Earlobe reduction and split-lobe repair, by a plastic surgeon.
A short LA operation to reshape an elongated, torn, split or gauged earlobe - wedge, V-Y or Z-plasty in the right hands, with a proper cooling-off period and honest talk about keloid risk.
Indicative pricing
What earlobe surgery costs in London.
Indicative ranges across UK private providers.
In short
£450–£900, home within the hour.
| Procedure | Indicative range | Typical duration | Recovery |
|---|---|---|---|
| Earlobe reduction (age-related elongation, both sides) | £900–£1,800 | 45–60 min LA | Same visit |
| Split earlobe repair (one side) | £450–£900 | 30–45 min LA | Same visit |
| Split earlobe repair (both sides) | £800–£1,500 | 45–60 min LA | Same visit |
| Gauge / stretched piercing closure (both sides) | £1,200–£2,400 | 60 min LA | Same visit |
| Combined with facelift or otoplasty | Add £400–£900 | Same theatre | Same visit |
| Consultation only | £150–£300 | 30 min | Same visit |
Prices vary by surgeon, by whether one or both sides are treated, by the technique required, and by whether it is combined with another procedure.
The problem
The right hands, the right technique, an honest word on scars.
Earlobe work has drifted into non-medical aesthetics rooms offering suture-less "healing" - the evidence for which is thin. The lobule deserves a plastic surgeon, a proper repair, and a candid keloid conversation.
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Not sure surgery is the answer?
For a mild elongation without a split, a heavier earring back and a rest from jewellery may be enough. We say so before you book.
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Worried about scarring?
Fitzpatrick IV–VI skin needs a planned keloid strategy - intralesional steroid at review, not surprise scars later.
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Want it done properly?
A named BAAPS/BAPRAS surgeon, a treatment room with real instruments, and closure in layers - never a nurse-led "no-suture" fix.
When it helps
When earlobe surgery is the right step.
The presentations we see most, plus the one red flag that changes the plan.
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Age-related elongation
Loss of elastin over decades leaves the lobule long and thin - often with a distorted or drooping piercing hole.
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Heavy earring damage
Years of heavy hoops or drops widen the piercing channel, stretch the lobule downward and can cause a slit.
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Torn earlobe (traumatic split)
A snagged earring pulled through the lobule - either a clean split to the free edge or a keyhole slit.
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Stretched piercings after gauges
A closed gauge or plug leaves a redundant, floppy loop of skin that only surgical closure will fix.
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Repeated piercings in one spot
Multiple piercings through the same tissue thin the lobule and predispose it to elongation and splitting.
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Congenital lobule prominence
A naturally large or protruding lobule that has always sat unhappily against the face.
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Combined with facelift or otoplasty
Earlobes drawn in and reshaped at the same time as a facelift or ear-correction, for a coherent result.
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Red flag: keloid tendency
Keloid history - particularly Fitzpatrick IV–VI skin - needs planned intralesional steroid, not a same-day cut.
Techniques
The technique is chosen to fit the lobule.
What each option on the table actually involves - and which fits which problem.
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Wedge excision
A V-shaped wedge of the elongated lobule is removed and the edges are approximated - the workhorse for age-related elongation.
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V-Y advancement
A V-shaped cut is closed as a Y - useful where extra length needs to be recruited into the lobule contour.
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Z-plasty for torn lobe
Interlocking triangular flaps for a clean split, so the scar does not sit in a straight line and the free edge does not notch.
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Gauge / stretched piercing closure
The redundant loop of skin is excised and the lobule rebuilt in two layers - deep absorbable plus surface interrupted.
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Bilateral for symmetry
Both sides done in the same sitting, deliberately, so the result is symmetric and predictable.
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Combined with facelift
Done at the same time as a facelift, so the newly tightened lower face and the lobule sit in proportion.
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Combined with otoplasty
Combined with ear-pinning where prominent ears and a prominent lobule sit together.
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Consultation only
An honest look, an honest recommendation, and - if the answer is a steroid injection or nothing at all - we say so.
Safety and recovery
What to expect afterwards - honestly.
Earlobe surgery is quick and predictable in the right hands. The things worth planning are the scar strategy, the six-to-eight week jewellery embargo, and how you will re-pierce.
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Infection
Uncommon with dry aftercare and salt-water rinses. Spreading redness, warmth or discharge in the first two weeks is a same-day call to the clinic.
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Unsightly scar and keloid tendency
Keloids and hypertrophic scars are more common in Fitzpatrick IV–VI skin. Planned intralesional steroid at review reduces the risk.
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Asymmetry
Small side-to-side differences are the commonest cosmetic complaint. Bilateral cases done in one sitting minimise it.
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Notching at the free edge
A poorly designed closure can leave a step at the lobule edge - the reason wedge and Z-plasty geometry matter.
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Recurrence if re-pierced through the scar
Re-piercing through the scar line is the classic reason a lobule re-tears. Fresh tissue only, six to eight weeks on.
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No earrings for six to eight weeks
The wound needs to consolidate. Early jewellery is the commonest reason repairs disappoint.
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Occupational planning
Client-facing roles can usually return within 48 hours with a small dressing. Anything involving hard hats or headphones needs a fortnight.
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Adolescent consent
Under-18s need parental consent and a careful conversation about identity and permanence - we do not rush this.
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Red flags
Fever, spreading redness, throbbing pain or heavy bleeding in the first 48 hours are not normal - call the clinic or A&E the same day.
Reading your operation note
Your operation note in four parts. Read the last one first.
Whichever technique was used, the note the surgeon sends you keeps to the same shape.
A quiet reminder
Surgical language is precise and can read coldly - we translate it for you.
If you would like us to talk you through the note before your review, just ask.
- 01 Header
Indication and technique chosen
Why the procedure was done - elongation, split, gauge - and which technique (wedge, V-Y, Z-plasty) was agreed with you.
- 02 Technique
Excision pattern and closure
How much tissue was removed, the closure in layers (subcuticular absorbable plus surface interrupted), and any laterality notes.
- 03 Findings
Skin type, keloid risk and photos
Fitzpatrick skin type, any personal or family keloid history, and before/after clinical photographs.
- 04 Impression
Aftercare, re-piercing and review timing
Read this first: dry for 48 hours, salt-water rinses, no earrings for six to eight weeks, re-piercing plan and review date.
Recognised by major UK insurers
Earlobe surgery is a cosmetic procedure and is almost always self-pay.
Frequently asked
Everything we get asked about earlobe surgery.
Quick answers on pain, cost, re-piercing, scarring and combining with a facelift.
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What is earlobe reduction surgery?
A short cosmetic operation under local anaesthetic to reshape an enlarged, elongated, torn, split, gauged or repeatedly-pierced earlobe. Excess tissue is excised as a wedge, V-Y or Z-plasty and the lobule is rebuilt in layers.
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How long does it take, and is it painful?
Thirty to sixty minutes in a treatment room under local anaesthetic. You feel the sting of the numbing injection, then nothing during the surgery. Afterwards there is mild tenderness for a few days, easily controlled with simple painkillers.
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When can I wear earrings again after surgery?
Not for six to eight weeks. Re-piercing, if you want it, is done at that point - through fresh tissue at a new position, never through the scar line, because re-piercing through scar is the classic reason a lobule re-tears.
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How much does earlobe surgery cost in the UK?
Roughly £450–£900 for a single split repair, £800–£1,500 for both sides, £900–£1,800 for a bilateral reduction, and £1,200–£2,400 for gauge closure. Consultation is £150–£300.
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What are the risks?
Infection, an unsightly scar (particularly in keloid-prone Fitzpatrick IV–VI skin), asymmetry, notching at the free edge, recurrence if re-pierced through the scar, and - rarely - a need for revision. A face-to-face consultation covers all of these before you consent.
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Can it be combined with a facelift or otoplasty?
Yes, and often should be. A facelift that tightens the lower face without addressing an elongated lobule can look unbalanced; combining the two - or adding an otoplasty for prominent ears - gives a coherent result.