Ouch! Read this before buying your next pair of heavy earrings
Elaborate, gorgeous earrings continue to grow in popularity, but the heavier they are, the more dangerous they can be to your skin.
This year, hoops had a full-circle moment, and while some styles are light and dainty others can be quite weighty leading to pain.
Constantly wearing heavy earrings can wreak havoc, and eventually lead to complete splitting of the earlobe.
Early signs of ear splitting
"If you notice that your earring hole is starting to elongate and become more of a slit rather than a hole, then it is being stretched," warns Atlanta-based plastic and reconstructive surgeon Aisha Baron, M.D.
"Also, tension, pain or discomfort with wearing a particular pair of earrings can be a sign that stress is being applied to your earlobe," Baron told ABC.
Preventative measures
An easy option would be to avoid heavy earrings, but that's no fun, right? A better solution is to try making statement earrings an occasional add on to your look versus an everyday thing.
Baron also advises that a lot of earlobe splitting comes from the earring being snagged or pulled on something.
Solutions
Baron suggests that elongated piercings can sometimes be saved by injecting filler to the bottom of the lobe to prevent the hole from stretching further.
However, if your lobe has already split, a reconstructive procedure will be needed to bring your skin back together.
With this, the skin in the split is elevated and sometimes removed. Then, the deeper layers of tissue are stitched back together. The skin is then closed on top with more stitches.
During this process, the old earring hole is closed up and left to heal.
After care
Baron advises that any new piercings or wearing earrings has to be avoided for three to six months post-reconstructive surgery of your earlobe split. This allows the skin and scar tissue to heal and mature.
After stitches are removed, stick-on are safe to wear, and after four to six weeks, you can move on to clip-on earrings.
"I often see patients back after that period to re-pierce their ears for them," Baron said. "I try to avoid piercing right within the scar, as that is always a little bit weaker than skin that hasn't been interrupted."
She adds, "Moving forward, I recommend staying away from heavy or large earrings."
