What Can I Do About a Torn Earlobe?

As long as the injury has healed properly, a torn earlobe isn’t usually a medical problem. Still, the look of an opening that splits your earlobe in two can leave you feeling self-conscious about your appearance. Thankfully, you don’t have to attempt to grin and bear – or continue hiding – the tear.
At our offices in the Upper East Side of Manhattan, and Rye, New York, board-certified cosmetic and oculofacial plastic surgeon Robert Schwarcz, MD, and his team offer earlobe repair procedures for an aesthetic you can feel confident about.

Take a few moments to learn more about earlobe tears, including how surgery in the hands of an expert can address the issue beautifully.

Common causes of a torn earlobe

Given that your earlobes consist of delicate, soft tissue, a range of factors and happenings can result in a tear. 

Fairly common culprits include:

• Earrings getting caught in clothing or being pulled, such as by a child or pet
• Having multiple ear piercings close together or a piercing too close to the edge of your earlobe
• Bites and lacerations
• Sudden trauma, such as from a car accident
• Wearing heavy earrings 

You could also have been born with a torn earlobe, a birth defect known as a cleft ear.

What you can do about a torn earlobe

If you’re bothered by your earlobe split, earlobe repair provides an effective solution. Dr. Schwarcz can take several approaches to your procedure. In all of the methods, he removes the skin that lines the crevice and creates a raw edge, which allows him to reconnect the tissue in a natural looking way. 

If you’ve lost a fair amount of tissue, he may need to create normal proportions through other means. For example, reconstruction entails inserting cartilage or skin from other areas of your body. In some cases, earlobe reconstruction requires several stages of surgery.

Recovering from earlobe repair surgery

Earlobe repair is usually performed on an outpatient basis under local anesthesia. Most people can return to work and other daily activities within one day. 

If Dr. Schwarcz uses permanent sutures rather than absorbable stitches, you may need to return to the office to have them removed as the incision heals. You won’t have to worry about any significant scarring, as Dr. Schwarcz takes special care to minimize visible scars.

To learn more about earlobe tear repair or get started with reconstructive treatment, book an appointment online with Dr. Schwarcz today or call the office closest to you.