Earlobe Repair Surgery
This is a cosmetic procedure to repair a damaged earlobe and restore it to its original condition, or as close to normal as possible. Earlobes may be damaged for several reasons, including:
- A torn earlobe, often caused by an accident
- An earlobe stretched by the pull of earrings
- An earlobe stretched out of shape, such as from ear gauging
Surgical Procedure
The earlobe is carefully designed before surgery to achieve a shape that most closely matches the original and looks as natural as possible. The procedure is performed under local anesthesia and usually takes about one hour or longer, depending on the extent of the damage.
✔️ A natural-looking shape
✔️ Minimal recovery time
✔️ Minimal pain
1. Completely separated earlobe: surgery can be performed using one of two methods
Method 1: Use skin from another area, such as the groin or inner arm, and suture it in place as a flap (skin flap), aiming to match the other ear as closely as possible. One consideration is that if the procedure is not performed well, the transferred skin may not survive.
Method 2: Suture the two torn parts of the earlobe together, joining both the underlying tissue and the outer skin so the earlobe can heal back together. This can only be done once the tear has healed.
2. Partially torn earlobe (not completely split)
The surgeon can reshape the earlobe and immediately suture the underlying tissue and outer skin together.
3. Earlobes stretched and drooping from earrings, or enlarged by ear gauging
The surgeon removes the excess, sagging earlobe tissue and reshapes it with sutures to restore an attractive contour.
Postoperative Care
The patient will receive oral pain relief and topical medication to reduce inflammation and help prevent wound infection. The surgeon will schedule suture removal in approximately 5–7 days.
