EARLOBE REPAIR

—Repairing torn or stretched earlobes

Often secondary to trauma, infection, or wearing heavy earrings, the hole in the earlobe can enlarge over time or tear completely. Under local anesthesia, the treatment involves excising the skin at the level of the tear, then stitching the two parts together. The stitches are removed 4 to 7 days later. There is a discreet scar at the repair site, but it is possible to regain a regular and aesthetic curvature of the earlobe. It is best to wait six to eight weeks before having the ears re-pierced.