How to Heal an Earring Hole That's Stretched

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Heavy, dangling earrings may be fashionable, but they can pull down on the tissue of the earlobe (and sometimes tear the hole through to the end of the ear). It can be challenging to heal these elongated holes. Sometimes the only way to fix them is by plastic surgery. Depending on the person, how big the hole is and how long the piercing has been there, the hole may or may not heal on its own.

Stop wearing long, dangling and heavy earrings. They pull down on the earlobe and cause it to elongate. Consider wearing studs and earrings made out of lightweight materials.

Put a piece of surgical tape on the back of the earlobe. This will give the tissue more support when you're wearing earrings, and help to prevent further tearing.

Don't wear earrings while brushing your hair or pulling shirts over your head. Both can "pull" on your earrings, elongating your earlobes even more and preventing healing.

Consider having your earlobes surgically repaired. This procedure is performed in a doctor's office with local anesthesia; anything from a sag to a full tear can be repaired. Your ear may be re-pierced at a later date.

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Earlobes can be stretched intentionally or unintentionally. Some people choose to stretch their earlobes through the use of large-gauge earrings, creating large holes in the lobes. Other people find that years of wearing heavy earrings results in stretched earlobes. You can repair stretched earlobes, but extreme stretching will require medical intervention to correct.

Stop wearing heavy earrings. Give your earlobes a break for a few months. If the damage is fairly new, they should repair themselves.

Remove large-gauge or stretching earrings if you have them. Earlobes with smaller-gauge earrings, generally 2-gauge or less, often shrink on their own. If you had larger-gauge earrings, you may need ear-repair surgery to repair the stretched lobes.

Avoid wearing earrings to sleep. When you move in your sleep, earrings can catch on things and pull slightly. While you might not feel any pain, the movement may be stretching your earlobes.

Consult a plastic surgeon regarding ear-repair surgery. Most plastic surgeons refer to such procedures as split, torn or stretched ear repair surgery.

Schedule an ear repair surgery. This is a short procedure, usually just 15 minutes. The doctor will apply a local anesthetic to your earlobes to numb them, then cut the lobe and sew it back together. This repair surgery usually removes the piercing hole from your ear. You can have your ears pierced again once the lobes have fully healed.

Care for your earlobes properly following the repair surgery. Wash the lobes with water and soap three times a day to avoid infection. If your doctor instructs, apply a light layer of antibiotic ointment to the earlobes.

Tip

If you wish to have your ears pierced again after surgery, talk to your doctor about it. Ask if he or she pierces ears. Doctors often pierce ears in the safest way possible, decreasing the likelihood of torn or split earlobes.

Warning

Avoid wearing large, heavy earrings that dangle. After ear-repair surgery, it's best to stick to lightweight earrings.

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After piercing your ears for the first time, starter studs are put in place. Afterward, skin will develop around the hole, healing around the earrings, allowing them to be interchanged regularly. Before changing them out though, make sure to leave in the studs for six weeks, during which you should clean the ear lobes and studs at least once a day, every day. The removal can sometimes be difficult, but there are ways to make the process easier.

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Clean your ear piercings. Use a cotton ball dipped in hydrogen peroxide to rub your ear lobes while the studs are still in.

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Loosen the stud's bond with the hole by twisting it in a clockwise direction several times until it turns with ease. If this is painful, you may have already developed an infection or you didn't leave in your stud long enough. Wait a week -- turning the stud daily -- until the pain stops. Then proceed to Step 3. If the pain continues, consult a medical professional.

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Hold the front of the stud steady with one hand, cupping the bottom of your ear lobe with your finger. Do not pull down on your ear lobe. Use your other hand to pinch the stud backing between your index finger and thumb.

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Pull the back out of the earring gently and quickly, keeping the stud in place. Do not attempt to pull the two pieces away from each other simultaneously -- this will be more painful and can cause stretching in your ear lobe.

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Insert a hypoallergenic earring, preferably a stud or small hoop, into the piercing. If you don't wear earrings for a while immediately after a piercing, the hole will heal and close up, resulting in the need for a new piercing.

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Repeat steps 2 through 5 for the piercing in your other ear.