The increase in ear piercings by both females and males has led to rising demand for ear lobe repair. The problem of split earlobe is mainly due to tears produced by a sudden tug on earrings or due to long-standing use of heavy jewellery.
As with most surgical procedures, people do hesitate to opt for this one as well. However, this is a fairly simple procedure and can quickly change any deformity in the ear lobes, leading to better self-esteem and confidence.
If you are still worried about ear lobe repair, here are answers to the top five questions people usually ask about this procedure.
1. AM I A SUITABLE CANDIDATE FOR EAR LOBE REPAIR?
You may be the right candidate for ear lobe treatment if you wish to fix damage done by an accident, gauged ears or trauma due to regularly heavy jewellery wear. In fact, the incidence of torn ear lobes in women was seen to increase by 2% due to earrings.
So, if your ear lobes have become elongated affecting your appearance and confidence, getting them repaired is a suitable choice to reverse the effect. With proper treatment, you won’t have to be conscious about covering your ears with hair or a scarf and can continue to wear earrings or even get a piercing done again.
2. CAN EAR LOBE REPAIR BE DONE WITHOUT SURGERY?
Yes, it can be done without surgery. The non-surgical treatment involves using surgical glue and this process is also referred to as chemical or sutureless ear lobe repair.
During this procedure, the surgeon applies surgical glue to the affected area through an approximation of the edges. This does not cause any pain and hence no anaesthesia is required.
While this may sound like a good way to go, it has a major disadvantage. You will need to constantly follow up with your doctor, since the effects of the procedure are not permanent. Apart from this, if the lesion does not heal in time, you may need to get it done twice or thrice.
3. HOW IS SURGICAL EAR LOBE REPAIR DONE?
During the procedure, the surgeon will first inject your torn earlobe with local anaesthesia to numb the area. The technique that is used for reconstruction depends on the extent of damage to the ear lobe. In most cases, the surgeon will remove any scar tissue that could become an obstacle to quick and easy recovery. After removal of such tissue, sutures will be used to stitch the earlobe.
There is another amazing method of ear lobe repair that is being used these days. Here, after the procedure is done, the patient doesn’t need to visit the surgeon for the removal of the stitches. The healing process is also faster, and it leaves a very faint mark on your ear over time, says Dr Ashutosh Misra, a leading cosmetic surgeon in Delhi.
4. HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO RECOVER FROM SURGERY?
After the surgery, the stitches will be removed after a minimum of 1 week and you can re-pierce your ear lobes after a healing period of 1 to 2 months. While getting your ears re-pierced, make sure it is done at a different spot than the one that was treated. This is important, since any kind of strain to the scar tissue could lead to complications, such as another split or tear.
5. WHAT ARE PREVENTIVE MEASURES AFTER SURGERY?
Other than avoiding piercing at the same spot, you need to follow your doctor’s instructions. Usually, you will be advised to apply a topical antibiotic on the affected area to prevent infection. Also, you should not bathe for 24 hours after the ear lobe repair surgery and prevent too hot or too cold water from touching the repaired area.
