So the title of this post is rather long & probably a little weird, but I wanted to share with you all why I don’t wear heavy earrings anymore! Let’s just get this out of the way – over the summer my left earlobe split in two…I know it’s weird, totally freaky & kind of gross BUT it didn’t hurt and had been on the verge for over 4 years!! When I was in college I distinctly remember putting on a sweater and getting my fingers stuck in my hoop earring and pulling down hard! That’s what started a very long but I promise, not painful process! Even though I knew I shouldn’t be wearing them, I continued to wear heavy earrings – statement earrings if you will! Year after year my left earring hole began to get lower and lower until finally in August it just sort of split.
The Process of getting it fixed ||
The Process of getting it fixed ||
When I started my research to get my earlobe fixed I realized three things:
- This is the most common cosmetic surgery that women get – we wear heavy earrings and that causes our earring holes to stretch.
- It’s an expensive “surgery” to get because it’s not covered by insurance (at least it wasn’t covered by mine) & is considered elective surgery since it’s cosmetic! Cue the tears!
- There is a consultation fee & unfortunately does not go toward the price of the procedure – I actually asked about this with every place I called and it did seem like standard practice not to have it go towards the price which, for lack of a better word, sucks!
From August to November I didn’t wear earrings at all – mostly because I didn’t want to wear one earring! Also, having long hair, I was able to hide that I didn’t have my earrings in – not a big deal I know, but as someone that has worn something in her ears since the age of 2 it was a little bit of an adjustment!
{photo of the day it actually split :(}
When I got back from our trip to Florida in August I immediately started researching doctors that could fix my ear and fast! Funny how I thought it would be a fast process – I called around to about 5 different offices getting quotes & began to get so upset with how much it was going to cost, but it’s my ear, it had to be fixed!! After a full day of research I found Dr. Jaimie DeRosa on Newbury Street. While most doctors weren’t able to get me in for a consultation for up to three weeks, I was put on the cancellation list at Dr. DeRosa’s office & had an appointment booked for that same week!
The consultation was just that – nothing was actually done, which was sort of a bummer because I just wanted it fixed at this point, but the “surgery” was scheduled for a week later. Don’t worry – there are no pictures because honestly I wouldn’t even want to see them, but for the purposes of being thorough…
- My ear was numbed with cream about 10 minutes before the procedure
- After it was numb she injected another shot into my lobe – if you’ve had any work done on your teeth it’s very similar to a Novocaine shot –> it could even be the same thing, I forgot to ask!
- Then it’s a breeze – she quickly sewed everything up and I was out the door in 30 minutes!
Did it hurt? During the procedure – No. After, yes I certainly felt a little tugging as the ear was healing as you would with any scar healing.
I came back a week later for the stitches to be removed. After that you have to wait 6-8 weeks for the earlobe to fully heal & then I went back for my ear to be re-pierced! I then wore the little studs that she gave me for the next 4 weeks for my ear to readjust to having something in there & around Thanksgiving I finally put on my first pair of real earrings again!
So if you’re still with me…it was a long process, almost 4 months! Much longer than I anticipated, but I’m so thankful that I did my research and found a great doctor to do the procedure. Not sure if this even needs to be said, but this was in no way a sponsored post, just look at my credit card bill for proof 😢 I really thought my doctor did an amazing job, was careful with the procedure & I felt like her entire staff made the process as painless as possible!
What I learned from my ordeal – the heavy earrings aren’t worth it!! They’ve always hurt my ears, but I would continue wearing them because they “looked pretty” in pictures and with my outfit! It took almost 30 years of life to realize that it’s just not worth it! My bauble collection has gotten a bit of a makeover in the last few months & my best friend Rachel along with my sister knew how much I had missed wearing earrings so for the holiday’s they both gifted me with some new gorgeous smaller earrings, including this pair from Tory Burch that I wear almost every day.
I’ve rounded up a few of my current favorites & one’s that I’ve added to my own jewelry box! I’ve also found that there are lots of dangly earrings that aren’t nearly as heavy as some earrings out there so even though they might appear heavy – I always check the weight to see how my ears will hold up!
Here’s hoping I don’t have to go through this with my right ear – knock on wood, so far so good! So there you have it – a little bit about my experience getting my earlobe fixed! Are you more of a studs in the ears kind of girl or statement earrings all the way?
I definitely stick to lighter earrings! While I love Kendra Scott earrings, I always go for the smaller size (Dani), because I worry about the others being too heavy! Such an ordeal – so glad that you were able to get it fixed.
Bless your precious heart…how scary! Lighter earrings are beautiful and no one needs that trauma! So glad it turned out ok. Have a GREAT day sweets!
I know a lady that this happened to and that is why I don't wear heavy earrings anymore!! That is no joke and definitely NOT worth ruining my ears for just a few hours in some silly earrings!
