Chances are good we’ve all seen someone with ear gauges or “plugs”. It’s a trend that has been pretty hard to miss.
(For those who don’t know what it is, ear gauging is when someone stretches their normally tiny ear piercing hole over time with larger and larger diameter jewelry.)
Most people associate ear gauging with pop culture celebrities of the 90s when it became most popular. Some of the most well-known gauged ears belonged to Lil Wayne, Adam Lambert and Brandon Boyd from the band Incubus, who all sported this new fashion trend.
The fact is, they may have helped propel the modern version of this trend to have this piercing but it’s far from new. In fact, earlobe stretching can be traced back to 3300 BCE to a mummified iceman named Otzi, the Maasai tribe in Kenya and even the Huaorani tribes in the Amazon take part in earlobe stretching too! Talk about trend-setters!
While the initial ear gauge may start out small, over time the smaller jewelry is traded out for larger items. In tribes, this may mean adding an object that can be anywhere from a thorn to a tusk.
For contemporary trendsetters, ear gauging may be ‘plugged’ with decorative bone, wood, and steel jewelry of all shapes and sizes. However, there are many people who’ve gone the route of gauging their earlobes and have now come to regret that decision. Because the skin is stretched and requires a very detailed repair, it take s a very skilled cosmetic surgeon to perform this surgery and get it right – Dr. Berlet in Bergen County, NJ is that surgeon.
What happens when the jewelry comes out…
Most people with gauged ears prefer to leave jewelry in 24/7. However, if it’s their preference to remove it, the earrings and plugs that typically hold the earlobe in place can be removed without any problem, usually.
But what about if someone decides they no longer want to wear with the heavy and large ear jewelry at all? This isn’t just a matter of taking the object out and having your ear go back to its natural state. Depending on how much damage has been done to the skin from the stretching, it may require actual surgery.
And, if you happen to live on the upper East coast, there’s a plastic surgeon in NJ that would be happy to help you get your natural ear shape back.
Dangers of Ear Gauging
First on the list of medical concerns associated with ear gauging is what’s called a “blow out”. This is when you rush stepping up to a bigger size gauge before your skin is ready. In return, your body makes a big lump of sore scar tissue on the backside of your piecing. Yes, it’s treatable and common but it’s costly and can require surgery.
Your plug may look great in the mirror but it can also be a hazard. Just ask Lil Wayne, he had his rip in half! Ouch! Yep, that will definitely require finding a plastic surgeon to fix that. This isn’t a job for just any surgeon, either. If you live in New Jersey and this happens to you, you need a true professional. Take your time and make sure you find a plastic surgeon in NJ that is highly skilled at fixing your damaged earlobe.
Another consideration to be made before stretching your lobes any further is the potential professional implications of your future. Depending on your career aspirations, having plugs the size of small tea saucers could really hurt you professionally. Fortunately, we live in an era in which mainstream standards of appearance are loosening. Yet there are still many companies that keep strict dress code and uniform policy.
Even if a corporate gig with strict visual standards isn’t on your radar, you might research some of your career goal ideas to find out if the companies you hope to one day work for have restrictions on earrings and earring sizes. The policies may not just be about appearance, but for safety. Many engineers or anyone involved in an area with machinery are not allowed to wear any jewelry at all, including wedding rings. Food service industries limit jewelry for hygiene purposes. It’s something worth considering.
If you’re a parent of a young child or expecting parent with stretched lobes there’s a danger you may not have thought of. Babies and toddlers love to pull at anything that looks fun, and there’s a good chance your ears will be a target. One good yank and you may be headed to the emergency room! For those of you with long hair, ever caught your earlobe with the hairbrush while you’re brushing? That would not be a pleasant experience to catch it with your brush or even get your finger caught in it.
But, Do I Really Need a Plastic Surgeon?
If your piercing holes are less than half an inch in diameter, they may shrink back down over time. But if they are larger than that, they will require plastic surgery to reduce them to their initial size. Let’s take a closer look at what actually goes into having your earlobe reconstructed. Your first step is to find a plastic surgeon in NJ with years of experience and results you like. Don’t just find the cheapest one, we’re talking about a very noticeable feature on your head here, you want it to look great. Make sure that your surgeon is board certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery.
Dr. Berlet of Berlet Plastic Surgery in New Jersey has years of experience with this particular procedure and is board certified. Dr. Berlet has been providing earlobe and ear gauging reconstructive surgery for approximately 20 years. He’s developed techniques that will alow for minimal scarring, but optimal healing and results.
First, set up a consultation with your surgeon. The surgeon will examine the status of your earlobes and help you have a clear understanding of what level of reversal to expect. Only a surgeon with plenty of experience with this exact procedure will be able to offer an experienced prediction to manage your expectations.
Depending on your level of damage this could be a very costly venture. The price can range from a few hundred dollars to a few thousand. Ultimately it’s up to each surgeon as to what type of procedure can be done and what the end result will look like.
What Can I Expect From Ear Gauging Surgery?
Ear gauging reversal is a simple, safe and affordable procedure with no downtime or long-term pain. This is an in-office procedure that only requires numbing of the immediate area.
During the actual surgery, the doctor will cut the loop in half that gauging has caused. Once the loop is now two separate pieces, the excess skin beyond the amount needed for a natural looking earlobe is removed. Next, the two pieces are stitched together. Your new earlobe will more than likely be smaller than your original one. (If you like to wear earrings, this could limit your style choices!)
The entire process takes about an hour from start to finish. Afterward, you’ll have just a few stitches that can be removed within the next few days. In most cases, you may not even need to return to the doctor to have them taken out. Other than your actual appointment and the time it takes to perform, it’s unlikely you’ll require additional time off of work. Depending on your type of work, of course, you should be okay to return to work right away while the lobe continues to heal.
In terms of pain afterward, it’s very minimal. It may be similar to the amount of pain you had when you first got the piercing. Everyone’s pain level is different, of course.
Make sure you follow any aftercare instructions thoroughly to prevent infection. If it looks inflamed, bright red, “angry” or hurts worse than you think it should, call the surgeon’s office for recommendation.
As far as scarring, it should be very minimal if done right, a thin line that may just look like a natural wrinkle in your ear.
As difficult as it may be to imagine going through this process just to re-stretch your lobs, we would be remiss not to warn against it. Stretching out your earlobes a second time may literally tear your ear in two!
Conclusion
While ear gauging may have been a very popular trend that made you feel powerful and unique, if you decide to remove your jewelry, you might be limited to how much your lobes will return to their original state. If you find yourself regretting your ear gauging, there is a solution to give you a fresh start. Dr. Berlet, an experienced ear gauge reversal plastic surgeon in NJ, can give your ear lobes and your confidence a makeover.