- Earlobe Repair can be performed under local anaesthetic with little to no downtime
- Specialist UK Consultant Plastic Surgeons
- Quality care throughout your surgical journey at our CQC rated clinics
- 0% Finance Available
What’s on this page
- About this Treatment
- Before & Afters
- What to Expect
- FAQs
- Our Clinics
- Things to Consider
- Patient Stories
- Why the Private Clinic
- Meet the Surgeons
- Related Blogs & News
Medically reviewed by Mr Mark Lloyd, BM, MRCS (Eng), MSc, IM&T(Health), M.Phil, FRCS(Plast), ECFMG. GMC Number 4425050, Consultant Plastic & Cosmetic Surgeon for The Private Clinic.
Last Reviewed January 16th 2025
Related Cosmetic Surgery
Earlobe Repair Surgery
Earlobe repair or split earlobe surgery is a quick and simple minor surgical procedure to correct split, ripped or torn earlobes and/or stretched earlobes. It is carried out under local anaesthetic and is a short procedure.
The earlobe is the lower, fleshy part of the ear that is sometimes pierced. The area consists of a delicate piece of skin that is made up of fat and skin. This area can be split or ripped due to heavy or over-stretched earrings.
Split earlobes are usually caused by trauma, which may occur if earrings are pulled through the piercing hole. Additionally, wearing earrings — especially heavy earrings — can lengthen the piercing hole and eventually pull through over time. People with thin earlobes are predisposed to this occurring.
If you’re interested in having your split earlobe, widened piercing hole or stretched ear piercings reversed or repaired, arrange a consultation at The Private Clinic with our expert Consultant Cosmetic Surgeons who have extensive experience in ear correction surgery. It is a quick simple procedure with excellent results and no downtime.
Earlobe Repair at a glance
Procedure Time
15 mins per ear
Anaesthetic Type
Local anaesthetic
Hospital Stay
Day case
Support Garments
None, bandaging post-procedure
Washing
48 hours
Driving
1 day
Up & Mobile
Immediately
Sexual Activity
4 weeks
Back to work
1 – 2 days
Exercise
2-3 weeks
Travel
1 week
Recovery Time
4 – 6 weeks
Sleeping
Elevate your head for 1-2 weeks
Final Results
6 weeks
Where can I fix my split earlobe?
Split Earlobe repair surgery consultations are available at our Birmingham, London Harley Street and Northampton clinics.
Other types of earlobe repair: Tribal earlobe repair
Our consultant plastic surgeons are also able to offer tribal earlobe repair to correct stretched earlobes and earlobe reduction to re-shape or re-size the fleshy lobe part of the ear.
Ask us a question
Split Earlobe Repair Before & After Photos
Our excellent reputation for patient safety and satisfaction, honest advice and outstanding care means your journey with The Private Clinic will be an exciting experience. Take a look at some of our split earlobe repair results below.
What to Expect
The Private Clinic has been treating patients for over 40 years with thousands of women placing their trust in us each year. We pride ourselves on being able to offer a personalised service. We have a team of friendly nurses and expert breast surgeons who understand the importance of this decision and will support you throughout your journey with us.
The Consultation
The first stage of your earlobe repair journey will be a consultation with one of our expert surgeons.
At your consultation, your surgeon will go through the earlobe repair procedure in detail and examine the area.
Your surgeon will then discuss:
- Your medical history
- Your expectations from surgery
- Risks and Complications
- Aftercare
Following your consultation, you will be introduced to your dedicated patient coordinator who will be your point of contact should you wish to proceed with earlobe repair surgery.
Pre-Operative Advice
In the interests of patient safety, all our patients are assessed against our patient selection criteria. Following your consultation and review of your past medical history, the physician or preoperative nurse will choose any pre-operative tests considered to be appropriate, most of which are routine blood tests.
The Earlobe Repair procedure
The technique used for your Earlobe repair will depend on the state of your lobes and your desired results. It’s a fairly straightforward procedure that can be done in any of our in-house theatres under local anaesthetic. The procedure takes 20-40 minutes to perform.
- The split area of the earlobe is marked out to be removed as a wedge.
- Local anaesthetic is injected to numb the area and the earlobe will usually stay numb for around 3 to 4 hours following the procedure.
- The split section of the lobe is carefully cut out.
- The wound is then cauterised to stop any bleeding.
- The two sides of the earlobe are then brought together and secured with absorbable stitches.
- A dressing is applied to the wound and will stay for around a week.
A rotational flap earlobe repair is a technique which preserves the existing ear-piercing hole. This allows patients to be able to safely wear earrings again just two weeks after their procedure instead of having to wait 6 months.
Earlobe Reduction
If your lobes are sagging, then an earlobe reduction will be the best way to reshape them and make them more proportionate, whereas if they’ve been torn then they can be stitched up and amended as well.
