THEY are big, not just in size but in popularity too.

Supersized earrings have become the next big thing in fashion accessory.

But doctors are warning that such earrings are causing some fashion-conscious women to be noticed for all the wrong reasons, reported the Daily Mail.

They say the heavy accessories can seriously damage earlobes, leaving unsightly scars.

This is because they can make the holes from piercing stretch, causing damage to the soft flesh which does not heal.

In extreme cases, the lobe can even split in two.

Indeed, long, dangly earrings up to 15cm long have become a firm red carpet favourite.

Michelle Obama wore a shoulder-skimming pair for the presidential inauguration balls.

Kate Beckinsale sported some so long at the Golden Globes that they extended past her jaw, and Kate Winslet's 7cm drop pair sparkled at the Screen Actors Guild awards.

Statement earrings have also swung down the catwalk, with Louis Vuitton unveiling a pair of 15cm wood and resin earrings known as 'Madmax' which are due to go on sale in the UK later this month for £580 ($1,300) a pair.

New York designer Zac Posen has also recently showcased a range of earrings so long that they wound round the neck.

The problem is that ear lobes are not designed to withstand the weight of such heavy furniture.

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.

Some women are even asking for pre-emptive surgery to strengthen their ears so they can wear this season's statement accessory.

Dr James McDiarmid, a consultant plastic surgeon, has carried out more than half a dozen earlobe repair procedures.

He said: 'It is not just splitting. The lobes swell and they have lumps the size of a marble that look like dumb bells on either side of the lobe.'

Surgery to strengthen the ears involves doctors injecting a synthetic compound called Restylane, usually used for lip augmentation, to plump up the earlobes and make them stronger.

The earlobes, which are injected after being frozen with a numbing gel, are left toughened for up to a year.

This article was first published in The New Paper on Feb 3, 2009.