The year 2000. It was the start of a new millennium. It was the year Y2K was debunked and when flip phones and trucker hats were all the rage. The new millennium also reinvigorated interest in a trend called ear stretching or ear gauging.
Gauging is the process where people use piercings that are thicker than the standard diameter of traditional ear piercings. This is a deliberate expansion of a healed piercing for the purpose of wearing certain types of jewelry. Gauges can range in size, varying in width. They can be the thickness of a chopstick or as large as a silver dollar (and in some cases, even way bigger).
At the start of the millennium, the increase in interest was really driven by the popularity of certain bands, and large amounts of teenagers and young adults gauged their ears. It was part of the emo/punk rock trend and a defining part of the overall aesthetic. As with most things in life, there is a right and wrong way to gauge your ears. The process piercers suggest is gradual, utilizing tapers to slowly and safely increase the size of the hole. A gradual approach is also suggested to ensure the skin on the ear doesn’t get too thin.
Fast forward 20 years and now a lot of those former teenagers are full-fledged adults with giant holes in their ears. When gauged ears do not have jewelry in them, the ear appears to sag, accentuating the stretched part of the ear. While this look might have been cool way back when, some adults regret their decision to stretch their ears because after a certain size, the ears do not return to normal. Fortunately, there’s a procedure for that!
Earlobe repair surgery effectively “reverses” the effects of ear stretching for people who no longer wish to rock gauges in their ears.
In extreme cases, people who do not properly stretch their ears accidentally split their earlobes. When ears are not properly gauged, the skin can become thin enough to rip. This is when the professionals need to be called in, like the double-board certified Doctor Jean- Paul Azzi. It is imperative that if the ear lope rips you seek medical attention due to the potential for infection.
Dr. Azzi is meticulous when repairing ear lobes and ensures a natural result. Additionally, if you’d still like a pierced ear, Dr. Azzi can personally re-pierce the lobe for you.
In South Florida, Dr. Azzi is a go-to facial plastic and reconstructive surgeon. He is known for using the most advanced techniques in the field and treating every patient like a true individual.
His beautiful offices are conveniently located in Jupiter and Palm City, Florida. These offices serve patients in the following South Florida areas and beyond: Jupiter, Palm Beach Gardens, Palm Beach, West Palm Beach, Tequesta, Hobe Sound, Stuart, Palm City, Jensen Beach and Vero Beach.
Each of these offices provide every patient with individual and personalized care. If you’re not sure whether a procedure is the best next step, call or click today for a consultation! (561) 429-5403