Earlobe repair and recovery

Earlobe repair is a commonly requested procedure in our practice. A wide aperture results in an ungainly appearance with dangling of disc-shaped earrings. There is also a risk of complete disruption of the bridge of tissue and a split earlobe.

Earlobe repair is done under local anesthesia as an outpatient procedure. We usually perform our repair using a technique that helps us to avoid a further session of ear piercing. The existing hole is modified such that it becomes smaller and retains its original position. This avoids the risk of having an eccentric position of the aperture during a secondary piercing.

Individuals who come for earlobe repair should have an understanding of the reasons for the deformity. Heavy earrings and multiple trivial trauma lead to a lengthened aperture. It is prudent to avoid heavy earrings after a repair. The repair has an approximate strength of ten percent of the intact neighboring skin. This increases to fifty at three months and seventy at one year. This is independent of the technique and is related to our wound healing and scar strength. And because of this, we advise our patients to avoid heavy earrings for one year following a repair. This helps contribute to the longevity of a good result.