Torn or stretched earlobes are a common complaint from men and women. Torn/stretched earlobes can occur due to trauma, after repeated wearing of heavy earrings or wearing ear stretchers. The degree of earlobe trauma can be variable. The piercing may have become stretched out of shape and is now unsightly or the earlobes may be completely torn.
Repair of the split is performed under local anesthetic. This procedure is very well tolerated and essentially painless. The torn skin edges are excised, and the fresh edges are stitched together with sutures that need to remain in place for about a week. No dressing is needed other than an antibiotic ointment. Ears can be re-pierced at the same site a minimum of 6 weeks later or in another location on the lobe the same day as the surgery. The final result is usually a thin, neat, linear scar which generally fades away with time. The procedure takes about 15 minutes each side and is very affordable.
Earlobe Repair before and after patient images courtesy of London Medical Spa