Ear Surgery for Gauged Ears
The practice of ear gauging (stretching an earlobe by piercing it wider and wider over time, using plugs of various sizes) goes back thousands of years in a variety of cultures. There are images of King Tutankhamen and Gautama Buddha (the father of the Buddhist religion) with stretched, elongated earlobes sporting precious gems and wooden plugs. Some archeological digs have unearthed Incan ear plugs. There are even remains of a mummified European Ice Age male with gauged ears. The practice continues today among certain tribes in Africa and Asia. Ear gauging is also very popular as a type of body modification among young men and women in North America and Europe. At Jefferson Plastic Surgery in Philadelphia, PA, our surgeons can perform ear surgery to restore the appearance of gauged ears.
Reasons for Reversing Ear Gauging
Although it is becoming more and more common to come across people who have undergone ear gauging, there are instances in which people may decide to stop gauging their ears and have them revert to their previous size and appearance. In some cases, the actual piercings may become infected if they are stretched too much or too quickly. As a result, there may be excessive scarring in the area of the gauging. In other cases, patients may wish to undergo cosmetic surgery after ear gauging for more aesthetic reasons. Certain conservative workplaces, such as in the financial or legal fields, may frown upon excessive body modification. Those who work in the medical field, most often within surgical settings, may also run afoul of safety protocols that prohibit ear gauging.
However, simply removing the ear jewelry will not necessarily guarantee that the holes will shrink and close properly on their own. In general, any gauging beyond 10 mm (approximately 3/8 inches in diameter) may not allow the hole to close back up properly if the ear jewelry is removed.
Surgical Procedure for Correcting Ear Gauging
A procedure to correct for gauged ears usually only takes about half an hour and can be done with a local anesthetic. In most cases, the procedure involves suturing the lobe back together to close up the hole.
Precautions during Healing
There will be a scar running from the middle of the earlobe down to the bottom edge. Patients who have undergone this procedure are very strongly encouraged not to get any new piercings or gaugings in that earlobe. Patients are also advised to quit smoking or regular alcohol use starting two weeks before surgery until two weeks afterward. Tobacco smoke can dry out the skin, and alcohol can act as a blood thinner. Both will result in poor wound healing, longer healing times, and the risk of excessive scarring.
The surgeons at Jefferson Plastic Surgery recommend first removing any ear jewelry to see if the holes will shrink on their own. If not, a simple surgical procedure may be the answer to reduce the size and shape of earlobes from gauging. To find out if you are a good candidate for ear surgery, contact Jefferson Plastic Surgery today.