Causes Of A Keloid On Earlobe? Symptoms & How To Get Rid Of It?

Occasionally, following an injury, the skin tissue is replaced by fibrous tissue, which results in dense overgrowth, which is referred to as keloid. A keloid extends beyond the borders of the wound and doesn’t regress naturally.

Reports suggest that keloid scars are more common in African Americans and peak during the age of 10 to 30 years.

In most cases, there is a family history or a tendency to development of keloids.

Keloids can occur on any part of the body, but are more frequently observed along the ear lobe following an ear piercing. There are certain hypotheses that attempt to explain the cause for development of keloids in general,

• The extracellular matrix becomes dysfunction and hence fails to control the activity of the growth factor, resulting in an invasive form of fibrous growth.
• Abnormalities in the collagen turnover are also hypothesized to lead to keloids.
• Inherent abnormal injury response or immune reaction to sebum is other hypothesis linked with keloid formation.

Symptoms Of Earlobe Keloid

Earlobe keloid is a cosmetic concern. The scar is usually rubbery in texture and brown in color. The keloid is devoid of sweat glands and hair follicles.

There are some other key symptoms that may be present,

• The keloid may be associated with severe irritation and itching of the skin. In some cases the keloid may be painful to touch and tender.
• The keloid may continue to grow beyond the margins of the piercing. The keloid may appear very dry and occasionally flake.
• Though bleeding from the keloid is rare, it may occur due to repetitive scratching.

The keloid may grow rapidly during the initial six to eight weeks, which is followed by stabilization or regression in the size of the lesion.

How To Get Rid Of A Keloid On Earlobe Naturally?

While conventional therapy uses steroid injections to reduce the size of the keloid, there are certain simple tips that may be beneficial in alleviating some of the associated symptoms,

• Local application of a paste of turmeric, garlic and raw honey is very useful. Turmeric and garlic are considered to be natural anti-inflammatory agents while honey has a soothing effect on the skin. This paste will help alleviate itching and burning at the site and prevent the further spread of the keloid.
• Local application of almond oil or wheat germ oil can help restrict the spread of the keloid. These oils contain Vitamin E and Vitamin A which help in improving collagen production and restrict the growth of fibrous tissues.
• Local application of silicone gel also helps in reducing the size of the keloid. One can also use gel impregnated sheets which can be worn for about 24 hours.
• Homeopathy has been very useful in treatment of keloid and scars. Graphitis is very useful and has shown substantive results. Dosage and frequency should be discussed with your physician.

In cases with significant cosmetic deformities, surgical excision is recommended, however this is associated with high rate of recurrence. Invariably the surgical excision is coupled with use of steroids and occlusive pressure dressing.

In severe cases, cryotherapy with or without radiotherapy may be required. However radiotherapy is not recommended to earlobe keliod due to the high risk of carcinogenic implications on the surrounding tissue.