When you were younger, did you get an ear gauge thinking it was cute at the time but now regret it? Has your ear split from an injury or earrings that were too heavy? Both scenarios can be repaired with a simple procedure under local anesthesia.
What is the procedure like?
This procedure takes less than an hour and can be done in the exam room! Patients can go back to their regular routines immediate after the procedure. The ears can even be re-pierced during a two week post procedure appointment, if the patient so desires.
Split earlobe repair
A split earlobe cannot be corrected by simply sewing the edges of the skin together. The opposing edges of the “split” must be removed so that the edges are fresh and can be approximated. Under local anesthesia, the surgeon makes a sharp turn to the cut at the edge of the lobe. This reduces the risk of a notched lobe after the procedure. Instead, the patient’s lobe assumes a natural, smooth curve.
Ear gauge repair
Under local anesthesia, the surgeon removes the enlarged hole or excess skin. Then, similarly to the split earlobe repair described above, the skin cannot simply be sewn back together. Instead, the skin edges are removed first so that when the two sides are approximated, the earlobe results in a smooth curve.
In the case of a very enlarged hole from an ear gauge, removing the hole may result in a pointy earlobe as seen in the video below. Therefore, it is important to remove a wedge of normal skin to for natural ear curve results.
What does your ear look like after the procedure?
In either case, the results can be great with a scar that is barely visible.
Contact the San Francisco practice of Dr. Jonathan Kaplan today at (415) 923-3005 for more information about ear gauge repair or split earlobe repair.
