Ears lobe surgery

The ear lobe is the inferior part of the auricle. It is made of fat tissue with no cartilage. The auricle is a very fragile and vulnerable area: the skin is tender and not supported by cartilage, unlike other parts of the outer ear.

Split ear lobe surgery is a cosmetic surgery performed on people embarrassed by the shape of their ear lobes (too expanded or deformed) or in case of trauma (torn ear lobes).

Split ears lobe surgery

For a long time and in different cultures, ear lobes have been a privileged area to wear jewels. Wearing earrings or piercing in this area implies ear lobes perforation. Certain circumstances may lead to an ear lobe trauma: too heavy earrings which progressively expand the lobe, tear after an accident.

Reconstructing the ear lobe is a surgery for people with torn lobes. It may be caused by an accident implying earring. The ear lobe can also split after wearing heavy jewels for too long, when the whole expands until the ear lobe splits.

In order to perform a surgical reconstruction of split ear lobes, the torn area must be completely healed.

The operation consists in removing some skin on the ear lobe and performing a suture. After the procedure, the ear lobes are reshaped and the initial harmony of the ear is recreated.

Expanded ears lobe surgery

Expanded ear lobe surgery is performed on people who consider their ear lobes too long, especially after wearing heavy earrings which deformed this area. It can also be performed on people who wore "stretchers" and want normal size ear lobes back.

Ear lobes are subject to gravity. They expand with aging, and this expansion is accentuated by progressive fat loss in this area, caused by aging. Ear lobe surgery can also be a part of face rejuvenating.

Expanded ear lobe reconstruction is a simple surgery, ear lobes being made of skin and fat tissues with no cartilage, unlike the rest of the outer ear. The operation consists in reshaping the ear lobe to enhance its proportions. After cutting the inferior part of the ear, a simple suture is performed. Depending on the type of tear, the shape of the suture may vary in order to optimize healing and make the scar as invisible as possible. Sometimes, to rejuvenate ear lobe firmness, it is possible to inject hyaluronic acid of fat (lipostructure) to plump up an ear lobe lacking volume and tone.

Follow-up

The operation usually lasts 45 minutes and is performed under local anaesthesia.

Minor pains are well balanced by the usual pain-killers. As it is the case with every operation, ecchymosis (bruises) and oedema (swelling) can appear in the treated area. They will disappear progressively in the days after surgery.

The stitches are removed after 8 days if they do not resorb by themselves.

It is only after 3 months that the final result will appear. If the patient wishes so, ears can be pierced again from the 6th month after the operation.

Smoking increases the risk of surgical complications, as it is the case for every surgery. Stop smoking between 6 and 8 weeks before the operation eliminates this additional risk.