Torn Ear Lobe Solutions, Monster Backs, Disc Backs and More
Do you have a ripped or torn ear lobe? Let me share Karen’s story. It might speak to you. Karen loved jewelry. So when I ran into her after three years of not seeing her, I totally noticed that she wasn’t wearing earrings.
My jeweler antenna started quivering. In what world would the vivacious Karen not wear earrings? Evidently the world where one ear lobe slowly ripped over time until a dance party and a heavy earring finished the job. Ouch.
I usually notice when a friend of mine or future client is not wearing earrings. It’s often because one ear lobe is torn Partially or fully.
Do You Have Ear Lobe Droop?
Ear lobe droop is caused by earrings tipping forward until they’re facing downward. Not only is this unattractive, it’s hard on your ears and ear holes. And one of the causes is ripped or enlarged ear holes.
A Torn Ear Lobe is A Huge Bummer
This totally limits your choices in which earrings to wear. Today I’ll be talking about possible solutions to get you back into your pretty earrings. Seriously you need to wear your earrings!
For the most part I’m talking about an ear lobe that is torn, but not all the way and is still usable. But this also addresses people with fully torn ear holes.
What Solutions Are You Using?
I’ve come across people who grew their hair to cover their lobes. I’ve seen people like Karen, who just quit wearing earrings! Don’t do that!
I saw a client who had used tape on the bottom of her lobe to keep an earring high up. That was a good idea until it starts looking funky.
Let’s Talk About Torn Ear Lobes
My jewelry blogging purpose here is to get this out in the open. I mean the feelings of people with torn ear lobes. Why? Because not wearing earrings is not the solution! And believe me people don’t notice half the stuff you think they do.
A torn ear lobe does present problems and I’d like to offer some possible solutions. I’ll start with an article about the plastic surgery for stretched ear lobes, from ABC News. “Surgery Erases a Lifetime of of Heavy Earrings Stretching Your Earlobes.”
You might not be there yet. Whatever level of action you are ready for regarding slightly or fully torn ear holes let’s see if while you wait we can get you back into some earrings.
5 Bummers About Torn Ear Lobes
- A torn ear lobe gives no support to the earring, so it can tilt and give you “ear lobe droop.”
- A torn ear lobe can make the un-pierced cringe if they see the tear.
- A torn ear lobe limits the styles of earrings you can wear successfully.
- A torn ear lobe may rip more if you put heavy earrings in it.
- A torn ear lobe seriously limits your choices of dangly earrings styles.
Six Possible Solutions to Torn Ear Lobes
- Have your jeweler move the post down lower so the earring design rides higher on your lobe and hides your torn ear lobe.

Moving the Post Lower Makes the Earrings Ride Higher, Hiding the Ear Hole.
2. To support your torn and weaker ear lobe area, use monster backs, plastic disc backs or Silicone Sliders, which provide support and take the weight of your earrings away from the bottom of your ear hole.

Monster Backs are Larger and More Supportive

Plastic Disc Backs

Silicone Sliders
3. Get a plastic surgeon to repair it. By A) sewing it up or B) Sewing it up and adding filler.
4. Choose French Clip Backs with low-set posts. This makes the earring ride higher on your lobe. Traditional French Clip Backs have a post well below the top of the earring and a clip that takes the weight of the earring and holds it upright and pertly.

A Post and Clip Makes a French Clip Back
5. If your post is too high, (in other words if it would totally sag on your ear because it is at the top of your earring, an iffy look even with a normal ear lobe.) lift your earring so the post is at the top of the ear hole and put on the monster back or plastic disc back tightly enough to hold the earring in place. Avoid wire backs, lever backs and drop earrings with tiny or wire tops that expose your ear hole to the full weight of the earring. More tearing can occur from these.

