Newport Beach Earlobe Repair

Earlobe repair is a common cosmetic surgery elected for individuals who wish to restore the appearance of torn or stretched earlobes. Dr. Garrett A. Wirth is a Board Certified Newport Beach plastic surgeon who routinely performs earlobe repair throughout Orange County for individuals with torn or stretched earlobes resulting from injuries or from wearing heavy earrings for a long period of time.

Candidates for Earlobe Repair

You may be an ideal candidate for earlobe repair if you have one or more of the following conditions:

• Torn or lacerated earlobes
• Stretched earlobes
• Elongated earlobes

Injuries or defects like this are typically caused when earrings are accidentally or forcefully pulled from a person’s ear, often by a child, or during hair combing. Heavy earrings or ear gauges can also be responsible for stretched or elongated ears, resulting in an unnatural appearance over time.

How Earlobe Repair Works

Earlobe repair is a relatively simple in-office procedure performed under a local anesthetic. Dr. Wirth will begin by stabilizing your ear for incision. Then, with the aid of high powered magnification, Dr. Wirth will make an incision that allows him to precisely trim the skin around the stretched or lacerated earlobe, taking the natural curvature of your earlobe into account.

Once the excess skin and scar tissue have been removed, Dr. Wirth will suture the clean wound edges back together with very fine stitches. A dressing will be placed around your ears for about 24 hours, followed by a thin wound covering which will remain on your ears for approximately one week until your stitches are removed.

What Happens After Earlobe Repair?

Dr. Wirth will provide you with personalized post-operative care instructions following your Newport Beach earlobe repair. Most patients are mobile and capable of driving themselves home immediately after surgery without additional supervision or care. Following surgery, you may experience some minor swelling or discomfort that can be controlled with over-the-counter pain medication.

There will be a minor scar at the site of repair that will begin to fade with time. Many patients are eager to have their earlobes re-pierced following surgery. While this is certainly an option, it is recommended that you wait at least two months in order to allow your earlobes to fully heal from surgery. Dr. Wirth will provide you with further details on the prospect of when and where the re-piercing of your ear should occur.

Questions? Reach out to our Orange County plastic surgeon by calling (949) 238-6713.