The Adored Life
Oh my word. I didn't know it could actually happen. My eight year old already has a rip in one of her ears from a kid in her daycare pulling on her earring when she was a toddler. I will have to watch our for that. I've stopped wearing heavy earrings most times simply because they weigh down my ears and are uncomfortable and I've seen lots of women with saggy earlobes. This is such an informative post. Thank you.
This happened to my mom when I was growing up. Five kids pulling on her sparkly earrings just wasn't working in her favor. She went through the same process of getting one of her ear lobes sewed. I try not to wear heavy earrings, and if I do, it doesn't last long. I like BaubleBar they seem to have lightweight ones, and H&M has some great ones right now too!
I'm so sorry about having to go through the surgery process, but glad it was able to be fixed with minimal pain! We sell an amazing product at HSN , it's called "Levears" and they are supportive earring backs that keep any type of earring from pulling on your lobe- seriously life changing!! I wear mine every day 🙂
Thank you so much for sharing about this real problem. Reading through your process I'm glad I stick to my little hoops on the daily. It's not something I mean to do, I just only think to change them for super special occasions. So glad you were able to get it fixed, even if it cost some moolah it sounds like it was worth it!!
So glad you got it taken care of! I'm sure you are so happy it's fixed!! Love those Ann Taylor rose gold earrings!
Ugh I'm sorry you had to go through all that! I've always been nervous about it, but for the most part I don't wear heavy earrings. I wear studs daily and on occasion where heavier ones. I did buy a pair of Kenda Scott earrings that are gorgeous, but make me nervous to wear because they are so heavy :-/ I like some of the new additions to the jewelry box though!
xo
Amanda @ Cupcake N Dreams
Actually this just reminded me that I bought two new sets of earrings this weekend from J. crew that are the cuff and crawler style. I feel like they are a fun twist on having a stud!
I've seen stories about this on tv but no one I actually knew had this happen… So sorry you had to go through all of this but glad everything turned out great! I might have to re-think my bulky earrings and stick to studs!
Brittany 🙂
kingdomofsequins.com
I have to stick to lighter earrings/studs too because my right ear tore when I was young, and I've never had it fixed. So glad to hear it's a very simple and common procedure, I definitely need to look into it! So sorry yours actually split.. ouch! <3
Green Fashionista
That is my main fear wearing statement earrings. What a process to have it fixed! I love all of these lightweight studs, especially the Tory Burch!
Jill
Doused In Pink
Wow! I am glad that I'm not really into wearing heavy earrings. If I do wear them, I normally take them off after a short while because they're uncomfortable. Studs for the win over here!!
By Lauren M
Glad you're "whole" again! 🙂 And love all of the more dainty earring choices… it's a good thing they're are plenty of options to choose from! XOXO, R
I am so glad that this is behind you. I try to rarely wear big earrings and if I do, I use the little reinforcement stickers that go on the back of the lobe for support. I love your earring picks, they are so pretty and dainty.
xo, Whitney and Blaire
Peaches In A Pod
Oh my goodness girl! I had no idea that happened to you. It's definitely frustrating it took so long to fix/heal but I'm glad you're able to wear earrings again! I almost never wear dangly earrings because I have a fear of my earring getting stuck haha! <3, Pamela Sequins & Sea Breezes
ok that's wild! i have some heavy earrings still in my collection and now debating to keep them at all. i mean i don't wear them really anyway anymore! glad the process was a simple one to fix but you're not wrong about cosmetic stuff being not cheap! i hate stuff that's not covered – like yesterday i went to look at adult braces and nope – not covered. sigh. all part of getting older ha. glad your ear is all healed up nicely 🙂
xoxo cheshire kat
Oh my gosh that is honestly a huge fear of mine! And Steven's haha. Whenever I wear long earrings he's so scared to touch my face or my hair because he doesn't want to yank them out! Glad to hear your ear is all better and you can rock some cute earrings again!
rosyoutlookblog.com
Ah man, I'm sorry you had to go through all of this, I can only imagine how overwhelming it must have been. Being that this is a common procedure for women, I think it's great that you shared your entire experience for others to reference in the even this happens. I can kind of understand why the insurance companies don't cover this because I instantly thought of those who intentionally do ear stretching for looks. But, it they should cover it based on circumstantial cases when discussed with a doctor, if only insurance companies were that understanding. I have a veneer and it was the same thing, they didn't cover that because it's considered cosmetic. Anyway, I'm glad you were able to get it fixed and I love the earrings you've shared here, too. I used to once love huge oversized earrings, but in recent years, I've been reaching more for studs and smaller pairs, so I'm really loving your selection here. I hope you're having a wonderful week so far, beautiful!
XO,
Jalisa
thestylecontour.com
Ouch, this has me cringing! Glad it seemed like a relatively smooth procedure to get it fixed though. For my every day wear I'm a simple studs girl too!
