Stretched ears. Surgery the only way to correct this? Will surgery involve cutting into my ear or can it just be sewn?

Thank you for your question.  We typically do this procedure in our office under local anesthesia.  We try and not cut through the entire earlobe, unless we have to.  We usually close the incision in layers to take the tension off of the incision.  This usually leads to a nicer incision line.  Please call the office for more details and the current costs.  Costs will typically depend on the complexity,  and how much time, the procedure will take.  Costs will vary from city to city.  We usually have our patients wait 3 months before re-piercing the earlobe, and 3 mm from the repair.  Best to see a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon or Otolaryngologist (ENT).  They will help you make a plan to achieve your goals.
Jeffrey J. Roth, M.D., F.A.C.S.
Board Certified Plastic Surgeon
Las Vegas Plastic Surgery

Thank you for your question. You submitted a photo of each earlobe, and concerned about the hole in the ears which became enlarged,  so you’re asking about surgical repair where you can maybe avoid having to cut all the way through beyond the hole inside and split the earlobe. You’re looking for a detailed answer about the approach that would be recommended in your situation.
I can give you some guidance on this question in the absence of a physical examination. A little background: I’m a Board-certified cosmetic surgeon and Fellowship-trained oculofacial plastic and reconstructive surgeon. I have been in practice in Manhattan and Long Island for over 20 years. Helping people deal with stretched earlobes and elongated holes are very common procedures in our practice. I’ll share with you my thinking when I meet with a patient concerned about the hole they currently have in the earlobe.
To determine whether a hole is elongated to the point where the earlobe is best divided is the question of the proximity of the hole to the edge. If someone has been wearing heavy earrings that have been stretching the earlobe until there’s so little tissue between the edge of the hole and the edge of the ear, then it makes sense to just excise. Sometimes with such a significant amount of stretch, we have to do some kind of an earlobe reduction at the same time, but that doesn’t seem to be the case for you.
In your situation, the hole is enlarged, so it probably makes sense to look at the surgical option. Sometimes when someone has a good size amount of tissue, and their earlobe has a little amount of space, it’s almost better to do another piercing to avoid doing a repair or surgery.
In a situation like yours, looking at where those holes are which is kind of in the geometric center of the earlobe, it makes sense to cut out the hole in the middle with a donut hole type of approach. Inside of that hole where the earing is placed has epidermis - a smooth surface that’s continuous with the skin. To close that, you cut out the epidermis, then surgically close the hole. What I do is place stitches sometimes in the inside, as well as the front and the back and try to create an aesthetic closure, and at the same time maintain the shape of the earlobe. Sometimes, this procedure can be deceptively complex because you want to have the balance.
Allow that area to heal, then at a certain point, usually a few weeks, you can go ahead a re-pierce. I generally tell my patients not to pierce in the same place because that area is still going to take about a year to ensure healing. What we end up doing is piercing for the patient, so my assistants and the patient figure out the optimal location so the balance is there, then we place little gold stud earrings for them, then normal hygienic care. Once that area is healed, they can take that stud earring out, then use the jewelry they normally use.
I think that approach makes the most sense to me, again in the absence of a physical exam. Think of cutting the hole out in the donut, then a really nice surgical closure to achieve a minimal amount of scarring, and get a nice result so you can later have the earlobe re-pierced. I hope that was helpful, I wish you the best of luck, and thank you for your question.This personalized video answer to your question is posted on RealSelf and on YouTube. To provide you with a personal and expert response, we use the image(s) you submitted on RealSelf in the video, but with respect to your privacy, we only show the body feature in question so you are not personally identifiable. If you prefer not to have your video question visible on YouTube, please contact us.

The earlobe has shrunk in size and can accommodate a minor surgical procedure to repair the earlobe gauge scar. I perform these under local anesthesia with amazing results. Best, Dr. KaramanoukianLos Angeles