Can they do plastic surgery to close pierced ears?

[justjulia]

I have a question for all of you. 20 something years ago, I had my ears pierced several times and wore these cute hoops that were all the rage at the time. I had something like 4 holes including original on one side and 3 including original on the other. The original holes I had done at 16. The top hole on one side healed up pretty quickly because I could not stand sleeping on it. I kept the others, now with 3 total on each side. I rarely have worn earrings in all the holes. I got inspired 2 yrs ago to actually have little white gold flat spiral looking studs made for holes 2 and 3, but these started hurting in my sleep too. So, now that I have diamond studs that I like to wear all the time, I am thinking I would like to somehow erase the other holes. I''ve been thinking about this for the last 2 yrs or so.
Have you ever heard of anyone going to a dr to have their holes somehow sewed closed so they don''t show any more? Would a plastic surgeon do it? I''ve tried to ignore them, but I feel like it''s pretty obvious when I wear my hair up (they''re not that big, but noticeably pierced). Thanks, Justjulia

 

[asscherisme]

I wish I knew and I will follow this thread closely. When I was in college in the 80''s I did the multiple piercing thing too on BOTH ears. Even though I have not used anything beyond the bottom one for at least 15 years, the holes still show as if they are freshly pierced and they are VERY noticable. I regret ever doing them.

 

[justjulia]

Date: 5/4/2006 7:42:44 PM
Author: asscherisme
I wish I knew and I will follow this thread closely. When I was in college in the 80''s I did the multiple piercing thing too on BOTH ears. Even though I have not used anything beyond the bottom one for at least 15 years, the holes still show as if they are freshly pierced and they are VERY noticable. I regret ever doing them.

Wow, I''m so glad to see someone else thinking like I am. Mine look fresh, too! At this time of my life, I''m not old, but I want to be a little more "classic." I hate to look "unfinished" with those holes just hangin out there. There must be a way to go about this! I may get up the nerve to call a dr. I live in the Atlanta area, if anyone has a good referral for a plastic surgeon!
I was in college in the 80''s, too. I never quite got the knack of filling those holes the way I dreamed of when I planned it. I too wish I hadn''t done it!

 

[justjulia]

Date: 5/4/2006 7:42:44 PM
Author: asscherisme
I wish I knew and I will follow this thread closely. When I was in college in the 80''s I did the multiple piercing thing too on BOTH ears. Even though I have not used anything beyond the bottom one for at least 15 years, the holes still show as if they are freshly pierced and they are VERY noticable. I regret ever doing them.

Asscherisme, I just googled and read that it is a simple procedure. I will post if I find out more. I''m on a mission......lol

 

[asscherisme]

Where did you find your research? When I was looking I found sites for piercings, but not getting rid of piercings.

I wonder if its really expensive.

And I totally agree, the simple elegant look of stud earrings is distracted by those extra holes!!


And what was with the assymetrical look of 80''s peircings??

I have an uneven number too. In my left ear i have 3 holes, 2 in the right. So I have 3 holes too many! But assymetrical everything was big in the 80''s remember those assymetrical hairstyles?? And ponytails off to one side?? And Neon everything?? And leg warmers OVER the jean?? And peg legged jeans so narrow at the ankle, you actually needed zippers at the ankles?? OK, I"m totally getting off topic now. The 80''s fashions are not something I want to repeat.

I''m probably about the same age as you, I gradualted college in 1990. So I''m old enough to want to look more dignified, but not OLD!

 

[diamondlil]

I have multiple holes too -- 2 in each side. Got mine in 1980 when I was in high school. It seemed like a good idea at the time. Boy, was my mom miffed!!!!! I did wear diamond studs in the second holes until about 1990, and then I just outgrew the look. I hate that you can see those second holes too.

I''ve seen quite a few of my daughter''s friends (she''s only 11) that have 2 holes in each ear. We have talked about it, and my daughter has no desire for any more holes than the 1 in each ear that she has. I hope she sticks to that.

