Dear Dr. Togba,

Q.   I hooked my earring on a sweater and tore my ear lobe. And my girlfriend has torn ear lobes from the weight of her earrings over time finally causing the long holes to sploit. Can a plastic surgeon fix this? Will it simply happen again and again?

A. I treat this problem quite often. I prefer to perform a two-plasty, a tissue transfer where the surgeon takes the tissue up and around creating a hold for the pierced earrings. This hole is stronger and may not tear as easily.

 Dr. T