Marlene Dietrich allegedly had her molars removed to emphasise the hollows of her cheekbones, and Marilyn Monroe was said to have undergone painful electrolysis procedures to remove her widow’s peak: People have been coming up with new and creative ways to “fix” everything they perceive wrong with their appearances for a long, long time. It’s unsurprising that small, non-invasive tweaks are increasingly popular — they’re the gateway drug of plastic surgery, a way to dip a toe in without going under the knife.
One of the minor procedures seeing an upswing in popularity is earlobe fillers, and not just with older people, who might see their lobes wrinkling and sagging with age. Dermatologist Michelle Henry, MD, who also specialises in cosmetic surgery, says she’s seen more patients requesting the procedure, both young and old, than ever before. “Older patients come in complaining of sad lobes that have lost their youthful perkiness,” she says — it’s a natural part of the ageing process. (Gravity, it must be said, is not too kind to the human body.)
But the reason Dr. Henry says she sees younger people flocking to the fillers as well serves as a cautionary tale against your earring collection. Big, trendy styles tend to weigh heavy on the earlobe, which causes the skin to sag prematurely. “[They] often complain of their piercing sites becoming elongated and allowing earrings to pass through and not stay on the ear,” she explains.
The good news is that a few jabs of a hyaluronic-acid filler like Juvederm Ultra XC will do the trick to rebuild the ear’s structure and restore lobes to a plump, youthful state. The other good news — the news that doesn’t require a trip to the derm — is that you don’t need to retire the doorknocker earrings just to save your skin in the long run… but please, do give them a rest once in a while. Your earlobes will thank you.