue that formed due to the tear. From there, she will trim the healed skin inside of the torn ear lobe and suture the edges back together again.
The recovery: What to expect
After surgery, Dr. Reinblatt will apply a protective dressing to your ears. You will need to wear this dressing overnight and can remove it in the morning. The next day, your ear lobes may appear slightly puffy, bruised and red. However, there shouldn't be much swelling or pain. Most patients are able to return to work and school 24 hours after the procedure.
FAQ
When can I pierce my ears again?
Once your split ear lobe is repaired, you will need to wait six weeks for the scar to heal completely before you can re-pierce your ears. Otherwise, your new earring can end up separating the repaired ear lobe all over again.
In addition, you should pierce your ears in a different location on the ear lobe. The original hole is now located within a scar, and scarred skin will never be as strong as unscarred skin.
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How to protect your earlobes
- Pierce your ears in a new location
- Choose lightweight or stud earrings
- Avoid large hoop or dangling earrings, especially around kids
Let's Get Together
A torn ear lobe can be an unsightly issue - but fortunately, it's highly treatable. Contact Dr. Reinblatt's office today to schedule a consultation and begin planning for your repair.
Schedule12 Greenridge Ave #401, White Plains, NY 10605
(646) 905-0087