The earlobes are made of fatty tissue and skin and act as an appendage to the ear. Varying in size and shape, they are often used for personal expression through piercing or wearing clip-on jewelry. As such, they can be the site of trauma through pulling and tearing over time. Minor tears frequently heal fine on their own, but more serious ones may require the help of a reconstructive surgeon. Too much weight or downward force applied to earlobes can easily cause them to tear. An excessive amount of weight or force can result in a torn earlobe. Once an earlobe has been split, it will appear unattractive and is no longer able to support most jewelry. While some people can use clip-on earrings to cover the damage, this is uncomfortable and not a permanent solution.
A torn earlobe does not immediately present a health hazard, but it can make one self-conscious about their appearance and make it impossible to wear jewelry on the torn earlobe. Earlobes are made up of soft skin and fatty tissue, since there is no muscle or bone, the earlobe is easily torn. Trauma or excessively heavy jewelry can tear an earlobe and the tear can easily be repaired with reconstructive surgery.
Reconstructive surgery is usually performed in the surgeon’s office under local anesthesia. A numbing agent is injected into the earlobe and the patient feels no pain during surgery. If the patient is nervous or anxious about the procedure, they can be given a sedative to calm them during the procedure.
The torn earlobe will be repaired with tiny sutures that may be sewn in a straight or zigzag pattern, depending on the tear shape and size. The best reconstructive technique will be discussed with the patient prior to surgery.Reconstructive surgery can be performed on a fresh tear or a healed one, though healed tears must have scar tissue or healed skin removed prior to reconstruction. Earlobe repairs typically heal cleanly, leaving behind a thin scar where the tear occurred.
Repairing a split earlobe requires a quick but delicate surgical procedure. The rebuilding process involves removing tissue that has already healed or scarred over the earlobe. The reconstructive surgeon will begin by marking off the repair area and applying lidocaine for pain control then completing the split earlobe repair by using tiny sutures that will leave only a thin line of scarring. The patient will need to use an antibiotic ointment as the lobe heals.
After the surgical repair, the patient will need to keep the sutures clean, dry, and apply antibiotic ointment to the sutures for a few days. Once the earlobe has healed, there will be a barely visible scar about the width of a pencil line where the tear used to be. Total healing will take about eight weeks, after which the earlobe can typically be re-pierced, but heavy earrings should be avoided in the earlobe. In addition, the patient should use stud earrings and avoid bigger jewelry that may stretch or re-tear the lobe. This is especially important around small children or pets that may attempt to play with a dangling earring.
Some people attempt to repair a torn earlobe on their own, using adhesive bandages or clear tape. While this may provide a temporary solution, it doesn’t yield the same results as actual reconstructive surgery. Patients frequently have adverse reactions to adhesives, and blood and skin oils prevent them from properly adhering and helping the ear maintain its shape. Any type of cosmetic or reconstructive surgery should be performed by an experienced, board-certified surgeon. Under no circumstance should a person attempt to repair an earlobe through tape, stapling or other methods.
