In young people, the ear lobes are plump and perky. With time and age, there is a loss of elastin, collagen and hyaluronic acid which make the earlobes thin and weak which may limit women from wearing the ear-rings of their choice.
The earlobes can be rejuvenated by injecting fillers in the ear or fat injections in the ear.
Fillers contain hyaluronic acid and little anaesthetic solution. They come as one cc syringes. When the filler is injected in the earlobe they can give additional volume and bulk to the earlobe making it more attractive and stronger. As hyaluronic acid is a natural product, it is absorbed over a period of one to two years. Hence this injection may need to be repeated after 1 to 2 years. This procedure can be done quickly as a lunchtime procedure.
Fat injection is a surgical procedure, and we would prefer to do this in an operation theatre. We would give short sedation or general anaesthesia and harvest fat from abdomen or thighs by making a 3 mm small stab incision. We would then inject it into the earlobe.Around 20 to 30% of the fat that is injected may get absorbed. Rest of the fat remains permanently. When we age, we not only lose fat in the earlobe, we also lose fat in many other areas of the face. We will then use this opportunity to inject fat that was harvested in the rest of the face. The areas and the need for injections would be discussed with your doctor during your consultation with him.
This procedure can be done as a daycare procedure which means you come to the hospital and go back home the same day. However, when patients come from far, some prefer to stay in the hospital for a day.
