Ear Lobe Repairs: Treatment, Procedure, Cost and Side Effects

Ear lobe repair or surgery is a type of a cosmetic surgery that is carried out to eliminate deformities in the ear lobes of a person. This reconstructive plastic surgery is particularly useful in treating patients who have suffered damage to their ear lobes due to an accident or those who have stretched out or torn or split ear lobes. This surgery is quick and effective and is of two types- flesh tunnel repair surgery and split ear lobe repair surgery. These surgeries are generally carried out as corrective measures for ear piercings gone wrong as well as other body art types that adversely affect the ear lobes of a person. Heavy earrings can also stretch out the ear lobes and cause them to elongate. However, ear lobe repair can fix all of the aesthetic issues one faces with the appearance of their ear lobes.

Whether it's a flesh tunnel repair surgery or a split earlobe repair surgery, the procedure carried out is fairly simple. Before the start of the surgery, the patient is administered local anesthesia, which helps numb the site of the operation. After that, in a flesh tunnel repair surgery, the surgeon will make an incision in the ear lobe of the patient and will remove the affected area. After that, the remaining portions of the ear lobe will be sutured together to elimnate the damage to the ear lobe. The process of the split ear lobe surgery is more or less the same, with the difference being that a split ear lobe surgery takes a lot more time to complete than a flesh tunnel repair surgery. That said, both of these surgeries are still relatively quicker and much simpler when compared to other cosmetic or plastic surgeries. In fact, this ear lobe repair surgery takes a maximum of about 30 minutes to 1 hour for each ear lobe of the patient concerned, depending on the type of surgery one opts for.

Patients who wide ear holes, say about 8mm, or those who have stretched out ear lobes due to the wearing of heavy earrings are eligible for ear lobe repairs. Patients with other types of cosmetic damages such as split ear lobes are also eligible.

Patients who suffer from other health complications or other skin infections as well as older patients may not be eligible for this ear lobe repair treatment.

Irrespective of the ear lobe surgery one goes, the side effects of it are minimal, making it a very safe procedure. Patients can expect to experience mild discomfort as well as pain at the site of operation, which can be treated with the help of over-the-counter pain medication. In very rare cases, the stitches can get infected if proper post-operative care is not taken by the patient.

After the successful completion of the surgery, patients will notice small scars on their ear lobe, which may be red at first but will eventually fade away with time. Patients will be allowed to go home the day of the operation itself. Patients may also be asled to take certain medications to prevent complications. An antibiotic cream may also be given to apply on the area of the surgery. Generally, one would have to wait for about 6 months to get their ears pierced again.

It takes about a weak for the redness and swelling caused by ear lobe repairs to heal. After this, the patient can return back to their normal lives without worrying.

Ear lobe repair surgeries in India are slightly expensive and one can expect to pay a lot to get it done right. That said, the cost of ear lobe repair surgeries in the country vary between Rs 70,000 and Rs 75,000, depending on the type of surgery one opts for.

Ear lobe repair surgeries are extremely effective and it's results last a lifetime. However, one shouldbe careful enoigh to avoid damages to the ear lobes caused buy accidents, heavy earrings and the like.

There are no alternatives treatments as such for ear lobe repair surgeries. Patients have no choice but to go under the knife in case their ear lobes are damaged beyond repair that can be brought on by topical applications (such as in the case of cuts and wounds).