Split earlobes

Split earlobes are due to wearing heavy earrings which have pulled through the soft skin of the earlobe over a number of years. The split is easily corrected under a short local anaesthetic lasting around 1 hour. The procedure is done as a day case, and the split will be sutured using very fine sutures. These will need to be removed at around 1 week.

Occasionally a looped suture will be left in the ear at the site of the original piercing to preserve the piercing, to enable the patient to continue to wear earrings. However I would suggest that only light-weight jewellery be worn, as the scar will naturally be weaker than normal skin.