Keloid On Ear: Causes, Treatment, And Prevention

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Medical News TodaySubscribeWhat are keloids on the ear?

Medically reviewed by Bukky Aremu, APRN — Written by Helen Millar — Updated on July 11, 2025

What are they?
Symptoms
Causes
At-home treatment
Medical treatment
Prevention
Seeing a doctor
Outlook
Summary

A keloid develops when scar tissue builds up after a skin puncture or wound, such as after getting an ear piercing. It can appear as a firm, raised scar and may be larger than the wound that caused it.

Keloids may form on any part of the ear. They vary in size and shape but are usually larger than the wound that causes them.

A keloid may occur on the ear after a piercing, but any injury can cause one. Home treatments, including regular moisturizing, may help reduce keloids, but some may require surgery.

What are keloids?

According to the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD), unlike other types of raised scars, keloids are typically larger than the original wound.

Keloids can form on any part of the body, but often develop on the ears after someone gets a piercing. The keloid may occur anywhere from the earlobe to the cartilage.

Keloids form in different shapes and sizes, largely depending on the position of the scar. On an earlobe, the keloid will probably be round and solid.

A keloid may develop months or years after an injury. Whether or not a keloid forms at all depends on the individual.

Some people find that they form keloids after minor wounds, such as acne spots or insect bites, while others will never have them.

Symptoms of a keloid on the ear

Keloids typically appear slowly and take 3 to 12 months to start showing, but they can take longer.

On the ear, they may:

begin as a raised scar that is slightly darker than a person’s natural skin tone
darken over time, especially after spending time in the sun
grow slowly
be round or oval
cause pain and itching
feel either soft or hard

Keloids may appear very slowly. At first, the area may look like thickened skin or a pimple.

What causes keloids on the ear?

The AAD states that it is not clear why keloids form. However, genetic and environmental factors may play a role in their development.

People with a predisposition to keloids may develop them after experiencing trauma to an area. On the ear, this is usually due to a piercing. The following injuries can also cause keloids:

burns
insect bites
cuts
tattoos
surgery

Older research suggests that a local inflammatory reaction to the metallic backs of earrings may be responsible for the frequent occurrence of keloids on the earlobe.

Who gets keloids?

Although keloids can affect anyone, they may be more common in people who:

have darker skin tones
are between the ages of 10 and 30 years
have a family history of keloids
are pregnant

At-home treatment for ear keloids

Keloids can be challenging to treat. However, a person can try the following:

softening the skin with emollient creams or oils

applying silicone or polyurethane scar-reducing patches
using silicone gel to promote healing
applying pressure dressings

Medical treatment for ear keloids

In some cases, the surgical removal of a keloid may be possible. However, this procedure may cause an even larger keloid scar to develop, as the operation will create a new wound.

According to the AAD, a dermatologist may use a combination of the following treatment options:

Corticosteroid injections

A series of these injections causes 50% to 80% of keloids to shrink. However, they may regrow within a few years.

After the first injection, people may notice that the keloid feels softer.

Keloid surgery

A dermatologist can remove the keloid. However, the AAD states that nearly 100% of keloids will return after surgical removal.

Dermatologists may combine surgery with corticosteroid injections or use cryotherapy to reduce the chances of the keloid returning.

Laser treatment

A dermatologist may use laser treatment to reduce the size and discoloration of the keloid.

Cryotherapy

This procedure, which typically works best on smaller keloids, can help reduce the size and hardness of the keloid. A dermatologist will freeze the keloid from the inside out.

A 2020 case study suggests that cryotherapy may be an effective, affordable single treatment method for keloids on the ear. However, further research with larger participant pools is necessary to support this.

Ligature

If it is possible to tie thread around the keloid, a dermatologist may recommend using surgical thread to remove it gradually.

The surgical thread will need replacing every 2 to 3 weeks.

»Learn more:How to get rid of keloids»MORE:Get a skin condition evaluation in as little as 15 minutes with Optum Now Online Care.

Optum Now is operated by RVO Health. By clicking on this link, we may receive a commission. Learn more.

Preventing ear keloids

If someone has an injury on the ear or an ear piercing, they should pay close attention to the wound.

At the first sign of thickening skin, they can remove the earring and wear a pressure earring for at least 12 hours per day for 4 to 6 months.

Those with piercings can also ask for plastic earring backs rather than metal ones.

If someone has a wound on their ear, they should treat it properly by:

washing the area with soap and water to remove dirt and debris
bandaging the wound with petrolatum gauze
cleaning the wound every day
protecting the wound from the sun with sunscreen
applying silicone sheets or silicone gel as the wound begins healing

When to see a doctor

A keloid scar can be similar in appearance to a cancerous tumor. However, keloids are not cancerous. Anyone who is uncertain about the origin of the lump should ask a doctor to check it.

People may also wish to see a doctor if their keloid is very large or does not respond to home treatments.

Outlook

Keloids may be itchy or uncomfortable, but they are benign, which means they are not cancerous.

In some cases, keloid scars will disappear without help, but others will need treatment before they settle down.

A treatment that works for one person will not necessarily work for another. In some cases, a keloid is resistant to treatment, and it may not go away completely.

Summary

Keloids are firm, raised areas of skin that form when scar tissue builds up after a wound. Not everyone will develop keloids. However, some people are more prone to them.

The outlook for people with keloid scarring varies. In some cases, the keloid will disappear over time without treatment. In other cases, home remedies may be ineffective, and surgery may create bigger scars. Even after surgical removal, keloids often grow back.

It is important to verify whether the lump is a keloid scar, as people sometimes confuse keloids with other skin lesions, including malignant tumors.

Dermatology

How we reviewed this article:

SourcesMedical News Today has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical journals and associations. We only use quality, credible sources to ensure content accuracy and integrity. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy.

Hochman B, et al. (2015). Does ear keloid formation depend on the type of earrings or piercing jewellery?https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/ajd.12190
Ludmann P. (2022). Keloid scars: Overview.https://www.aad.org/public/diseases/a-z/keloids-overview
McGinty S, et al. (2023). Keloids.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK507899/
Muthanna AM, et al. (2020). Cryotherapy: A successful monotherapy for earlobe keloids.https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7735875/
Yoong NKM, et al. (2022). Keloid and hypertrophic scar.https://dermnetnz.org/topics/keloid-and-hypertrophic-scar

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Medically reviewed by Bukky Aremu, APRN — Written by Helen Millar — Updated on July 11, 2025

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