Earlobe Repair

What are earlobe injuries?

Ear lobe tears are commonly seen in female patients. Pierced ear lobes may either widen or tear from wearing heavy earrings or being accidentally pulled by children. The common causes of earlobe tears include:

  • Regular wearing of heavy and pendulous earrings
  • Trauma from earrings entangling with clothes, hairbrushes, telephone cords etc.
  • Assault
  • Babies pulling the earrings

Depending upon the intensity of the tear, ear lobes tears are categorized as partial or complete tear.

What is earlobe repair?

Earlobe repair is a cosmetic surgery for revival of the torn ear lobe. The type of surgery to be performed depends on the condition and severity of the ear lobe tear.

How is earlobe repair performed?

Cosmetic surgery for repair of a torn ear lobe involves the following steps:

  • All sides of the ear are cleaned with an antiseptic solution
  • A local anaesthetic is injected around the tear
  • Incision is made around the damage, separating it into anterior and posterior flaps
  • Edges of the two flaps are made raw. Pressure is maintained over the edges, with gloved fingers, to prevent oozing.
  • Anterior and posterior flaps are then sutured together.
  • Finally the wound is dressed with a sterile bandage.

Sutures of the earlobe are removed 1-2 weeks after completion of the repair procedure. For re-piercing the ear lobe the scar should be soft, which may take about 2 months, after the repair surgery.

What are the complications of earlobe repair?

The rare complications associated with ear lobe repair include:

  • Pointed lobe
  • Stepped lobe
  • Unfavourable scarring

Pointed or stepped lobes can be restructured with the help of a radio wave ball electrode and unfavourable scars can be treated by CO2 laser resurfacing technique.