In some cases, patients have worn pierced earrings for many years, but the wear and tear has widened the earlobe piercings, resulting in a wide, slit-like opening of the piercing. In such situations, earrings often don’t hang well and look crooked. This can be surgically remedied by closing the piercing completely, and then re-piercing six weeks later. Typically, this is an office procedure that requires only local anesthesia.
In rare instances, the earlobes are congenitally missing or very small, which completely precludes the wearing of pierced earrings. Recreating a small or missing earlobe can be accomplished by using some of the surrounding skin. This simple procedure can be quite rewarding for the patient.