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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.
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