Introduction to the Risk of Sleeping in Earrings
Talk about a lobe low. According to a dermatologist, keeping your studs in while you sleep isn’t doing your future self any favors. “I’m gonna give you some advice so that when you’re sitting around with your girlfriends 20 years from now and they’re all complaining of this cosmetic issue, you’re gonna be like, well, I saw this random doctor on social media talk about this 20 years ago,” shared Dr. Samantha Ellis.
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The cosmetic issue in question? Saggy earlobes. “As we age, our earlobes get saggier, they get looser, and if you wear earrings, that can become a problem because your earrings can start to look very sad in your ear holes,” she explained.
The Impact of Aging on Earlobes
Ellis noted that the issue typically doesn’t express itself until we reach 40 plus, a point at which “your earrings are not looking as cute in their holes as they once were.” The good news? You can keep your lobes pert with one quick trick. “The easiest thing you can do to prevent premature stretching of your ear holes is to not sleep in your earrings,” she said. This does not apply to piercings in the upper ear, where the cartilage is fortified — if sleeping with earrings in those areas doesn’t bother you, there’s no harm or aesthetic pitfalls in doing so, she said.
The Effects of Sleeping in Earrings
“What I’m talking about is wearing earrings in this loose, floppy earlobe night after night, year after year, putting unnecessary strain and stress on your piercing holes and causing them to stretch out way sooner than they actually should,” she explained while pulling on her own earring-less lobe.
The combined effects of gravity and sleeping in your statement earrings can lead to yawning, piercing holes, and a loose fit for your favorite studs. sameer – stock.adobe.com
Indeed, the combined effects of gravity and sleeping in your statement earrings can lead to yawning piercing holes, and a loose fit for your favorite studs.
Solutions for Saggy Earlobes
For those whose lobes have already been compromised from years of overuse, help is available in the form of ear fillers. The extra volume from fillers gives earring posts more cushion, which helps studs stick out straight and allows diamonds to catch the light. Unlike facial filler procedures, ear injections rarely go awry. There’s a small risk of hitting a blood vessel, which could prevent healthy cell turnover, “but you’re not going to lose your hearing,” Dr. Melissa Doft, an uptown plastic surgeon, previously told The Post.
Recovery and Results
There’s also no downtime post-treatment. “You can come in, have it done, and go to a luncheon afterward, or do a pilates class afterward.” Other experts maintain that, in addition to stretching out from wearing/sleeping in accessories, ear lobes naturally enlarge as we age. “In general, as people get older, their ears get bigger,” New York-based plastic surgeon Dr. Stafford Broumand previously told Page Six.
Kris Jenner (pictured in 2016) underwent earlobe reduction surgery in 2018. Getty Images
Jenner (pictured in 2022) got the procedure in an episode of “Keeping Up With the Kardashians.” Getty Images for Baby2Baby
“You think that they stop growing at a certain age, but they slowly get bigger. The earlobe tends to elongate so that gives an aging appearance. “You want to sort of have a perky, full, small, tight ear, and as people age, they want to sort of minimize the subtleties of aging, and one of those is the ear size.”
The Psychological Impact of Saggy Earlobes
While critics call the treatment an easy way to prey on the insecurities of the aging population, Doft says having floppy earlobes can be surprisingly upsetting. In many cases, she said, her clients most miss wearing the earrings they’d received as mementos of significant life events or gifts.
Lobe improvement for the love of bling is exactly what Brielle Biermann claimed her mother, Real Housewives of Atlanta star Kim Zolciak, did, tweeting in 2018: “My mom gets filler in her ears because her diamond earrings are too heavy… #richpeopleproblems.” Kardashian matriarch Kris Jenner took the desire for perky ears a step — and a scalpel — further, surgically reducing her earlobes in 2018.
Conclusion
In conclusion, sleeping in earrings can lead to premature stretching of the ear holes, resulting in saggy earlobes. This issue can be prevented by removing earrings before sleep. For those who have already experienced the effects of saggy earlobes, ear fillers or surgical reduction can provide a solution. It is essential to consult with a dermatologist or plastic surgeon to determine the best course of action.
FAQs
Q: What causes saggy earlobes?
A: Saggy earlobes can be caused by the natural aging process, as well as the strain and stress of wearing earrings, particularly when sleeping in them.
Q: How can I prevent saggy earlobes?
A: Removing earrings before sleep can help prevent premature stretching of the ear holes.
Q: What are the solutions for saggy earlobes?
A: Ear fillers or surgical reduction can provide a solution for saggy earlobes.
Q: Is there any downtime after ear filler treatment?
A: No, there is no downtime after ear filler treatment, and you can resume your normal activities immediately.
Q: Can earlobe reduction surgery affect my hearing?
A: No, earlobe reduction surgery does not affect your hearing.
