Alarming

Super-Size Earrings a Drag

Doctors warn of “lobe damage.”

“It” bags are out and huge earrings are in. Worn by Michelle Obama, Beyonce, and Kate Beckinsale, among many others, the super-size fashion statements are a red-carpet favorite. But doctors are warning the dangly earrings are damaging women’s earlobes—and that demand for ear reconstructive surgery is soaring. Louis Vuitton fans who snag a pair of the designer’s 6-inch, $850 wood and resin “Mad Max” earrings could find their piercings stretching, causing damage to the earlobes that won’t heal. “Plastic surgeons have reported a big increase in requests from women whose ears have split in two or sagged to the jawline under the weight,” the Daily Mail reports. “Some women are even asking for pre-emptive surgery”—involving shots of lip plumper Restylane—“to strengthen their ears so they can wear this season’s statement accessory.”