Earlobe Surgery
When we think of plastic surgery, procedures that involve the nose and breasts often come to mind. While these are common areas of concern, the ears can also have a significant impact on your self-esteem and confidence. Although not centrally located on the face, embarrassment about earlobe size and shape can be a frustrating problem. You may feel they’ve become a defining feature, detracting from your overall appearance or preventing you from wearing certain hairstyles or clothing accessories.
In most cases, these concerns can be surgically corrected with a highly-targeted procedure that reduces enlarged earlobes or corrects tears, splits and other injuries. If you’re unhappy with the size or shape of your ears, New York’s prominent double board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Franziska Huettner blends a careful technique and eye for aesthetics to restore the harmony of your facial appearance with earlobe surgery.
What is Earlobe Surgery?
Earlobe surgery, or loboplasty, is a procedure used to repair, resize or reshape the ears. The ears can become stretched, torn or enlarged for a variety of reasons and the goal of earlobe surgery is to create a more pleasing appearance and repair splits and other damage. Although the procedure can be performed with ease, it’s essential that your surgeon has substantial knowledge of facial proportions to ensure that your results will blend in seamlessly.
Dr. Huettner is a highly-qualified plastic surgeon and understands that each patient is unique. She takes the time to get to know each individual, listen to their needs and craft a deeply personalized procedure for a natural-looking outcome. By combining skill and precision, Dr. Huettner adopts a strategic approach that balances the proportions of your face and creates a more suitable appearance with minimal scarring and downtime.
Unlike the rest of your ears, the earlobes contain no cartilage and are more prone to stretching and tearing. Sometimes this is done intentionally through the use of specialized gauges, but more often it’s an undesired effect. Ear piercings are a common cause of damage, slowly splitting the earlobes from years of wearing bulky jewelry. Earrings can cause abrupt tearing as well, from the trauma of being pulled out or caught on something. Some other causes of enlarged or damaged earlobes include:
Heavy jewelry
Trauma and injury
Ear gauges
Infections or disease
Keloids and scar tissue
Congenital disabilities
Large ears are also associated with the aging process and some may desire a correction to restore a more youthful appearance. Although these issues are not harmful to your overall health, they can have a negative impact on your self-esteem and prevent you from enjoying your life to the fullest. Regardless of the cause of your concerns, earlobe surgery is a very versatile procedure that can correct a variety of cosmetic issues for both men and women. To help you reach your aesthetic goals and restore your confidence, Dr. Huettner will develop a personalized treatment plan that addresses your unique needs for beautiful results.
What causes damaged or enlarged earlobes?
Am I a good candidate?
Earlobe repair is a relatively quick, simple and minimally-invasive procedure, making it appropriate for a wide range of patients. Ideal candidates for earlobe surgery are those who:
Have split or torn earlobes
Have stretched or oversized earlobes
Want to restore the symmetry of their earlobes
Are in good overall health
Aren’t excessively prone to scar or keloid formation
Have realistic expectations
Generally speaking, men and women of all ages with enlarged, damaged or malformed earlobes looking to improve their appearance are a good candidate for earlobe surgery. If you feel like your ears are holding you back and want to learn more about your options, double board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Huettner can help you decide if earlobe surgery is right for you during an in-person consultation.
What to expect
Earlobe surgery can be done in under an hour but requires an artistic eye and careful technique to ensure beautiful, natural-looking results. Typically performed in-office with local anesthesia, Dr. Huettner can approach the surgery in a few different ways depending on your goals and the extent of repair necessary. Since the facial anatomy and proportions of each patient are unique, Dr. Huettner will meet with you before your procedure to better understand your concerns and craft a highly-individualized procedure tailored just for you.
If the earlobe is being reduced, Dr. Huettner may strategically remove a small wedge of tissue from the sides or bottom of the lobe to create a more attractive shape before stitching up the incision. Care will be taken to minimize scarring and the result will be a more proportionally sized, symmetrical earlobe sculpted to complement your overall appearance.
What is the recovery like?
After earlobe surgery, post-operative discomfort is usually minimal and can be easily managed with over-the-counter medication, if any. The area may be swollen and tender immediately after your procedure, but this is normal and should subside over the next few days.
Most patients are able to resume normal activities afterward, but it’s recommended that you’re careful with hats, hairbrushes, jewelry and hair dryers during your recovery period. Although your ears can be re-pierced once they’re fully healed, heavy earrings can re-stretch and split the earlobes again. It’s recommended that patients wear lighter jewelry or studs in the future to avoid this.
After your procedure, Dr. Huettner will provide you with more specific aftercare instructions and a direct line of communication should you have any questions or concerns.
After the area is healed, Dr. Huettner will then upon request re-pierce your earlobes, so you can enjoy wearing your beautiful earrings once again.
We are here to help
If you’re tired of the pain and discomfort caused by your breasts and want a change, Dr. Franziska Huettner can help you achieve the shapely, feminine and pain-free breasts you deserve. As a double board-certified surgeon with the credentials and experience to match, her exclusive patients receive highly personalized care and beautiful, artistic results that can only be achieved with skill and finesse.
Get in touch with one of her offices today:
