Tribal earlobe piercings that are stretched to more than 10mm are unlikely to fully contract back to their original size.  The altered shape of the earlobe then becomes difficult to hide and can negatively impact your appearance, social life or career.

Tribal or stretched earlobe repair is a quick and effective procedure that corrects the appearance of overstretched ear lobes as a result of tribal ear piercing.

It is important to see someone who is experienced in tribal earlobe repair and is able to precisely recreate the curve of your earlobe to avoid any unnatural-looking lumps or bumps.

Tribal ear repair at The Private Clinic is performed by some of the UK’s top consultant plastic surgeons who have extensive experience in ear correction surgery.

What is a tribal ear piercing?

Tribal ear piercing dates back to ancient tribes and civilizations where body modification was a major part of their culture including achieving social status, religious reasons or for beauty purposes.

Tribal ear piercing stems from an original traditional ear piercing that is then stretched using a cone shaped taper which is pushed further through the earlobe daily or using large sized tunnels to deliberately stretch the piercing hole to allow larger pieces of jewellery to be worn.

Who needs Tribal Earlobe Repair?

When the time comes to remove these pieces of jewellery it is often difficult for the ear to return to its original shape, particularly for ears that have been stretched to over 10mm. Tribal earlobe correction surgery is then required to fix the earlobe and restore its original shape and size.

Tribal earlobe correction is often requested for those struggling to secure jobs or promotions in the workplace. Other side effects of tribal earlobe piercing are keloid scarring which can cause pain and severe itchiness and skin sagging which can cause an unwanted appearance to the ears causing patients to avoid social situations or wear their hair short.

The Consultation

Tribal earlobe repair consultations will take place with one of our expert plastic surgeons.

During this consultation, your surgeon will be able to assess your suitability for surgery and discuss the options available.

Your surgeon will then also:

• Review your medical history
• Discuss your expectations from surgery
• Detail the risks and complications of Tribal earlobe repair surgery
• Go through the aftercare process
• Answer any questions that you may have

You will then be allocated a dedicated patient coordinator who will be your point of contact should you wish to go ahead with the procedure.

Pre-Operative Appointment

In the interests of patient safety, all our patients are assessed against our patient selection criteria. Following your tribal earlobe repair consultation your medical history will be reviewed and the pre-operative nurse will advise on pre-operative tests.

They will advise you of any precautions you need to take in the days or weeks leading up to your tribal earlobe procedure and advise on any medication that you should stop taking before your procedure.

Tribal Earlobe Repair Surgery

Tribal earlobe surgery may be performed in hospital or within one of our in-house clinic theatres under local anaesthetic. The procedure takes 15-20 minutes per ear to perform.

On arrival

• You will meet with the surgeon who will go through the procedure again and answer any questions.
• Pre-operative photos will be taken.
• You will be prepped for surgery by the nursing team.

The procedure

• Local anaesthetic will be injected into the treatment area.
• A wedge-shaped piece of tissue is removed from the ear.
• Any excess tissue is also removed.
• The two loose ends carefully stitched back together
• The earlobe will be closed up with absorbable stitches and you will have small dressings placed on the ear.

Once the surgeon and nursing team are happy that you are safe to return home, you will be discharged and allowed to leave accompanied by a family member or friend.

After your tribal earlobe repair procedure

Your surgeon will provide you with aftercare information to follow and any medication that you will be required to take during your recovery. You will also have information on how to contact us at any time should you feel worried or concerned at any point during your recovery.

The downtime after tribal earlobe repair surgery is minimal and many patients can return to work the day following their procedure. We recommend that strenuous exercise is avoided for 48 hours.

You will be required to attend a series of follow-up appointments at The Private Clinic which usually includes a 1-week check-up appointment with a nurse and then your 6-week post-operative appointment with your surgeon. At this stage, you should be fully healed and back to your everyday activities and your surgeon will be able to advise you on anything you are unsure of.