As far as plastic surgery goes, there’s a relatively unknown procedure that’s discreetly doing the rounds; earlobe surgery. In fact, there are earlobe repairs in New York, London and all over the world, and it’s more common than you think.
Ears may be a relatively low key area in your general overall aesthetic. Still, they can play a significant role in the general attractiveness of your face; they’re where your earrings go, and those accessories can play a big role in the way both men and women look and feel. Furthermore, ears are an erogenous zone. That makes ears fair candidates for plastic surgery, but what exactly could that involve? Here’s everything you need to know.
Earlobe surgery can include several procedures: repairing torn earlobes, reducing earlobes, or keloid removal.
Torn Earlobes
Torn earlobes are a common reason for earlobe repair. They may have been caused through overstretched piercings, perhaps from years of wearing heavy dangling earrings or by a sudden swipe of a hairbrush or other such shock.
Torn earlobes are not a pleasant occurrence, but the good news is they are reasonably simple to repair. It does, however, involve a trip to the plastic surgeon’s office and a dose of local anesthetic. You’ll get some minor stitches, but these can come out after two weeks, and you may even be able to get them re-pierced at that time (preferably by the surgeon to play it safe).
Earlobe Reduction
Then there’s earlobe reduction for oversized earlobes. Large earlobes aren’t always there at birth; they can develop with age as the cartilage in our ears and nose carries on growing as we get older. Our earlobes can even start to sag with gravity. Earlobe reduction involves dicing a segment of tissue from the ear and sewing it up, so the lobe is smaller. While some earlobe reduction candidates may opt for a single procedure, others do it as part of an overall package, alongside a neck or facelift.
Keloid
Keloid removal isn’t as simple as the previous cosmetic surgeries, but keloids can be distressing for those who have them. Keloids are overgrowths that form from tears in the skin, even from ear piercings. However, they can take abnormal and unpleasant forms and can also be painful, which is why many people with keloids choose removal surgery. The procedure involves cutting out the abnormal scar tissue and using the ear’s other tissue to reconstruct the lobe. To prevent new keloids forming, the surgeon will inject cortisone into the ear tissue. You may need to return for repeat cortisone injections around every six weeks until the ear heals, which can often take up to a year. Another way to stop scar tissue growing is through a low-dose radiation treatment immediately after surgery. However, there is still a possibility of recurrence of between 30 and 90 percent.
So now you know what earlobe repair is, think about whether you’re a candidate. Can you avoid it by donning your dangling earrings sparingly or being careful of wayward hairbrushes, playful babies, and any other such hazards?
