Earlobe Reduction

Earlobe reduction

Earlobes are a seemingly small part of our faces.  Unfortunately, earlobes may create several aesthetic problems even within Chicago, Illinois.

First of all, torn earlobes are a common problem after ear piercing.  Many heavy earrings or hanging earrings can get accidently pulled creating a hole within the ear.  This can create a visual problem and the inability to wear earrings.  Dr. Shah advocates staged closure of the torn earlobe.  To begin, a simple office procedure takes place where the hole is closed, creating a brand new earlobe.  After a period of 4 weeks, a new earring can be inserted by Dr. Shah or a trained individual.

Facial aging can also be a source of concern for if you have had Botox and restylane and plastic surgery a tell tale give away could be your ears.  Ear lobes can offer a subtle sign of aging.  Aged earlobes can be a result of hanging too far (called ptosis pronounced Toe- Sis) or loss of volume. As we age many tissues in our body tend to relax, causing tissues to stretch and hang.  Our ears are no exception and are particularly sensitive to this when dealing with the combination of gravity and heavy earrings over a period of many years.  This is probably the main reason women are more susceptible to this  than men. The other sign of aging of the ear is loss of volume or fat in the ear.  If you look at a child’s face, it is round and youthful and full of volume (similar to a grape).  If you look at an elderly person’s face, it can look shriveled and sagging (similar to a raisin).  The same principle applies to ears, where a young earlobe will look soft and supple, while an older earlobe will have less volume. Some patients are good candidates for fillers in the ear.  I try to recorrect the softness of the ear and only recommend soft, natural feeling fillers.  The two I recommend are Juvederm and Restylane, fillers containing a natural skin gel called hyalarounic acid. Injection of the ears with HA filler takes about 5 minutes to perform and 5 minutes to perfect.  I spend half the time to make sure the ears are perfectly symmetric.  If a patient wants their ear lobe volume restored, they want them perfect. It lasts about 6 months and needs to be repeated to keep volume within the earlobes.  Fat transfer is another more permanent option if the patient likes the appearance of the ear.

Sagging earlobes can also be the result of hanging too far from loss of elasticity, a common finding with aging.  Here a simple office procedure can help, lift the earlobes up, to create a youthful, plump earlobe.