Earlobe reconstruction

[that_someone_special]

I am looking into earlobe reconstruction! I got a quote from a plastic surgeon and am quite excited, but a little nervous. I set up a consultation for about 2 weeks from now.

Has anyone here gone through it?

I am not getting it for torn lobes, but for stretched lobes. (My ears used to be over an inch). I''ve found I can''t wear the earrings I want even though I have a normal sized hole behind the huge stretched lobes. As it is now, I can still get about a AA battery through my ears.... I''m just tired of the look.. and the looks I STILL GET.

So.. would you/ have you??????

 

[that_someone_special]

Here is what they used to look like

 

[that_someone_special]

Here is what they look like now, 3 years after wearing plugs or anything in my ears. I also blurred my tattoo out..

 

[AprilBaby]

I would definitley fix it, but then again I would never have put the plugs in

 

[tyty333]

If you are tired of that look I would say have it done. My earring hole was very stretched out. I got tired of worrying
about losing my earrings so I got it fixed. Exactly how do they fix stretched out lobes?

I have to say I am happy I had mine done.

 

[that_someone_special]

Date: 10/28/2009 5:52:32 PM
Author: AprilBaby
I would definitley fix it, but then again I would never have put the plugs in

I understand it''s not for everyone. I took them out because people would approach me and try to touch my ears or other body parts that were pierced (septum, lip..) I still really like piercings and tattoos, but I do miss being able to wear normal earrings. (And I would like some nice studs

)

 

[that_someone_special]

Date: 10/28/2009 5:55:31 PM
Author: tyty333
If you are tired of that look I would say have it done. My earring hole was very stretched out. I got tired of worrying

about losing my earrings so I got it fixed. Exactly how do they fix stretched out lobes?


I have to say I am happy I had mine done.

I believe they cut out the hole part and sew it together so that the scar is closer to the head?..... How was yours done?

 

[kenny]

You just need 30 carat studs.
No biggie.

 

[that_someone_special]

Date: 10/28/2009 5:58:06 PM
Author: kenny
You just need 30 carat studs.

No biggie.

Actually I like to put the 3 carat up to my ear and tell the FI, "Seeeeee! Doesn't that look nice!!"

Probably why he was all in for the surgery!

ETA my new motto could be, "Bigger holes means bigger sparklies..." Or maybe that is too dirty.

 

[Cehrabehra]

Date: 10/28/2009 5:59:39 PM
Author: swedish bean

Date: 10/28/2009 5:58:06 PM

Author: kenny

You just need 30 carat studs.


No biggie.

Actually I like to put the 3 carat up to my ear and tell the FI, ''Seeeeee! Doesn''t that look nice!!''

Probably why he was all in for the surgery!


ETA my new motto could be, ''Bigger holes means bigger sparklies...'' Or maybe that is too dirty.

bahahaha - depends on what you do to ''earn'' them

 

[AprilBaby]

Date: 10/28/2009 5:56:30 PM
Author: swedish bean

Date: 10/28/2009 5:52:32 PM

Author: AprilBaby

I would definitley fix it, but then again I would never have put the plugs in

I understand it''s not for everyone. I took them out because people would approach me and try to touch my ears or other body parts that were pierced (septum, lip..) I still really like piercings and tattoos, but I do miss being able to wear normal earrings. (And I would like some nice studs

)

No condemnation, I am just old and never understood why you would do it.

 

[that_someone_special]

Date: 10/28/2009 7:42:40 PM
Author: AprilBaby

Date: 10/28/2009 5:56:30 PM

Author: swedish bean

Date: 10/28/2009 5:52:32 PM


Author: AprilBaby


I would definitley fix it, but then again I would never have put the plugs in

I understand it''s not for everyone. I took them out because people would approach me and try to touch my ears or other body parts that were pierced (septum, lip..) I still really like piercings and tattoos, but I do miss being able to wear normal earrings. (And I would like some nice studs

)

No condemnation, I am just old and never understood why you would do it.

No worries. At first, I never intended to go so large, but I found I was a natural at it and did quite well with the process. And trust me, pretty much ever person that has done it, has earned what they have. It takes an extreme amount of dedication, pain, time and cleanliness. The people that don''t keep to this can LOSE their earlobes. It took me about a year to do the whole process, which is actually a little fast, but my ears stretched so well it went quicker.

I do have tattoos behind my ears on each side, and while I don''t regret the tattoo, I regret the area I put them. I would like to think people won''t judge me on the piercings I''ve had or tattoos I have, but that will never be the case. (And really, it''s hard not to profile people sometimes.) To me, the piercings and tattoos are very personal, either reminding me of a time, or place I used to be in life. It''s like.. a marker on my body. I''m fine with it for the most part, but the earlobes have just struck too many chords now. It makes me sad that people look at me and think things that are completely not true, just because of the way I decorate my body. But, really it happens, and I''ve made peace with that. THe best I can do now, I think, is to do the surgery and just be done with it. And quite honestly, that "marker" part of my life was a very depressed one, and I just want to move past it. I could list a thousand reasons I want to do the surgery and a thousand more on why I did my ears. It''s just who I am/ was!

