What to Expect From Earlobe Repair Surgery
While earlobe repair might not be the most well-known cosmetic procedure, the results of it are incredible. Since it is not as discussed as other procedures, you might not know what to expect from the surgery or the recovery. Here’s what you need to know.
What Is It?
Many people have gone through a period in their lives where they have altered their earlobes in one way or another. Whether you have stretched out your earlobes through the use of plugs or gauges, have damaged lobes from wearing heavy earrings for many years, or even have had your earlobes torn, your earlobes might need a surgical repair. There are also genetic conditions that can cause an ear to split, but that can also be repaired through an earlobe repair surgery.
What It Isn’t
Earlobe repair is not the same as ear pinning and will not correct protruding ears or any other ear abnormality; it is solely used to correct the lobe of the ear in order to get it back to a more natural appearance. If you wish to have another cosmetic procedure about your ears, you will need to discuss it with Dr. Pirani to see what type of procedure might be required, but an earlobe repair will only focus on split or damaged earlobes in an attempt to return them to a natural look.
The Procedure
When you have a split earlobe, you might want it repaired, returning your earlobe back to a more appealing or natural appearance. To achieve these, surgical intervention is necessary. An earlobe repair surgery happens in office as an outpatient procedure. Dr. Pirani will use local anaesthesia during the procedure that is applied with an injection under the skin. The skin surrounding the split will be cut then stitched back together, effectively eliminating the split. Most often, the repair can happen in as little as 15 to 30 minutes, depending on the type of repair that you need. In fact, it can be done without needing to take any time off from work.
After The Procedure
Once the local anaesthetic wears off, your earlobe will feel sore where the surgery took place. Any discomfort should be relatively mild and can be controlled with over the counter medications. You will need to keep the area clean to help reduce the potential for infection. Normally, the sutures will need to be removed about 7 to 10 days after the surgery. You will still need to keep an eye on the area to make sure that it is healing well. While there is a risk of a complication with any surgical procedure, the risks with an earlobe repair are relatively small. If you see any signs of infection, bleeding, or excessive pain, call our office immediately to make sure that you are healing well.
Re-piercing the Area
If you had an expectation of re-piercing your earlobes following the procedure, you should be able to have that done about 6 months after your earlobe repair surgery. You need to make sure that the area has been completely healed before attempting to put more piercings in the area. This will prevent infection as well as ensuring that the next piercings work.
How to Get Started
In order to get your earlobes repaired, you will first need to schedule a consultation with Dr. Pirani. At this appointment, he will go over your individual needs and the procedure that will need to take place in order to repair your earlobes. Give our office a call today to set up your consultation.