Treatment of the Earlobe Keloid with Preservation of the Piercing for an Earring

ABSTRACT

In the East, Probably one of the most commonly performed esthetic operation is the piercing of the earlobes for earring. the complication of this procedure includes infection, the formation of the hypertrophic scar or keloid, and tearing. Keloid formation is one of the disaterous common complications of the ear piercing. the patients regard the keloid as a cosmetic blemish and they complain that they cannot wear earrings. We have experienced 5 patients of earlobe keloid complicated from piercing of the earlobes. We used intralestional steroid njection, in conjunction with surgical excision and pressure therapy for treatment of the keloid. Among various techniques for reconstructing a piercing, we chose modified Pardue's method for artificial earlobe cleft after wide excision of the keloid. the result was good and satisfactory without any complication after 4 to 24 months of follow-up. the purpose of this paper is to present a simple method of treatment of the earlobe keloid with preservation of the perforation for an earring.