I still love the look, but I think I''m past the look on me, if that makes sense.


I was really just wondering if anyone on this site has had the surgery, which I don''t think anyone has now

I am a little nervous to go into a plastic surgery place.. blah. I don''t know. I did get a quote on the ears and I really hope it''s something we can afford before the wedding. So, finger crossed.

 

[MichelleCarmen]

I''ve always wondered what happens when a person decides to take their plugs out!

Good luck with your consultation. Hope all goes smoothly.

 

[decodelighted]

No experience to offer but hope the consultation goes well & that you can get the procedure if you wish to. I kinda had the opposite experience -- just pierced my ears for the first time at 40 (2 yrs ago) & only got diamond studs last week! I''m so excited & wish the same feeling for you w/ the "fix" & future earrings.

 

[that_someone_special]

MC- I do get that question a lot. Basically, if they are around an inch to about a half inch they shrink and look like what people call a cat "butthole". (teehee). Larger, and they don''t shrink enough to get the tight hole look, they have more of a gaping hole. Smaller than a half inch, they can close quite a bit. Smaller than a 1/4" they can go back to normal (my back lobe piercings did)- however they can heal weird and it can be tricky getting earrings back in.

One of the biggest worries is that you can get frostbite really easily if you dont cover them in the winter.


decodelighted- thank you! yay for diamond goodies

 

[asscherisme]

Date: 10/28/2009 5:37:11 PM
Author:swedish bean
I am looking into earlobe reconstruction! I got a quote from a plastic surgeon and am quite excited, but a little nervous. I set up a consultation for about 2 weeks from now.

Has anyone here gone through it?

I am not getting it for torn lobes, but for stretched lobes. (My ears used to be over an inch). I''ve found I can''t wear the earrings I want even though I have a normal sized hole behind the huge stretched lobes. As it is now, I can still get about a AA battery through my ears.... I''m just tired of the look.. and the looks I STILL GET.

So.. would you/ have you??????

Justjulia had earlobe surgery but I think hers was to close extra holes. don''t laugh but I saw the type of surgery you want on bevery hills 90201. I don''t think that show is even on anymore? It was a plastic surgery show. They bascially cut the extra skin from inside and stitched it up so the edge of the earlobe was not cut. The results looked great.

I would advice getting more than one consult. And do your homework on the Dr. makes sure they don''t have any lawsuits and are licenced. Also ask if they have before and after photos. If they don''t, they probably don''t have experience in what you want.

Good luck! I have extra holes from college in my ears and they won''t close up! They really bug me and I think distract from when I wear studs. My kids think they look strange so I understand you wanting to change your look.

 

[radiantquest]

Date: 10/29/2009 12:24:58 AM
Author: swedish bean
MC- I do get that question a lot. Basically, if they are around an inch to about a half inch they shrink and look like what people call a cat ''butthole''. (teehee). Larger, and they don''t shrink enough to get the tight hole look, they have more of a gaping hole. Smaller than a half inch, they can close quite a bit. Smaller than a 1/4'' they can go back to normal (my back lobe piercings did)- however they can heal weird and it can be tricky getting earrings back in.

One of the biggest worries is that you can get frostbite really easily if you dont cover them in the winter.


decodelighted- thank you! yay for diamond goodies

Frostbite? How? Why does it make a difference when it comes to frostbite?

I understand what you mean and if I were you I would get the surgery too. If you don''t mind me asking, what is an approxiate cost for something like that? I would think that it can''t be that much, but then again all plastic surgery is expensive.

 

[tyty333]

Date: 10/28/2009 5:57:38 PM
Author: swedish bean

Date: 10/28/2009 5:55:31 PM
Author: tyty333
If you are tired of that look I would say have it done. My earring hole was very stretched out. I got tired of worrying

about losing my earrings so I got it fixed. Exactly how do they fix stretched out lobes?


I have to say I am happy I had mine done.

I believe they cut out the hole part and sew it together so that the scar is closer to the head?..... How was yours done?

Mine was just a stretched hole not a stretched lobe. For me they just finished cutting the hole through the
bottom of my ear then sewed it up. After about 3 months I had it repierced. I dont think this would fix
your lobes because they would still be too long (I think).

So are you saying they open up the whole inside of the hole then bring the bottom to the top then sew
it back together? I'm sure they have a good way to do...I'm sure they have done plenty.

Let us know when you get it done!

Edit - I was just looking at your pic without the plug thing in and it actually doesnt look that stretched. Maybe
they do fix it the same way!

