More and more I am getting requests for closure of gauged earlobes. Many patients are entering the Military, where the rule is you cannot have a hole in the earlobe that you can see through. Others are just tired of wearing their gauges for a variety of reasons and are ready to ‘move on’.

The repair is done as an in-office procedure under local anesthesia. It usually takes about 15 minutes per ear. There is really no downtime after the procedure. You will have to have your sutures removed about a week later.

From the patient perspective, I think the procedure should be viewed as a reconstructive one. Depending of the size of the gauges, I am able to restore a normal appearance to the earlobe. However, it is unlikely that the lobes will be perfectly symmetric (see my last blog on symmetry) and there is a small scar left after the repair. The larger the gauges the more likelihood of more scarring and the greater chance for asymmetry. That being said, I have not had to revise any of the repairs due to patient dissatisfaction.

The cost for repair, assuming both ears are being treated, is typically $1000. I will occasionally lower that if the gauges were very small, but you should assume it will be $1000.

If you are interested in the procedure call our office at 502.721.0330 or you can contact us through our website at www.CorbettCosmeticSurgery.com

Lee Corbett, MD

Medical Director, Corbett Cosmetic Aesthetic Surgery and MedSpa