Click to view a WebMD video on earlobe fixes.

Just like other areas in the face, earlobes tend to lose elasticity and volume over time, leading to elongation, sagging, creases and an over-all older appearance.

Split earlobes usually occur as the result of the weight of heavy earrings on pierced ears or may be caused by trauma, such as an earring being pulled from the ear. Keloid scars of earlobes can occur after ear piercing.

Earlobe repair or rejuvenation can be a quick and very rewarding procedure.

Before and After ear lobe Repair

*Un-retouched photos

Earlobe rejuvenation not only hides one of the telltale signs of aging or trauma, but also has functional value since it allows our earrings to stand up properly rather than drooping off our ears.

This is an in-office procedure, and the preparation is minimal. It takes about 1-2 hours depending on the situation, and whether it is one or both ears. If a patient is a good candidate for the procedure, a topical and local anesthetic is applied.

A torn earlobe cannot be just sutured shut without removing a thin layer of skin.

After the thin layer of skin is removed, the edges are closed together with a special technique called a "z-plasty" to increase the chance that the ear contour stays nice and uniform, avoiding an indentation where the scar lays.

The split is stitched together with special sutures to minimize scarring.

The stitches are removed in about five to seven days, and ears may be pierced again in about 6 to 8 weeks.

For the patient who is bothered by a sagging or elongated earlobe, which usually comes with age, a special technique to shorten the earlobe can also be performed in office under local anesthesia.

Fillers can also be used to add volume to a deflated earlobe and to correct earlobe wrinkles for months to years.

The goal of earlobe rejuvenation is to create ears that have a more normal shape and size. Dr. Marc DuPéré is skilled in the best techniques for repairing split ear lobes, long sagging earlobes, and keloid scars, reducing the signs of aging and trauma on the ears and correcting the shape of the ear.

For more information about this procedure call our office and speak to our patient consultant, Joyce Palmer.