 

[that_someone_special]

Date: 10/29/2009 2:40:51 PM
Author: radiantquest

Date: 10/29/2009 12:24:58 AM

Author: swedish bean

MC- I do get that question a lot. Basically, if they are around an inch to about a half inch they shrink and look like what people call a cat ''butthole''. (teehee). Larger, and they don''t shrink enough to get the tight hole look, they have more of a gaping hole. Smaller than a half inch, they can close quite a bit. Smaller than a 1/4'' they can go back to normal (my back lobe piercings did)- however they can heal weird and it can be tricky getting earrings back in.


One of the biggest worries is that you can get frostbite really easily if you dont cover them in the winter.



decodelighted- thank you! yay for diamond goodies

Frostbite? How? Why does it make a difference when it comes to frostbite?


I understand what you mean and if I were you I would get the surgery too. If you don''t mind me asking, what is an approxiate cost for something like that? I would think that it can''t be that much, but then again all plastic surgery is expensive.

I live in MN and in the winter months if you have such a small piece of skin open to the wind and air, you can get frostbite! It also really depends on the jewelry you wear (metal, type of plugs..).. you can search around the internet and see some pretty nasty pictures..!

I was quoted $1500 by the way. I saw some places doing it for less, but this place that I am looking into seems pretty good (lots of pictures online and I found some reviews). I really hope it''s not more than $2000! But honestly? I probably spent at least $1500 on jewelry and things to stretch my ears-- good plugs in that size (1 1/8") can run kind of spendy.

I guess it''s not that much in the long run, but when I''m trying to save for a wedding it''s just "one more thing" if that makes sense.

 

[oddoneout]

I have a torn hole (earring got ripped through it but not all the way out). It bugs me but I don''t know if I''d pay around $2000 to get it fixed. I can see you wanting to get yours fixed (especially for your wedding).

 

[ms.halo]

SB, seems like it would be worth the $1,500 to have it done as it''s a long-term investment. But if you aren''t able to do it in time for your wedding don''t worry--you''ll still be a stunning bride. Big pearls might do the job of hiding it really well.

 

[that_someone_special]

Date: 10/29/2009 4:53:01 PM
Author: oddoneout
I have a torn hole (earring got ripped through it but not all the way out). It bugs me but I don''t know if I''d pay around $2000 to get it fixed. I can see you wanting to get yours fixed (especially for your wedding).

Don''t worry, my quote was for both ears and I believe a little more invasive.... I bet it could be less than a grand for you.

 

[Haven]

I would say the surgery is worth the money, especially if your lobes are bothering you, and if you *have* the money to do it.

I had cosmetic work done on my teeth right before our wedding (4 veneers on my front four teeth, upper jaw) because I hated the way they looked. Basically, when I was in high school a not-so-great dentist put veneers on the teeth on either side of my two front teeth on my orthodontist''s recommendation. My teeth were too small for my mouth, and the only way to fill in all the gaps without bringing my teeth too far into my mouth was to put on veneers. WELL, the veneers should have gone on my two front teeth, because those teeth are supposed to be bigger than all your other teeth, but they didn''t. I *hated* the way my smile looked for years because of those two veneers, and I hemmed and hawed about fixing them because veneers are expensive.

Well, our wedding was just about ten years after I had the original veneers put in, and that is the end of their expected lifespan, anyway, so I decided to go for it. I spent $5,700 on those four veneers, had a beautiful smile on my wedding day, and I don''t regret it one bit. We had the money, and DH supported the decision, and I''m really glad I did it.

 

[that_someone_special]

I just wanted to say I had my appointment today and was quoted $400 less than they first said.. soooooooooooooooo I made an appointment for the surgery Jan 7th and that extra $400 saved is going into the "Diamond Earring Fund".

Ok, so my appointment is 2 months from now. I can''t get them re-pierced for another 3 months after that.. and then have to wait for those to heal once I get them done. So my new earring project deadline is about 7 months. Am I excited? OH YEAH!!! I also snuck into a jewelry store today with FI

I tried on .80 ctw earrings and 1 ctw and I didn''t see much of a difference other than I am just so excited to save up for some gorgeous studs

I also got to try on some 2ctw studs and I felt like a movie star/ football player

Sadly, those are out of my price range right now, AND they were I1s and not pretty ones at that...

All in the love of diamonds...

 

[geckodani]

Yay! That''s great news - and plenty of time to find studs!

 

[that_someone_special]

Date: 11/9/2009 4:04:59 PM
Author: geckodani
Yay! That''s great news - and plenty of time to find studs!

I already have my eye on some BGD stones...

I guess the longer I wait, the bigger they can be.. I honestly am NOT a patient person. I really was ready to say, "Surgery? OK! How ''bout now!" lol

 

[geckodani]

Date: 11/9/2009 4:11:11 PM
Author: swedish bean

Date: 11/9/2009 4:04:59 PM
Author: geckodani
Yay! That''s great news - and plenty of time to find studs!

I already have my eye on some BGD stones...

I guess the longer I wait, the bigger they can be.. I honestly am NOT a patient person. I really was ready to say, ''Surgery? OK! How ''bout now!'' lol

LOL! Too funny.