05/07/2023
Torn Earlobe Repair
Repair of Torn Pierced Earlobes
Many people walk around with torn earlobes for years without knowing that a simple, comfortable, in-office procedure can correct the problem. If you or someone you know has a torn earlobe, and you want to learn about repairing it, read on...
The Problem With Torn Earlobes
Torn earlobes are more than just a cosmetic concern. When the the piercing gets stretched or torn, earrings will frequently fall out and get lost, or, cannot be worn at all. For people who love earrings, and have a collection of treasured earrings, this is a significant loss.
Many people do not realize that a simple, comfortable, in-office procedure can repair the tear. For these people, the solution has been to forgo wearing their beloved earrings altogether, or wear uncomfortable clip on earrings.
There is another option!
Types of Earlobe Tears
Earlobe tears are classified as either incomplete or complete depending on the extent of the tear. This is really descriptive only, as the procedure to repair either tear is essentially the same.
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Earlobes are like Oreo Cookies!?!
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The Repair Technique
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The procedure is performed in a sterile fashion after the lobe is numbed with local anesthesia. The scar is marked with a surgical marker to include a thin rim of normal, uninjured skin to be excised.
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The yellow markings above are the proposed incisions. Only a small amount of normal uninjured skin is taken along with the scar tissue. The scar tissue must be removed so that a “sticky” surface can be formed that will heal. Since only a very small amount of skin is removed, the overall size and shape of the lobe will remain unchanged from the pre-injury condition.
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This Oreo example is a simulation of the earlobe with a wedge removed. The ear lobe {to me} is a lot like an Oreo Cookie. I think of the lobe as a structure with the chocolate cookies representing the skin on the front and back of the ear, and the cream middle of the cookie representing the fibrous connective tissue in the middle of the lobe.
Reconstruction of the Lobe
Like a child eating an Oreo Cookie, the middle of the ear is repaired first! This dense connective tissue middle layer gives the repair strength and dissolving sutures are used. Next, the skin edges are accurately approximated with non-dissolving sutures, that will stay in for about 10 days to two weeks.
Post-Procedure Care
The ear is kept dry for the first 24 hours, and then, you may shower and shampoo as you regularly would. After 10 days to two weeks the non-dissolving skin sutures are removed. At about 4 weeks, the ears can be re-pierced. Post-procedure, the your ear will experience some discomfort that is easily relieved by Tylenol or Advil. Complications are rare.
The Healed Earlobe
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Torn Earlobe Repair
Thanks for reading!