Wire Backs Don’t Work With a Ripped Ear Lobe
6. Change the tops of your dangly earrings to larger ones that hide the tear when worn with monster or plastic disc backs. If you lift the post to the top of your ear hole and snug your backs in fairly tightly, your earrings will stay up high and not pull on the bottom of your tear. The new larger earring fronts will nicely balance the large backs in gently squeezing your ear lobe to hold your earring so it does not pull on the bottom of your ear hole.
Why You Must Wear Earrings!
Your eyes are the windows to the world. Earrings enhance the beauty of your eyes. You know you spend buckets of money and time on your hair. (I do!) Earrings enhance the gorgeousness of your hair too.
Jewelry is the spice of any outfit. Earrings frame your face and enhance your look beautifully. Don’t leave your most important beauty aid in a box!
What did Karen Do?
My client Karen chose monster backs for her ears and is now wearing earrings again! A visit to the plastic surgeon is on her wish list. But until then a combination of monster backs and choosing lighter weight and large at the top, earrings, is keeping her looking her vivacious gorgeous self. And happily my jeweler antenna is relaxed and happy.
What’s the Takeaway Message Here?
Wear It Don’t Warehouse It. It’s just a torn ear lobe, not a death sentence! Wear your earrings!!
Earring Loving Jeweler,
Calla Gold
See other posts in the Ear Lobe Series:
Ear Lobe Droop: Are Your Earrings Pointing Toward the Pavement?
Confessions From a Jewelry Designer: Do You Suffer From Droopy Dangly Earrings
This is so in depth about torn ear lobes. It’s a tough subject, but one I’m not surprised that you wrote about!
I’m glad to read about monster backs and I already knew about disc backs.
The wonder bras for your ear lobes are a great idea. How do you find these things?
Anyway I like your comment about our eyes being the windows to the world and the importance of wearing earrings.
This is a good public service article and I hope a lot of people see it.
Hi Tracey,
I’m blessed with clients who help me find new cool jewelry solutions. My client Lori Cooper of Wardrobe Wisdom who advises people about fashion found the lobe wonders, that I call wonder bras for your ears. I was so impressed with them that I did a blog post about them.
When I did this more in depth article I had to include them.
Thank you so much for your kind words!
Your Personal Jeweler,
Calla Gold
Excellent post, Calla, on a very important subject. Brava!
Hi Peggy Jo,
I appreciate not only your feedback here, but your Facebook share of this post as well!
Just so you know doing that inspires me to find other areas of challenge that jewelry lovers have and blog about them.
Ear lobe solution jeweler,
Calla Gold
Thanks for the post, Calla. Some women have very small lobes. I’m one of them. I did pierce years ago but would have to put my posts high on the backs of earrings I made in order to make the earrings hang straight. Now, I can only get a post through one ear and it has to be a thin post. I did have the holes re-pierced but one still closed up. AND I should be wearing earrings since I love designing them. I’m waiting a bit before updating my site with new earrings and I am adding clips with… Read more »
Hi Susan, Thank you for writing. A number of my small lobed clients do very well with wire back earrings. They create a little drop. So instead of having for example your diamond studs up on your lobe where the smallness might change the direction it points, a short wire back allows it to nestle at the base of your lobe. Then it hangs right. It has the added benefit of having a smaller gauge wire that is easier to get into your ear hole. Many gauge wearing young people are indeed going to plastic surgery to undue the stretching… Read more »
I stumbled across these monster backs while searching the internet for a solution for droopy earrings. Calla Gold saved me!! I completed the entire ordering transaction via email, Calla and Jeremy were very responsive to my questions, and when the backs arrived, I was thrilled!! They fit my earrings perfectly and look great! I’m so happy to be able to wear my earrings.
Kerry
Hi Kerry, I’m so pleased to hear that your monster backs saved the day! I have a couple of heavier pairs of earrings that are fine on one ear, but my wimpy ear lobe just flops. I wear monster backs with both of these earrings. Even though the one lobe is thicker and holds up the earring OK it still looks better and more pert with the monster back. The bonus is I don’t get that fatigued feeling when the monster backs support my earlobe. Who knew I’d get excited about earring backings? But I did and I’m glad it… Read more »
Hi Calla Gold,I just came across website and read about ear lopes,i have been hiding my left ear ever since i lost my ear lope due to an illness.My ear lope was then was removed and this is an embarrassment to me because everytime someone notices it,i get embarrased and this has killed my confidence too.When i finished my university i got a job and i tried to see a cosmetic surgen to try and fix it,but unfortunately it went from bad to worse,i cannot wear earings and please advice me on what to do.The surgen too some tissues from… Read more »
Dear Engelinah, Your situation is unfortunate. I had a client with a birth defect and had no ear lobe. Her ear is a bit strange looking. She wears her hair over her damaged ear. She wears a series of dangly earrings on her other ear. Her hair dresser cuts her hair unevenly to show the one ear. I believe she uses tiny hair clips to make her long hair go and cover over her ear with the birth defect. She looks stylish. It doesn’t worry her too much. If the surgery you had makes your ear lobe look OK but… Read more »
Hi Calla
Thanks for your reply and please if you sell those kind of earings is it possibles to order them from?
I am so pleased to hear that your monster backs
and the disc back and wonder bra.
Can you send this by mail i will appreciate for this. Wants to know the price first.
Thanks and Regards,
N. Lamba
Hello Narinjan,
I will email you information.
Your Personal Jeweler,
Calla
Glad to come across this site! My ears were pierced when I was 6 months old and at the age of 12, I woke up one morning to find one of my earrings in my bed – and my left ear hole totally ripped. Since then, I’ve worn my hair long and been very self-conscious about my ears. I LOVE jewelry and have always wished I could wear earrings (especially with all of the interesting new styles lately), but have been limited to boring clip-on styles (which I often end up losing, as they easily fall off!). It’s great to… Read more »
Hello Tanya,
I appreciate you sharing your story. You are not alone in having an ear lobe ripping disaster.
I’m glad that you now have the option to wear pierced earrings and pull your hair back!
Your Personal Jeweler,
Calla
Yes do I need any other product to go with my lobe wonder because my earlope are ripped completely in I would like to wear my earnings again
Hi Glendoria,
The clients of mine who have ordered them, (I do not sell them) have been wearing earrings successfully. I’ve recommended that they go with lighter weight earrings.
Your Personal Jeweler,
Calla
I would like to be referred to reasonable plastic surgeon for torn ear libes
Hi Sonia,
Are you in the Santa Barbara area? Dr. Perkins is very precise and excellent.
If you are not in my area, I’d ask Lord Google.
Your Personal Jeweler,
Calla
Very informative post, thanks for sharing the solutions…
Thank you Anne. It’s always nice to get feedback.
Your Personal Jeweler,
Calla
I am a huge fan that you point out that just because your earlobe got torn by a piercing does not mean you should stop wearing earrings! About a week ago, my sister was playing with her niece when her niece grabbed a hold of her dangling earing a tore it out. My sister is the kind of person who loves dressing up and wearing jewelry. I really hope she looks for local surgeons who could fix the tear.
Hi Greta,
I too hope she gets her ear lobe repaired so she can wear her earrings.
Your Personal Jeweler,
Calla