Ear Piercing and Repair
What is Ear Piercing?
Ear piercing is the production of a hole in each ear lobe to allow the wearing of ear rings.
What is different about ear piercing performed at Arlington Center for Dermatology?
Ear piercing is performed under local anesthetic to reduce pain and discomfort. The instruments used are guaranteed sterile and free from infection.
What are the risks of ear piercing?
Infection is the biggest risk with ear piercing. If the studs become infected, they may become inflamed, painful and lumpy. Under these circumstances, the studs will need removal. To prevent infection from occurring, patients considering ear piercing should do the following:
- Defer ear piercing treatment for six weeks after any infection
- In general leave area alone apart from regularly turning the studs.
Who should not undergo ear piercing?
The following patients are advised to avoid ear piercing:
- Patients prone to chronic infections
- Patients prone to severe allergic reactions
- Patients who are pregnant or breast feeding
- Patients who have active cold sores
- Taking cortisone
- Taking non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs
- Taking anti-coagulant medication
If there is any doubt, please discuss all matters with the treating doctor.
How is ear piercing performed?
The ear lobes are marked with the patient in front of a mirror to determine exactly the placement of the studs. Local anesthetic is injected with a very fine needle. Ear piercing is performed in a well-lit room and magnification is used for accurate placement of the ear studs. Single use studs are introduced using a spring-loaded gun.
How long will my ear piercing take?
Treatments take about 15 minutes.
What is ear lobe repair?
Ear lobe repairs are performed when the ear-ring hole has become stretched or torn. The cause may be accidental or may be related to wearing excessively heavy ear-rings.
What are the risks of ear lobe repair?
Infection is the biggest risk with ear lobe repair. If the stitches become infected, they may become inflamed, painful and lumpy. Under these circumstances, the stitches will need removal. To prevent infection from occurring, patients considering ear lobe repair should do the following:
- Defer ear lobe repair for six weeks after any infection
- In general leave the area alone
Who should not undergo ear lobe repair?
The following patients are advised to avoid ear lobe repair:
- Patients prone to chronic infections
- Patients prone to severe allergic reactions
- Patients who are pregnant or breast feeding
- Patients who have active cold sores
- Taking cortisone
- Taking non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs
- Taking anti-coagulant medication
If there is any doubt, please discuss all matters with the treating doctor.
How is ear lobe repair performed?
Local anesthetic is injected with a very fine needle. The damaged ear-ring holes are completely cut out. The resulting hole in the ear lobe is repaired using fine stitching on the front and the back of the ear lobe. Stitches are removed after one to two weeks.
How long will my ear lobe repair take?
Treatments take about 30 minutes.
For thin, non-supportive earlobes
For thin, non-supportive earlobes, we can also inject Restylane® or JuveDerm® to help give them back substance to support your earrings.