 

[Diam100]

Julia -

A former coworker actually ripped one ear in two when she took off her sweater after a night on the town. The earring got caught & she took it off so quick it split in two. It was a bad sight - It kinda made me queasy when I saw the wound in my office. Not very good with wounds (lol). Anyway, If I remember exactly the plastic surgeon repaired both her ears. He closed all four holes per her request.

She had worn those heavy earrings in the 80's & all her earring holes had been enlarged. So the Doc closed everything up. She repierced her ears (one in each ear) after a year If I remember correctly & you would have never known she had four holes or that she split one ear.

 

[MissGotRocks]

I knew someone too that had worn heavy earrings resulting in an elongated piercing. A plastic surgeon fixed it - by reducing the long mark with just a standard size piercing. Looked great but I''m sure she had to pay for it - was most certainly a cosmetic procedure.

 

[justjulia]

Thanks everyone. What I did was google plastic surgery pierced ears, or something like that. It was hard to find, but somewhere I found a little blurb on closing holes. Most of the info was about fixing major rips and elongated holes back to normal size. Last night I started thinking how sad it was that for what it will probably cost, I would be able to get more jewlery! Oh well, live and learn. I have not had a moment to actually call anyone, but I did google for the reputations of some local drs I found. I guess it wouldn''t hurt to call and see what they say. They probably charge by the millisecond and it will be out of my budget, but if I don''t call I''ll never know. I''ve been growing my hair in anticipation of having an elegant bun for a year or so. I''d just like to have the total look together, sans all the extra holes.
Maybe I''ll just have a margaurita or two and go at it with a needle and thread. JUST KIDDING. It couldn''t take but a few minutes of dr office time to fix, don''t you think?
Anyway, I will post whatever I do find out. If you all find anything, please post!! If I find that info online again, too, I''ll post that. I''m kind of excited to be finally doing something about this. Hope it''s possible.

 

[noobie]

Yes it is possible. My wife just had it done due to elongated holes which resulted in the studs not fitting properly and a lost stud! Ears were pierced in a mall when young and they did a very bad job.

A plastic surgeon can do it in about 20 minites in the office and the re-pierce later. Cost was around $700 and not covered by insurance. She is happy, so I am happy.

 

[justjulia]

Date: 5/6/2006 9:43:51 AM
Author: noobie
Yes it is possible. My wife just had it done due to elongated holes which resulted in the studs not fitting properly and a lost stud! Ears were pierced in a mall when young and they did a very bad job.

A plastic surgeon can do it in about 20 minites in the office and the re-pierce later. Cost was around $700 and not covered by insurance. She is happy, so I am happy.

Noobie,
Thanks!!!! What I am hoping to do is erase evidence of there ever being holes and never repierce. I''d be happy with one set of holes. I''m so happy to hear this is done!! I''m wondering if that cost would be for one set of holes, or maybe the same because the holes I have are not enlarged, just visible.
I had an acaquaintance one time who had gaping holes in her lobes due to wearing heavy dangle earrings for years. I remember she always said she had to wear her hair down to cover it. I''m a believer in fixing what doesn''t make you happy if possible. Good for you for understanding her needs-you sound like a sweetie. My dh is telling me to do what would make me feel better, so I think I''ll do some calling around this week and see what I can set up. Thanks again.

 

[sydneycasandra]

I''m feeling your pain on this thread... I''ve had over 30 separate piercings in my life (about a dozen of those were in my ears, some other things done twice or three times) and although I still have a few of them in, for the most part I wish I could get rid of the holes! My ears are covered in little tiny "dots" from multiple piercings, and the inner conch of my ear has a 12g hole in it (thicker than a pencil lead) that won''t close up. My eyebrow is scarred as well. The only things that ever healed correctly were things I can''t mention, as well as my lip piercing which was only in for a few months.

My nose is still pierced and I wear a small stud daily... I''m pretty sure I''m the only person I know with a penchant for antique platinum and body piercings. If only I could combine the two!