Eeee. I have totally forgone the heavy earrings and the long danglies in general. I've been wearing the same studs for about six months. I should really get rid of a lot of my earrings because I don't change them out often.
oh my gosh, I am so glad you posted this. One night in my sleep (I think, I still don't know exactly when it happened) but the back of my earring got pulled through my ear and I never noticed. Then occasionally it would bleed but I thought I had my earrings too tight. Then I realized that earring hole was HUGE. More like a split! It didn't totally split down to the edge, but it's much larger than the other hole and my earrings hang funny. I actually stopped wearing anything but studs (and now nothing) for a while to see if it would get better. I thought it would be so weird to go to the doctor for this but now I feel much better about it! Thanks girl!!!!!
It's the worst when your earring gets snagged on something! So glad you were able to get it fixed and re-pierced without it being too painful of a process.
Oh my gosh! I'm so sorry you had to go through this! This has honestly been a fear of mine forever and why I typically don't wear heavy earrings all that often. I'm glad the procedure went well and that they were able to re-pierce. Studs are much safer!
xo, Rachel
A Blonde's Moment
Oh I'm really sorry! I don't like heavy earrings either, plus lately I'm loving delicate jewelry, it's beautiful and easier to wear. 🙂
hairandvibes.blogspot.com
You poor thing! I'm so glad that you got it fixed and are all healed up. Not the most pleasant experience I'm sure, but it sounds like your office and doctor were great with it. I think stud earrings have gotten such a makeover in recent years that they are just as stylish as those heavy earrings!
Oh my gosh, I never thought about this! I wear heavy earrings all the time. Thank you for sharing – I will definitely think before buying and wearing them now! Glad you got it fixed!
My ear lobes are so stretched from heavy earrings I used to wear. I have been very aware of earrings I wear since high school. The backs of earrings will come right through my slit – that's how big they are. So I am always looking for LIGHT WEIGHT hoops or if I have backs, they have to have that big plastic shield on them. I always thought about getting them stitched up some so I can wear any earring without thinking again.
I am more of a studs kind of girl because I've always feared my holes stretching out. This happened to a teacher at my school twice! I'm glad yours is corrected now!
Sarah at MeetTheShaneyfelts
This is such an interesting post Biana! I can totally see why this is the most common surgery for women! I've noticed one of my piercing holes has been getting longer and I bought those stickers to help hold heavy earrings in place ( lifesaver!) .. So glad your ear is feeling better and you can at least wear small earrings again!
xx Tess | Sequins are the New Black
This was such an interesting read! I'm glad it wasn't too bad of a fix for you (or too painful!) I love studs better anyway – I feel like they are more comfortable to wear.
Wow! That is so crazy, Biana! I used to wear big, heavy earrings but got over that phase and moved on to daintier pieces.
I'm so glad you were able to get this fixed and definitely hoping you don't have to go through this again.
xo, Lily
Beauty With Lily
I have had this happen to two friends and I know I am on the way. I am wearing my favorite earrings today and when I take them out I can see how stretched they are. I am glad it was not too painful. Studs, especially these are too cute!
I have never been able to wear heavy earrings because they just hurt my ears and I never lasted more than an hour or two in them so I usually have diamond studs in about 99% of the time. I totally understand how easily this could happen though and I am glad it wasn't too terribly painful for you. I think little studs can be just as pretty as the heavy stuff anyways:)
How scary and so wonderful that you were finally able to get it fixed! Definitely a learning experience. I've never been a fan of heavy earrings since I have such sensitive ears so I appreciate all these fun options that you've linked!
Heidi || Wishes & Reality
Yikes girl! I don't like to wear heavy ones and never understood the appeal – there are so many light options now and even clip-ons if need be! Thanks for sharing!
I have heard this can happen. I bet it was painful! I have had a couple pairs of really heavy earrings but ultimately decided they weren't worth it because they were so uncomfortable. Thankfully there are light, cute options out there.
Amy Ann
Straight A Style
So my mom had the same thing happen to her because my sister used to pull on her earrings when she was a baby and she wore heavy earrings. That sucks that it's such a long process, but so exciting that you get to wear earrings again! I have some Kendra Scott earrings that are bigger and will hurt sometimes if I wear them for too long, but what will help when I wear them are these things called Lobe Wonders which is a piece of athletic tape almost that you put on the back of your ear and put your earring threw that basically helps to hold you earring up. It's pretty cool, and something that you might want to look into!
Wow, I'm glad overall it wasn't painful and I guess it makes sense it could happen. I used to wear heavy earrings back in the day when chandelier earrings were really big. Since I've had the kids I can probably count how many times I've actually worn earrings. I just hinted to Eric the other day that I think diamond studs should be in my future because I would definitely wear them more often 🙂 Beautifully Candid
Oh wow!!! Talk about a major thing to fix your ear! I'm glad to hear you're back to normal. I always wear studs in my ears because heavy earrings hurt my ears as well.
