Ear piercing has become a familiar ritual among young girls today, although this process may result in complications such as stretched ear holes or loose lobes that require surgical repair to resolve.
Sagging earlobes may be caused by many factors. Earring wear over time and stretching with spacers are two primary contributors, while accidental or surgically corrected piercing scars may also contribute to this problem. Scars from such procedures may result in folds and drooping that compromise appearances and alter aesthetics significantly.
Keep your earlobes alive by treating them as living organs that need care and consideration. There are several effective solutions available to prevent sagging earlobes, such as regular exercise, daily earring care and massages, and using dermal fillers such as Juvederm or Restylane to plump out skin around earlobes for improved appearance and reduced signs of aging.
Infection is often the culprit behind an earlobe sagging problem. To keep infection at bay and reduce irritation and swelling, it is recommended that daily cleaning with warm salt water should be performed on your earring hole and you switch earrings every other day in both ears – this will keep bacteria at bay in your ear canal, thus helping avoid irritation and swelling from occurring. Furthermore, a cleanser designed specifically for piercings should also be utilized.
While waiting for your earlobes to heal, it is advised that you use lightweight earrings or studs. Heavy earrings will put undue stress on the lobe and increase chances of stretching or stretching piercings; additionally, it would be wiser if only earrings designed specifically for you were worn; heavy ones can rip or tear piercings which in turn cause further drooping of earlobes.
If your earlobes are painful or swollen, use over-the-counter antibiotic cream as soon as possible to provide temporary relief. However, for severe infections, it’s wise to visit a physician as they can prescribe stronger medication.
Six people living in Oregon were recently diagnosed with an ear infection following getting their ears pierced at the same time in one town. Investigation revealed that the employee responsible was not properly cleaning the earring guns used on teens; rather than using tissue for wiping down her equipment, she used commercial disinfectants, which caused infections due to bacteria buildup.
Professional salon piercing services should always be used when having one’s earlobes pierced as this reduces the risk of infection when done at home or using home piercing kits and guns. Furthermore, sharp objects like nails, screws, or pieces of metal should never be used as this will lead to bleeding that will take more time to heal; only use sterile needles as this ensures optimal healing results. Finally, drooping earlobes caused by heavy gauged piercings can be repositioned with a simple plastic surgery procedure.