Earlobe surgery or earlobe reduction can fix the appearance of damaged lobes. Earlobes can become stretched, ripped or sag due to injuries or natural aging. Before surgery, patients should remove any heavy jewelry to prevent further stretching. During the procedure, the surgeon will reshape the tissues in the lobe to create a more symmetrical appearance. They also smooth out any bumps or scars on the ear.

There are different techniques used for earlobe surgery. These largely depend on the damage to the ear. Surgeons can reposition the tissues, reshape the ear and redesign the earlobe to improve its overall appearance.

The surgery is an outpatient procedure. It will begin with the areas being marked to indicate where they plan to make the incisions. Once the ear is cleaned, the doctor will inject a local anesthetic into the site. They will then remove excess skin around the stretched lobe and stitch the remaining skin tightly to close up any openings and/or reduce the size of the earlobe.

The procedure requires no downtime, and patients can return to work immediately.Patients can expect some mild pain and swelling after the procedure. They should clean the area regularly to avoid infections. The sutures are usually removed a week later unless dissolvable stitches are used. Patients can re-pierce their ears 2-6 months later, depending on how well the site has healed.

The new piercing will have to be made in a different area to the incision site as it could cause a build-up of scar tissues. As with most surgeries, there are some side effects involved. These can include swelling, hematomas, bruising, or keloid scarring. The latter can be removed using injectables or surgical methods later on.