Earlobe repair is quickly becoming one of the most requested procedures in India. More and more people are coming in to get their earlobes repaired. In some cases, folks have waited years before seeking earlobe repair. Some have removed their gauges or heavy earrings, the soft tissue has shrunken a bit, but there is still a significant hole.
Causes
Elongated earlobe holes, or a split earlobe, can be caused by many things:
Heavy earrings are worn over long periods of time
Gauges placed in the earlobe, with increasing size, weight and time
Earrings getting caught and then pulled (typically long earrings snagging a dress or other clothing)
Children pulling on earrings
Multiple piercings too close together or too close to the bottom of the lobe
Sudden trauma
Procedure
Typically, earlobe repairs are done as an outpatient, under local anesthesia, in the office.
Most patients can drive themselves home. The earlobe is cleaned and anesthetized. The excess skin is removed. Tissue may be rotated depending on the individual issue. The wound is then closed in layers, to take tension off the outer part of the incision. There is usually a fine scar when all healed.
Recovery
Most patients return to work the next day, often the same day. Permanent sutures or absorbable sutures may be used for skin closure, depending on the individual case.