Tribal Earlobe Reconstruction
For patients with stretched lobes, there are a couple of options. A hole with a small diameter could require only a few stitches. If you’ve stretched your lobes beyond 1.5cm in diameter, they won’t be able to spring back to their original shape and may require the excess flesh to be trimmed before they can be reshaped. Find out more about Stretched or Tribal Earlobe repair here.
After your Earlobe Repair Procedure
The procedure is performed under local anaesthetic, and there’s very little downtime involved.
Following your procedure, we recommend that you have a friend or family member drive you home. This is because the side effects of local anaesthetic can vary from person to person and your ability to drive may be affected.
Most patients are okay to return to work the day after their procedure. Post-procedure pain may be uncomfortable for up to 2 days post-procedure, we advise over-the-counter painkillers such as paracetamol to manage this.
The area should be kept dry for 48 hours following surgery.
Exercise should be avoided for 2-3 weeks as it can increase your risk of wound separation and infection. Light gentle exercises can be returned to in the days following your procedure as you feel comfortable to do so.
Your surgeon will advise you on scar management and how best to care for your incision.
Earlobes should not be pierced for at least 3 months following earlobe repair surgery unless using the rotational flap technique. When wearing earrings following earlobe repair, it is recommended that heavy earrings are only worn 6 months following your procedure and only for short periods as the scar will still be weak and could be prone to tearing again.
The Private Clinic have collaborated with Chrysalis Finance to offer 0% finance for our patients.*
*Acceptance is subject to status. Terms and conditions apply.
Frequently Asked Questions
Earlobe repair is a surgical procedure that aims to correct the appearance of split or stretched earlobes medically known as a lobuloplasty.
A split earlobe is when there is a separation of the skin on the lobe which causes a split-like appearance which can be undesirable.
This split can make wearing earrings difficult or uncomfortable as they are likely to pull on the split or not sit aesthetically within the earlobe.
A stretched earlobe is when the lobe has been purposely stretched using various ear taper tools and plugs to create an enlarged appearance. Stretched or tribal earlobe repair is a slightly different surgical procedure that often requires earlobe reconstruction.
You can find out more information about stretched earlobe repair here.
Split earlobes are caused when the skin of the ear becomes weak and prone to stretching where the ear piercing hole is located.
Split earlobes are most commonly caused when earrings catch on clothing and they pull and tear the skin. They can also be caused by wearing heavy earrings for long periods of time.
The split in your ear may naturally constrict back to a smaller size if you don’t wear earrings, or don’t wear heavy earrings but the area will be weak and usually prone to splitting again once you start wearing earrings again.
Earlobe repair is Available in these Clinics
Things to Consider
Our advice on what to consider when deciding to have an earlobe repair procedure:
1. When choosing a clinic, you should always do your research, and only go to an established, reputable clinic.
The Private Clinic has been in the cosmetic surgery industry for over 40 years. We are here to answer all of your questions and give you peace of mind.
2. When choosing a surgeon, make sure you know who you’ll be seeing. Their expertise, qualifications and patient satisfaction rate are important factors to take into consideration.
At The Private Clinic, we only source the most experienced and specialised surgeons. Find out more about our plastic surgeons here.
3. Price should never be the deciding factor when choosing where to have your treatment. Safety should be your number one priority and feeling confident that they will look after you – not only before, but also after your procedure
4. When it sounds too good to be true, it often is. Always find out what your clinic’s reputation is.
Our excellent reputation for patient safety and satisfaction, honest advice and outstanding care means your journey with The Private Clinic will be an exciting experience to a newfound shape.
Patient Stories
Outstanding care, patient satisfaction and results mean everything to The Private Clinic Team
Book a consultation today to hear about the best options available for you.
Split Earlobe Repair – Sonia
Why Choose The Private Clinic
- We are a multi-award-winning Cosmetic Surgery provider.
- We have over 40 years’ experience in Medical Cosmetic procedures and advanced non-surgical treatments.
- World class ear specialist surgeons
- Dedicated care with your expert surgeon and nursing team, and a 24 hour help line.
- As many post-operative care appointments with your surgeon, doctor and nursing team as required.
- We have state of the art hospital facilities.
- 5 Star Trustpilot Rating
Meet our Surgeons
We are proud to have some of the UK’s leading Consulting Plastic Surgeons working with us and together we strive to deliver effective solutions coupled with the best patient care available. All of our surgeons have extensive experience and knowledge has made them very well-respected within our industry.
Consultant Plastic, Reconstructive & Aesthetic Surgeon
Consultant Plastic, Reconstructive, Cosmetic Surgeon
Consultant Plastic & Reconstructive Surgeon