Bianaaaa!!!! I had no idea that your earlobe could just split!! EEEEKS. I have had my ears pierced since I was six and I went through a phase where I wore super heavy earrings. It never occurred to me that I could split my ear lobe. Yowza. I'm glad that everything worked out for you!
Love this post! I have considered getting a surgery to repair mine. My right earlobe hasn't split all the way but I had two earring holes and they eventually combined into one. Gross, I know. I have to wear lightweight earrings now and the ones with the circular backs because they pull and hurt so bad!
Zelle
Southern Style
What an ordeal! I'm so sorry you had to go through that. I love all the dainty earrings you linked, though! They can be just as fun. 🙂
I'm such a huge fan of small, stud style earrings! Love all of these above and I'm so glad your ear is back to normal! That sounds painful!
Wow, that's such a horrifying experience, glad you got it fixed. I personally prefer studs that are for everyday! have a great day.
xo,
I AM YASMIN
Omg! So glad you found a good Dr and that is all behind you! My mom has big wholes in here ears from heavy earrings but thankfully never split. I think just from knowing they can rip like that I rarely wear heavy earrings. I use to be weirdly nervous of that happening every since I was younger! Hence why I am a stud girl haha.
<3 Shannon
Upbeat Soles
I'm so glad you were able to get it fixed, even though it took a lot longer than expected.
I rarely wear heavy earrings and love the smaller options you shared.
Omg!! That sounds so painful!! I've only been wearing studs for most years and I think I'll just stick to it now!!
Nice post darling! so painful!
xx
Mónica Sors
MES VOYAGES À PARIS
NEW POST: CASUAL CHIC LOOK | JEANS, MAXI COAT AND VELVET
DON'T MISS: CHLOE LOVE STORY
Cute post! Love your earring picks!
~Samantha
goldcoastgirlblog.com
Such a good and important post! I love the studs you picked! Super super cute!
xoxo,Victoria
coffeeandablonde.blogspot.com
I can't believe you went through all of that, you poor thing! I am definitely anti heavy earrings!!
oh my goodness!!! i know you said it wasn't painful but jeepers creepers it sounds it. i'm sorry you had to get it fixed and double ouch on the cost. i'm not big into earrings just because my ears freak out and they hurt so i just skip them all together. but i had no idea your ears could split! jeepers. now i'm really against big earrings lol.
Ouch! My mom had to have this done because my brother pulled hers out and same — not covered by insurance (double ouch!).
Ok I have a bunch of questions. I know you live in Boston, but how much was it? When I was about 6, my sister (who was 1) pulled on my earrings and my ear split almost all the way down. I have been told I should get it fixed (for many years) and earrings always bother that ear. It is something I have thought about and never did. So I wanted to know the cost, if it should be done by a plastic surgeon or regular doctor, and what is the rate of occurrence of it?
Wow- thanks for sharing your story on this! Breaking my ear lobe has always been one of my biggest fears; I've totally tugged my ear super hard, similar to you. I always wear light earrings, and I love the ones you rounded up.
Meg, Borrowed Heaven
I've never heard anyone share their story on this before, so I am completely fascinated by this! I usually keep studs in mine. Love the options.
I'm definitely conscious of heavy earrings…not so much when I was younger. Good thing there's a procedure to get your ear fixed. Hope it's all healed up now and at least there are so many cute lightweight options out there. Long hair also helps!!
Oh my gosh, this is one of my biggest fears! I always loved big, dangly earrings when I was younger, but I switched to studs when I had my daughter a few years back. I was so worried she was going to pull the dangly ones and rip my earlobe. I thought I'd miss the big earrings, but I'm going strong with the cute studs I have!
Ouch! I think my grandmother has had this happen too. I didn't realize it would be such a process to fix. I don't wear heavy earrings often luckily. I stick mainly to hoops or bigger studs. I'm glad everything heeled up fine!
I'm totally sharing this with one of my friends who had the same thing happen. AND, my left ear lobe has stretched from heavy earrings, too. I don't wear heavy earrings, but if I have some that are questionable, I use Kendra Scott's lobe wonders. They hold the earring in place instead of pulling on your lobe. I may be texting you for more information but I really appreciate you sharing! xx, I'm Fixin' To
Oh my gosh, how did I miss this post?! When I worked in derm, we saw this a few times and it really stinks. I can tell one of my earring holes is a little more stretched than the other. I try to wear those Kendra Scott lobe wonders if I wear statement earrings but honestly won't buy anything anymore that's heavy. I like how it differentiates the weights on BaubleBar site. Glad you got it fixed though!!
xo, Kristina