 

[katebar]

Hi a lurker from Australia answering all your questions! I had this done in June last year and it was one of the best thing i have ever done for me. My ear holess were stretched from wearing heavy earrings in the 70''s and for the last 10 years I only ever wore huggies or studs.
It was done by a plastic surgeon and is actually quite intricate. I had iv sedation and it took about 1 and half hours. After surgery I had mild discomfort but swollen ear lobes and tape on them for a week till they took the stiches out. I got my ears repierced in NOvember and I probably would wait a little longer because the lobes were still a bit lumpy and the piercer had to advoid the lummps so it narrowed down the choices of wear the holes could be.
Now I have no lumps and wishe I waited becaue they are little too low (I have small lobes) but I have bought up big time in the earring department. I just bought a gorgous pair of amythests on sheperds hooks and I am saving up for my Whiteflash studes. I have many gorgious chandeliers and fantasticover top Jlo hoops.
Go for it

 

[diamondfan]

I know they can stitch up a hole if it has torn, and my friend did this...her hole then closed, so she had to re-pierce...heavy earrings had dragged it down and it finally ripped. I am not sure about holes that have just not ever healed...maybe some fine stitches from a plastic surgeon? I am not sure how it would heal now since they have been that way a while...

 

[justjulia]

Date: 5/7/2006 9:39:19 PM
Author: AntiguaBride
I''m feeling your pain on this thread... I''ve had over 30 separate piercings in my life (about a dozen of those were in my ears, some other things done twice or three times) and although I still have a few of them in, for the most part I wish I could get rid of the holes! My ears are covered in little tiny ''dots'' from multiple piercings, and the inner conch of my ear has a 12g hole in it (thicker than a pencil lead) that won''t close up. My eyebrow is scarred as well. The only things that ever healed correctly were things I can''t mention, as well as my lip piercing which was only in for a few months.

My nose is still pierced and I wear a small stud daily... I''m pretty sure I''m the only person I know with a penchant for antique platinum and body piercings. If only I could combine the two!

Ooooh, I love the size of studs I see for noses! I could almost live with something tiny and sparkly if the backs of the darn things wouldn''t keep me up at night!

 

[justjulia]

Date: 5/8/2006 1:55:07 AM
Author: katebar
Hi a lurker from Australia answering all your questions! I had this done in June last year and it was one of the best thing i have ever done for me. My ear holess were stretched from wearing heavy earrings in the 70''s and for the last 10 years I only ever wore huggies or studs.
It was done by a plastic surgeon and is actually quite intricate. I had iv sedation and it took about 1 and half hours. After surgery I had mild discomfort but swollen ear lobes and tape on them for a week till they took the stiches out. I got my ears repierced in NOvember and I probably would wait a little longer because the lobes were still a bit lumpy and the piercer had to advoid the lummps so it narrowed down the choices of wear the holes could be.
Now I have no lumps and wishe I waited becaue they are little too low (I have small lobes) but I have bought up big time in the earring department. I just bought a gorgous pair of amythests on sheperds hooks and I am saving up for my Whiteflash studes. I have many gorgious chandeliers and fantasticover top Jlo hoops.
Go for it

Wow, thank you for the info! Your new earrings sound gorgeous. I love amythest.

 

[justjulia]

Date: 5/8/2006 2:14:26 AM
Author: diamondfan
I know they can stitch up a hole if it has torn, and my friend did this...her hole then closed, so she had to re-pierce...heavy earrings had dragged it down and it finally ripped. I am not sure about holes that have just not ever healed...maybe some fine stitches from a plastic surgeon? I am not sure how it would heal now since they have been that way a while...

My dh says the same thing. He can''t understand how what would be left could be practically invisible. As it is now, they are just dots-but they bug the dickens out of me.

 

[katebar]

moved to other thread

 

[justjulia]

Date: 7/31/2006 11:36:15 PM
Author: katebar
moved to other thread

Thank you Katebar!!! I''m such a numbskull to leave this open like this. It''s continued under "Surgery DONE" thread...