Can I Close Normal Ear Piercings?

Earlobes have a limited amount of skin and they have a shape that requires all the skin present for one earlobe to look like the other.  To remove an ear piercing hole, one often takes enough skin to distort the earlobe. 

 

I often take symmetrical wedges out of each earlobe and that way, keep the size exactly the same by incorporating the piercing within the wedge on each side.  Whenever you take a wedge out of an earlobe, to prevent denting at the edge of the earlobe, you need to do a tongue and groove pattern similar to the way old fashioned, fine furniture was made. 

 

Once the wound is healed, usually about six to eight weeks after closure, I use the Duffy Ear Piercer.  This is an excellent and little talked about plastic surgery tool made by Michael Duffy, M.D. and available commercially.  The repierced hole should be filled with a gold post with a relatively small gold ball fronting it.  The gold stud should be left in for approximately ten days.  It should be spun at least every other day, and washed gently with a very mild soap each day, but never removing it from the ear.  I normally do not allow my patients to use heavy earrings after an earlobe repair for about three months to allow significant wound healing and prevention of stretching of the newly healed tissue.

 

 

Thank you for your question! Yes you can have your ears closed.  I suggest you seek a board certified plastic surgeon and discuss your concerns.  Best of luck!Dhaval Patel
Double Board Certified 
Plastic Surgeon
Chicago 
Hoffman Estates 
Orland Park
Oakbrook

It's not uncommon for ear piercings to be uneven, especially if they were done when you were younger. Fixing the holes is straight forward. You can then re-pierce them after 6-8 weeks.