Though people have been stretching their earlobes for centuries, it is only recently that young adults have started doing it as fashion statement. Despite having rapidly increased in popularity over the last few years, this fashion has set the stage for a number of people wanting their earlobes back to their normal state. After the trend (or original excitement) dies off, the regrets emerge. Luckily, there is a surgery available to repair the damage caused by stretching the earlobes.
What are Gauged Ears?
To put it quite simply, gauged ears are earlobes that have been stretched over and over again in order to accommodate large jewelries such as cylinders and plugs. These are used to fill larger holes but increase in size as the earlobes progressively become larger. The process of stretching the earlobes is very gradual and it often takes years for someone to achieve the desired size.
The Natural Process
Before relying on surgery, doctors suggest patients remove the plugs and let their earlobes shrink naturally. They recommend that they start wearing smaller plugs or cylinders as the earlobe begins to shrink more and more. If the hole is small enough, this saves the patient the trouble of going through a surgery to restore their earlobes. On the other hand, if the hole is small but the patient still wants to undergo surgery, this ensures that full gauged ear repair is achieved during it. Unfortunately, any hole that is bigger than 6 millimeters is said to be unable to restore itself fully – and that’s when gauged ear surgery comes into the picture.
The Process
A surgery to fix gauged ears usually takes about 30 minutes per earlobe and is done under anesthetic. The surgeon is able to work with the ear tissue in order to reconstruct the original shape of the earlobe. They usually begin by slicing the lobe in two before proceeding to sew the skin together, eventually giving the earlobe its former appearance. The price varies greatly depending on the surgeon, but patients should expect to pay around $500 per earlobe, sometimes more, sometimes less.
What Can People Expect After?
After someone has undergone gauged ears repair, they should expect to see a scar running from the middle of the earlobe down to its edge. While this surgery is generally viewed as a safe surgery, people are recommended to take good care of their earlobes afterwards in order to avoid any complication or infection that could arise. Anyone thinking of undergoing a surgery to fix gauged ears should think carefully about this. Surgeons advise people to not re-stretch their earlobes down the road, warning them that this process could literally tear the earlobes in two.
Thankfully, gauged earlobes do not have to be permanent. Sometimes the only option for people that have long ago passed the point of no return, the surgery to fix gauged ears is a quick and simple surgery that could well prove to be a long-term investment for people wishing their original earlobes back.
