COSMETIC SURGERY FOR REPAIR OF TORN EAR LOBE – EAR LOBE REPAIR

Procedures
Face
Breast
Body
Hair
Non Surgical

Indications

Ear hole enlargement due to injury - Commonly earring is pulled by your baby while breast feeding and it enlarges slowly

People wearing very heavy earrings for long time may experience enlargement.

When ear lobe thins out due to aging, one may find hole larger.

Ear lobes which are split since birth.

In short, when your stud earrings tend to fall out or look not so good revealing the stretched hole, it is time to get the repair done.

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WHAT DOES THE PROCEDURE ACHIEVE?

Minimally scarred sutured ear lobe with a skin lined hole. The weight of the earring does not fall directly on the scar. So the new hole is less likely to tear again. Sometimes if the lobe is too thin or the hole is large, the lobe may look slightly triangular. But the shape improves slowly.

Contra-Indications

Many women opt for liquid ear lobe repair without surgery. They come with burnt ear lobes. We can not repair such holes till the redness and hardness completely goes away. You need to wait typically for 3-6 months. If we operate too early, the scare may become thick and itchy called hypertrophic scars.

Consultations

The doctor will ask you if you are diabetic, on blood thinners, have any allergies.

Your other diseases must be well controlled before going for repair.

The size and direction of the hole, thickness of skin are checked. The position of the new hole is discussed. The scarring tendency will be assessed and discussed.

ANAESTHESIA

It is done under local anaesthesia. A tiny needle prick and injection of small amount of local anaesthetic at the base of the ear lobe should be enough to block the ear lobe sensation for sufficient time to carry out the repair.

Pre-operative instructions & Special tests

Routine blood tests are done. Test to check sugar control is mandatory in diabetic patients.

Routine blood tests are done. Test to check sugar control is mandatory in diabetic patients.
It must be done in a proper operation theatre. It can not be done in a consulting chamber or clinic without OT. 
The ear is cleaned with an antiseptic solution and sterile cloth is draped. A small injection at the base of the ear lobe where it touches the cheek is given. The edge of the enlarged hole is cut. One side skin is discarded. The other side with some fat is rolled and stitched to the root of the hole to create a new skin lined hole. Below this the raw edges of the hole are stitched together with fine stitches of the thickness of a hair. This will look loke a hole at the top and sutures below. If your skin is too thin, fat or cartilage may be grafted into the ear lobe to make it strong.
A bandage will cover the stitches for 2-3 days. After that the stitches are left open. They should be regularly washed with clean water and soap and ointment should be applied. Medicines should be taken as per prescription.

FAQs

Some patients develop a torn ear lobe after wearing an earring for many years. Sometimes the ear lobe may be torn due to entanglement which doing activities such as undressing or wearing a T shirt.

Not at all. One prick at the root of the ear will make it numb. Then you need to take painkillers as prescribed for 3-5 days.

Glue can burn your ear skin and may enlarge it further. It is unpredictable. When it is unsuccessful it will leave you with loss of ear skin. Then the repair is very difficult and your plastic surgeon may have to borrow tissues from the cheek or behind the ear. Then you will have more scarring.

No rest is required. You can carry on all your activities provide you take medicines regularly. For initial few days, with bandage on the ear, you need to refrain from swimming and showering.

Usually after 15 to 21 days

You need to avoid wearing anything for a month. Then you can wear 1-2 gm earrings for daily use. When you wear heavy earrings for some function, do use ear-chain for support. Use heavy earring only for a short time.

There will always be a scar but it is not noticeable unless you have a bad scarring tendency.

Usually it does not happen . But if it does, then fat or cartilage grafting needs to be combined with the repair.