Ear Lobe Repair
A torn earlobe is seen with more and more frequency. Piercing too close to the edge of the earlobe, wearing heavy loop earrings, hereditary factors or trauma usually from a baby reaching at earrings can all account for a torn earlobe. Piercing an earlobe puts it at risk to tear. The result may be a partially or completely torn earlobe. Repair of a torn earlobe is performed with a local anesthetic. The technique of repair itself is entirely related to the extent of the tear, amount of tissue available and location. The procedure consists of “freshening” the edges of the split and placement of sutures to complete the repair of the earlobe or creating flaps that incorporate the thickness earlobe for a good re-approximation. Multiple fine sutures are placed spanning the wound that should be removed between one and two weeks. Depending on the deformity, reconstruction can take different forms. In all methods, the skin lining the slot is removed creating a raw edge allowing flaps of adjacent tissue to be brought together. When tissue has been lost, however, the procedure is more complicated, and reconstruction involves creating normal proportions around a somewhat small ear.
Piercing an earlobe also puts it at risk for development of a keloid. A keloid is a scar that grows beyond the edges of the pierced opening in the earlobe and is a thick, nodular, itchy cluster of scar tissue that is often red or darker in color than the surrounding skin. Keloids are generally treated first by medical management where a steroid is directly injected into them, if this fails, then radiation may be the next treatment followed by surgical excision with the understanding that they frequently recur.
Sutures are removed 1 – 2 weeks after the repair procedure. Patients are instructed to wait 3 months before re-piercing them which could also be done in the office.
Before
After
