Think you’ve heard it all when it comes to bizarre cosmetic procedures? Like the craze for having a toe lopped off to make the foot lean enough to slide easily into a Louboutin pump? Well, you were wrong.

Apparently, work on split or saggy ear lobes – the result of wearing heavy, jewel-encrusted earrings – is all the rage among New York socialites. Eminent cosmetic doctors have started injecting Restylane, a commonly used skin filler made of hyaluronic acid, which is found naturally in the body, into patients’ ear lobes. The idea is that it gives the ear lobes of older women a youthful, plumped look, creating a more appealing backdrop for their lavish earrings. Some say it is also a way of making it less obvious that they have had their faces filled. The ear job takes only 5-10 minutes per lobe and the effect is instant.

It doesn’t seem to have caught on on this side of the Atlantic yet, although it’s probably just a matter of time, as Restylane is widely used to fill out skin crevices here, too. That’s not to say that the UK is bereft of ear obsessives. Dr David Gault, consultant plastic surgeon at the London Centre for Ear Reconstruction, performs about 80 cosmetic ear operations each year. For the lobe, this is usually a case of cutting out an L-shaped section, then stitching it back together again so that it is smaller – a procedure that takes less than an hour, but will set you back about £1,600.

If you don’t want pronounced, splitting lobes in the first place, avoid cheap jewellery. “Splits usually occur when there is an infection, which can happen when the metal bar on the earring isn’t of a high enough quality,” says Gault. So, if you’re trying to conjure up a reason for having expensive tastes in jewellery, this could be it.

Lust of the week

Two good reasons to covet Solange Azagury-Partridge’s new fragrance: first, the luxurious iris, myrrh and patchouli blend makes you feel mysterious and grown-up; and second, the quirky, dressing table-friendly bottle resembles a star-shaped Rubik Cube.

Cosmic eau de parfum, £145, by Solange Azagury-Partridge; 020 7792 0197

TRY 3: highlighters

Few of us look as radiant as we might at this time of year, so brighten up your complexion with a highlighting cream, lotion or powder.

Illuminator, £10, by Famous by Sue Moxley, from Superdrug
A holographic sheen gives way to a subtle glow. Use on cheekbones and temples.

By Terry Teint de Rose, £42, from Space NK
Leaves skin peachy and its matt texture works well as a non-slip base for other make-up.

Dior Flower Blossom Illuminating Powder for Face, £35, from Selfridges from Dec 31
Swept on the cheekbone, this frosty powder lifts skin tone and sculpts the face.

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