As women (and men too!) with pierced ears age, the earlobes tend to lengthen, and the hole can widen and split, especially for those who wear heavy earrings that pull down the lobe more than it would on its own. In addition, younger people enthusiastic about body modification may have found “gauging” fun and exciting while younger, but as they age, they tend to rethink the whole process and start to wonder if it can be reversed.
Fortunately, whatever your situation is, there is a relatively simple procedure that can repair the damage that has occurred to your ears over the years known as otoplasty. Below is a list of frequently asked questions to help you decide if this is a process you might want to consider having done. Read on, or contact us today for more information about earlobe repair in Michigan!
Anyone with damaged lobes or who has “gauged” their ears is a prime candidate for otoplasty. The patient should be a non-smoker, needs to be in good health, and cannot have a disease that impedes healing, such as diabetes or any other life-threatening illness.
When repairing the ear, the surgery is performed with local anesthesia and the damaged lobe is stitched back together. Scarring will occur, but it will be minimal. When performing a reduction of the stretched-out lobe, the surgery is done under general anesthesia and the excess tissue is cut away, leaving a small scar behind the earlobe. Both procedures take approximately 30-90 minutes to perform.
Most likely, you will have to wear a head compress, and it is recommended that you sleep with your head elevated for at least the first couple of days. Antibiotics will be prescribed to prevent any infections from occurring and a painkiller may be prescribed as well. We will give you instructions on how to care for the stitches and schedule your follow-up appointment.
You should be able to resume normal activity within a few hours of the procedure, but need to wait at least eight weeks if you think you might want to pierce the repaired lobe.
Any time you have surgery, there is always a risk for infection to occur, which is why a preventative antibiotic is prescribed.
Life happens and aging can be stressful, but we at the Skin & Vein Center are here to help you achieve a more youthful appearance, and that means offering some of the best earlobe repairs Michigan has to offer. Dr. Seiger and staff have over 26 years of experience in reparative cosmetic surgery; contact us today and discover all we can do to help you with this and other cosmetic issues.