Earlobe Gauge Repair: Bringing “Second Thoughts” to Life
A wide range of persuasive fashion and cultural influences prompt folks to pursue earlobe piercings. What decades ago was the province of a slumber party among teens who wanted to wear “real” earrings – using ice cubes as anesthetic and a sewing needle as the principle instrument – ear piercing evolved into larger piercings and ornaments in the 1990s. And men became nearly as likely as women to become interested in having them.
Whether considered “radical body modification” or just a style choice, the gauge and location of piercings signified a sense of belonging, carried meaning and status for many people. Eventually large-gauge ear piercings were nowhere near as “out there” as folks might have considered them once upon a time. In many circles, piercings were normal and widely accepted.
Things Change
Still, the growth and change of career and family responsibilities can evolve our identity and change our circle of friends, as well as our tastes. This fact often prompts people to reconsider the piercing that may have made sense before.
In view of how dramatic a person’s ear piercings had become or the size of ornament that was eventually worn, it might appear that there is “no way back,” from such a remarkable step. There certainly are solutions, and they are not as difficult as the piercing itself might suggest.
Solutions from Wide Experience
Returning to “office-friendly” earlobes may not be as difficult as it might appear, because the skills and procedures for closing a large-gauge piercing are similar to those that have been used for generations in earlobe reduction surgery.
While every case deserves an original assessment and plan, the procedure for closing a large piercing in the earlobe involves creating a new edge or margin for the hole, and then joining the edges together.
In many cases the procedure can be accomplished with only local anesthetic.
If you’ve even begun to wonder whether the time is past for your piercing, we’d be happy to discuss your earlobe repair options with you. The solutions are often simpler and the results are more effective than you might imagine.
About Mike Majmundar, M.D.
Dr. Mike Majmundar has been named a Top Doctor by Atlanta Magazine, a National Top Doctor by U.S. News & World Report & Castle Connolly, a Top Beauty Expert by The Atlantan, Best Self, and Northside Woman, and Best Botox and Filler Injector by Jezebel. To read his patient reviews, visit RealSelf or Google+. Dr. Majmundar is also a member of the American Association of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (AAFPRS), the world’s largest association of facial plastic and reconstructive surgeons (with over 4,000 members) and the only organization dedicated to the advancement of plastic and reconstructive surgery of the face, head and neck, as well as the American Board of Facial Plastic Surgery.
