When it comes to plastic surgery, most people don’t consider the role earlobes play in their overall appearance—until they have to. Earlobe repair may be needed due to accident, injury, or holes left by heavy earrings and ear gauges. If you’re feeling self-conscious about torn, damaged, or stretched-out earlobes, Dr. Ran Rubinstein can help you restore your confidence with an earlobe repair at Laser and Cosmetic Surgery Specialists in New York.
*Each patient is unique and individual results may vary.
What is Earlobe Repair and Reconstruction?
Earlobe repair and reconstruction is a surgical procedure that is performed to repair and reshape the earlobe. Although most people opt for earlobe repair after an injury or due to changes in the shape of one or both earlobes, some prospective patients are simply dissatisfied with the natural shape of their earlobes.
A torn or scarred earlobe will need to be cleaned up before the reconstruction can be done. Keloid scars and other scars that may have developed after a pull or strike injury will also need to be removed before the lobe can be repaired. A stretched earlobe will require some tissue removal before the earlobe can be reshaped and reconstructed.
Do You Need an Earlobe Repair?
Your ears can require repair for a variety of reasons. If you’ve ever had a baby grab a bright, shiny earring, you know that earlobe injuries can happen fast and hurt a lot! Everything from a collar catch to a sports injury to a car accident can cause an earlobe tear.
In other cases, heavy or large earrings can be the culprit for misshapen earlobes. Gauges may have been a daring fashion choice when you were younger, but you may want a more professional look as you move up the corporate ladder. Aging tissue and a history of heavy earrings can also lead to damaged or stretched earlobes.
Your Earlobe Repair Consultation
Before you can schedule your earlobe surgery, you will meet with Dr. Rubinstein for a consultation at his Newburgh office. He will examine you and ensure you are a good candidate for the procedure before explaining your options and inviting you to ask questions.
Bring a list of any medications or supplements you’re currently using to make sure that your physician is aware of any potential interactions or issues. There are medications that can increase your risk of bleeding during a surgical procedure. You may need to pause some medications in the weeks leading up to your repair.
Dr. Rubinstein’s goal is to help you to look and feel your personal best. The end goal of a consult and procedure in his office is never to make you look like someone else. By the end of your surgical and healing process, the goal is that your earlobes will be unremarkable. They may draw the eye if you wear earrings, but they won’t draw attention away from your face.
Finally, if your earlobes are scarred due to tearing damage or a hard strike against a lobe, make sure to review your financing concerns during the consultation. There are insurable repair options for damaged lobes as well as financing options for cosmetic procedures.
Preparing for Earlobe Repair
Once you’ve been cleared for surgery, Dr. Rubinstein will give you pre-surgical instructions, including which medications and supplements to avoid. Smokers will also need to quit in the weeks leading up to the procedure. You will be given all the information you’ll need to prepare for your procedure.
How the Procedure is Performed
Your earlobe repair surgery may include several different elements and techniques, but you should prepare for:
- An incision to either clean up old scar tissue or remove scars
- An incision to remove excess tissue in the event your lobes were stretched with earrings
- Reshaping of the tissue
- Stitches to close up the open tissue
Depending on your needs, you’ll be stitched up with dissolvable sutures or stitches that need to be removed seven to ten days after your surgery. You’ll be given aftercare instructions that you will need to study and follow carefully.
The Healing Process
You will want to give yourself at least two days to wear the bandages on your earlobes, maybe longer. It’s a good idea to go into your appointment with clean hair; washing it without getting your bandages wet could be a challenge.
You may want to wear a headwrap to keep your lobes protected and warm as they heal. It’s also a good idea to rethink your sleeping habits. If you tend to sleep on your side, you may not be able to do so for at least a week as your ears heal. Consider sleeping in a recliner if possible, or use yoga blocks or something else soft but resistant beside your head to keep you from rolling onto your recently repaired earlobes.
Your healing ears will probably itch. Your job is not to scratch them. The itching generally means two things:
- The repaired tissue is bonding
- Your body is dissolving the sutures (if applicable)
Itching is healthy; heat is not. If your ears feel hot, or if you notice yellow discharge on the bandages, you could be at risk for infection. Carefully review your aftercare instructions and contact your physician if you’re concerned. Your earlobes should be quick to heal, but infection is always a risk following any surgical procedure.
FAQs
No. Once your lobes have been stretched, tissue must be removed to make it possible to recreate a rounded lobe. The tissue in the center is likely fully healed, so even if you could get the lobe to reconnect on its own, it would be long and pointy instead of rounded.
Any time the skin is broken, you have an increased risk of infection. Carefully review the preparatory steps you need to take before your surgery and follow all of the aftercare instructions. If you have any immune system issues, discuss these with Dr. Rubinstein prior to your surgery so your procedure can be as safe as possible.
This surgery may actually be beneficial in reducing your current scars and removing keloid scars. Keeping your ears as stable as possible in the healing process and avoiding infection is critical, especially if you are prone to scarring. Discuss the use of a headwrap with your physician and, if possible, sleep in a recliner to prevent yourself from naturally rolling onto your side as you rest.
It’s quite possible to enjoy pierced ears again after earlobe repair surgery. You will need to leave your lobes alone for at least six months while they heal completely. When you get your next piercing done, discuss the placement with your aesthetician or your piercing professional. You should probably avoid any piercing in an old scar spot to reduce the chance of another tear or of piercing a particularly rigid space in the scar, which will be extremely uncomfortable and may lead to irreparable damage.
The average cost of earlobe repair in New York is approximately $1,800. However, every surgery, like every patient, is unique. You may need a less invasive procedure, or you may need both scar removal and tissue extraction to reshape your lobe into a natural, rounded look. There are insurance options for those who’ve suffered an injury, a tear, or a hard strike to the lobe. There are also financing options for your surgical needs to help you determine the best path forward.
You deserve to be comfortable with your appearance, and your earlobes are a big part of that! No matter the source of your need for earlobe repair, tastes, and habits change. Pleasecontact us for a consult or call at 845-863-1772 to schedule an appointment. Dr. Rubinstein’s offices can be found at two locations in New York, either at 200 Stony Brook Court, Newburgh, NY, 12550, or 80 Fort Washington Avenue, New York, NY 10032.
