Piercing the ears puts earlobes at risk for stretching and tearing.  Earlobe repair surgery fixes the split and may enable you to wear earrings again.

The Procedure

Earlobe repair is a relatively simple procedure that can be done in the office.  Dr. Patrick Swier begins by cutting away the healed skin on the inside of the torn earlobe.  The freshly cut edges are then sutured together to allow the lobe of the ear to heal back together.  More extensive reconstruction may be required if the patient has extensive damage due to the use of gauges which can dramatically stretch and reshape the earlobe.

Please note that earlobe should not be re-pierced in the scar or just above the scar.  The scar is weaker than the surrounding tissue and will tear more easily.  The new piercing should be done at the left or right of the scar and it is highly recommended that the patient come to Dr. Swier to have the earlobe re-pierced.

Key Facts

Good Candidates: Any male or female who has torn earlobes or elongated piercing tract as a result of injury or wearing heavy earrings or gauges.  Patients should be healthy and not have a life-threatening illness or medical conditions that would impair healing, should not smoke and have a positive outlook but realistic goals in mind.

Anesthesia: This procedure is usually done under local anesthesia in the office.

Length of Procedure: This procedure takes approximately 30 minutes but times may vary from patient to patient depending on several factors.

Length of Stay: The patient will go home same day

Discomfort: Minor swelling and soreness may occur at the incision site and can be controlled with over the counter pain medications.

Recovery: It is very important to precisely follow post-op instructions given by Dr. Patrick Swier to ensure proper healing and exceptional results.

Final result: Improvement can be seen immediately but incisions will take several weeks to heal completely.

Duration of results: Typically results are permanent as long as the area heals properly and the surgical site is not improperly re-pierced.  If the patient insists on re-piercing the earlobes, it is suggested that heavy earrings are avoided which could cause the earlobe to split again.

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