Do you feel as if your earlobes are too large, droopy and make you look older than you are? Large earlobes can be caused by the natural ageing process, wearing jewellery that is large and heavy or you can be born with naturally large ears. If this is the case for you, you may wish to undergo earlobe reduction to decrease the size of the years and increase your confidence and self-esteem.
Am I a good candidate for earlobe reduction?
If you wish to undergo earlobe reduction surgery, you will need to be:
- Over 18 years old
- Be physically and mentally healthy
- Have large, droopy ears which require a reduction
If your earlobes do not appear youthful but are not drooping or enlarged, you may wish to have dermal fillers instead of undergoing a surgical procedure.
What happens during surgery?
An earlobe reduction will be performed using a local anaesthetic. This means you will be awake for the duration of the procedure. However, you will be unable to feel or hear anything.
The procedure is relatively simple. An incision will be made between the earlobe and the cheek. The excess earlobe will then be removed. The remaining tissue is shut together and stitched using dissolvable stitches.
This procedure takes roughly 30 minutes to complete.
What can I expect from the recovery period?
Earlobe reduction is considered a day procedure. You will be able to return home once the effects of the anaesthetic have worn off.
It is normal to experience some pain and discomfort following earlobe reduction. Following your procedure, you will be given pain medication which can be taken to alleviate any discomfort.
You will be given a garment which you will be required to wear around your head. This not only protects the surgical area, but it helps to speed up the recovery period and reduces swelling and bruising.
You will also need to ensure you sleep in the correct position. You should keep your head elevated to help reduce any bleeding and swelling. Furthermore, you will need to avoid sleeping on your ears. Instead, sleep on the back of your head.
You will need to take at least one week off work. If you have a physically demanding job, you will need to ensure you are mindful of the surgical area in order to avoid any problems occurring.
As the surgery involves an incision, you will have a scar in between the earlobe and the cheek. This will be the most noticeable directly after surgery. However, with time the scar will become less noticeable and will change in colour and reduce in size.
Does earlobe reduction surgery have any risks?
As this is a surgical procedure, there are rare risks which may occur.
Following earlobe reduction, you may experience:
- Bleeding
- Swelling
- Infection
It is also important to know that exact symmetry can never be guaranteed, and the two earlobes may look slightly different. Results may change as you continue to age.
Interested in earlobe reduction? This is a procedure Centre for Surgery currently offers. Contact us today to find out more or to book a consultation with a surgeon.
