A torn or split earlobe can happen suddenly as a result of a pull or tug on an earring or gradually over time as heavy earrings or impure petal earrings sperate earlobe tissue.  The sides of a torn earlobe heal rapidly covering over with skin within days.  This skin prevents the earlobe from healing as a whole lobe resulting in a split earlobe.   Torn or split earlobe surgery makes an earlobe whole again by removing the healed over skin and using plastic surgical suturing to rejoin the split halves.

Split earlobe surgery can be preformed under local anesthesia and takes about 15 minutes per split earlobe.  Sutures are removed in 7-10 days.  Pain, bruising, and swelling is minimal and patients  return quickly to work or school.   The ears may be re-pierced 6 weeks following repair.