As fashion fads come and go; it’s easy for young people to get caught up in the latest trends. Clothing is the most common, but can easily be adjusted as fads change. But body modification is a different beast because it’s not something that can be undone, like buying a new wardrobe. Examples of body modifications include piercings, tattoos, implants in various parts of the body and more.
One particular fad, earlobe stretching (also known as earlobe “gauging”), came into style about a decade ago among young teenagers. Ten years later, those teens have grown up, finished college and are entering the workforce. Needless to say, many companies frown upon stretched earlobes, and it can seriously hurt one’s chances of landing a job.
Now, one of the newer trends in cosmetic surgery is helping those who bought into the fad return their ears to their normal, traditional look. Unlike regular ear piercings where the hole fills in by itself, if an earlobe is stretched enough, it won’t return back to it’s natural size. Everyone is different though. Some can have pretty large holes in their ears that will grow back to normal, while others get small holes that won’t close on their own. It’s impossible to predict who will need ear reconstruction surgery as a result of earlobe stretching.
The procedure
To fix the problem, cosmetic surgeons have a few options. One is to simply stitch the earlobe back together. In more extreme cases, however, the excess skin must be removed, and then the earlobe will be reshaped to give it a normal appearance. Artificial or natural fillers might be used to help close the gap. If natural filler is used, tissue from other parts of the body might be used, as it’s always preferable than donor tissue.
Usually, however, the earlobes can be fixed with a few snips and some stitches. Surgery is usually performed with local anesthetic, but again, every patient is different.
Recovery from ear reconstruction surgery is determined by what procedure the surgeon used. For the easiest procedures, where the surgeon snips away the excess skin and then stitches the ear back together, recovery won’t take long at all. But if the surgeon has to harvest tissue from other parts of your body, then the recovery is a little more complex because your body has two areas that need to heal.
When does the ear look normal again? It can take anywhere from 4-6 months after the surgery for the ear to completely heal. There might be some slight scarring, but nothing should be noticeable.
It’s not too late to change the way you look
Whether you just don’t like the way your ears look anymore, or your stretched earlobes are holding your career back, and you now wish for normal looking ears, we are here to help. Our medical team and staff will guide you through the surgical process, making it as smooth as possible. Call us for a free consultation and gain back your confidence so you can pursue your dreams.
