Keloid scars can occur after an injury and affect some groups more than others. Tragus keloid is a noticeable scar that can be treated with steroids, laser therapy, or nitrogen freezing. People with African, South Asian, or Hispanic ancestry are more prone to keloid scarring. Sunscreen can prevent darkening, and surgical removal is not practical.
Keloid scar is an unusually noticeable scar at the site of an injury, affecting some groups of people more than others. A tragus is the small protrusion in front of the ear canal, which some people pierce to wear jewelry. When a person has tragus keloid, it poses no health risk, but it can be cosmetically unappealing to the patient. Treatment options include steroids, laser therapy, or nitrogen freezing.
A tragus is made of cartilage, like the rest of the outer ear, and sits at the front of the ear as a protective wall in front of the ear canal. It is flexible and strong, despite its small size compared to the rest of the ear. In most people, a piercing produces a small hole with no visible scarring, but some people are genetically predisposed to developing a more prominent scar, called a tragus keloid.
Any open wound or puncture wound can result in a keloid scar, as the body tries to close the wound and repair the damage. Most people produce only a small scar to mark the initial site of an injury or, in the case of ear piercings, no marks at all. When a keloid scar occurs, however, the body’s way of choosing to repair the damage is to produce a lot of collagen, which causes the scar tissue to become raised and colored a reddish or pinkish color. This tragus keloid scar may appear obvious to the person who has one, and therefore the affected person may seek medical treatment to remove or reduce the scar.
Some people suffer from keloid scarring more than the general population, such as people with African ancestry, people from South Asia, and those with Hispanic ancestry. Keloid scars are not dangerous to health, but if a person suspects that the lump may be due to other causes, such as skin cancer, a doctor should be consulted. If left alone, a tragus keloid scar can shrink or flatten out over time, but it can also get darker from sun exposure. Using sunscreen in the first year of the onset of tragus keloid can prevent darkening.
Since the keloid scar first developed due to an injury, surgical removal is not a practical option. Some people have their keloid scars frozen with liquid nitrogen, irradiated to prevent growth, or lasered to reduce the intensity of the scar coloration. Cutaneous applications of steroids can help minimize the appearance of tragus keloid.
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