Correct Your Stretched Earlobes with Cosmetic Surgery

Published January 9, 2012 by Dr. Mark Mandell-Brown

Earlobe rejuvenation is a growing trend among women, according to Britain’s Daily Mail. Surgery to repair stretched or torn earlobes is becoming more common.

Whether from years of wearing earrings or just the natural aging process, earlobes can stretch and age a woman. Some are choosing to have this corrected either in combination with a facelift or just the lobes on their own.

“It is no secret that more women are having what could be called a lobe job’,” says Wendy Lewis, cosmetic surgery adviser and editor of a beauty news website. “Gravity takes its toll on earlobes — they droop like chins and breasts do, and can make you look older.”

Lewis says that heavy earrings can stretch the earlobe out of shape and sometimes even tear the earlobe, when the hole from a pierced ear gets so stretched that it tears the lobe open and needs to be stitched back together.

In addition to surgery, some surgeons are experimenting with other ways to rejuvenate the ears. A representative of a London-based clinic reported using radio-frequency energy to tighten the skin of the ears. She also said fillers are sometimes used to plump up the ear and make them look younger and fuller without surgery.

Earlobe Repair Surgery for Stretched Earlobes

Earlobe repair surgery is a relatively simple surgical procedure to repair a torn, stretched or split earlobe. Usually performed under local anesthesia, your cosmetic surgeon will remove the skin surrounding the split to create a clean edge, and then sutures are used to close the split earlobe.

Sutures are typically removed within two weeks of surgery, and patients can wear earnings again within six months.

If you’re interested in earlobe rejuvenation, talk to your cosmetic surgeon about the best approach. If you have cosmetic issues beyond stretched lobes, ear surgery can correct issues such as protruding ears, disproportionate ears and overly large or misshapen ears.