Earlobe skin is delicate and easy to damage and distort. The most common causes of a torn earlobe are from wearing heavier earrings that eventually wear through the lobe or an earring getting caught in clothing or pulled on by a small child. When this happens, the only way to resolve it is through surgery. If you have very thin earlobes, they are more likely to tear, and one should avoid wearing heavy or hoop- type earrings in this case.