Help! I Tore My Earlobe!

Torn earlobes are less extensive than ears damaged from birth, but they are still damaged, and most people prefer to have them repaired. Many earring wearers have experienced a torn earlobe. The good news is, torn earlobes can be repaired, and the ear restored, even enough to again wear earrings. In addition, the procedure is short, and no general anesthesia is used, making your earlobe repair something doable over lunch.

How Do Earlobes Get Torn?

Most of the time, earlobes get torn due to earrings. Regular wearers of earrings can subject themselves to problems if they often wear very heavy earrings. Big earrings with stones, gems or made of ceramic can quickly cross the line of what the earlobe can bear. However, gravity is gravity, and the weight will pull on the earlobe and can eventually tear the soft lobe.

Most of the ear has cartilage to hold its structure, but the lobes do not. Instead, the lobes are soft tissue with a hole for the piercing in the center. Unfortunately, there isn’t much distance between the pierced hole and the bottom of the lobe, so constant pulling from gravity alone will wear on the tissue at the bottom of the piercing.

Another common culprit of a torn earlobe is those gorgeous light-weight earrings that dangle, sometimes quite low. These earrings are more delicate but also catch on things, like a sweater you’re pulling over your head. Dangles are also incredibly tempting for babies, who can grip onto an earring and then YANK. This tears an earlobe more often than you think.

Also, aging is another contributor to torn earlobes. As skin ages, it loses its firmness. While this displays as wrinkles on our face, the lack of collagen allows the soft lobe skin to stretch and tear easier than a younger ear.

Are Earlobe Repairs Difficult?

Generally, an earlobe repair is a quick process in the office with a local anesthetic. Most of the time, earlobe repairs are quick and easy. If you have a torn earlobe, call (212) 858-0500 and schedule a consultation with Uptown Body Contouring in New York for expert repair.