Crabfoot is formed after ear bone piercing. The scar continues to proliferate beyond the scope of the wound, accompanied by itching, pain and tightness.

2026/10/05 10:41

A woman developed keloids after her ear bone was pierced. The scar continued to proliferate outward and exceeded the scope of the original wound, accompanied by itching, pain, tightness and other discomforts. (Provided by Hsinchu National Taiwan University Branch)

[Reporter Liao Xueru/Report from Hsinchu] I wanted to wear earrings beautifully, but I didn’t expect that a small ear piercing would actually cause "scars that grow" like flesh balls on the ears! 25-year-old Ms. Lin had her ear bone pierced. Unexpectedly, after the wound healed, the ear bone began to bulge abnormally, and the scar continued to proliferate outward like a balloon, accompanied by bouts of itching, pain, and tightness. This not only seriously affected her appearance, but also troubled her so much that she finally consulted the Plastic Surgery Department of National Taiwan University Branch in Hsinchu, where she was diagnosed with "Keloids" by Dr. Xu Jiayuan. She is currently receiving treatment and follow-up.

Xu Jiayuan pointed out that generally scars will gradually and steadily fade over time, but keloids are caused by "excessive collagen proliferation" during the wound repair process. Not only will it not go away on its own, but it will spread like wildfire beyond the scope of the original wound. In addition to affecting the appearance, if it grows in the joints, it may also pull the muscles and affect the movement function.

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"The formation of keloids is closely related to personal constitution, genetics, local tension and chronic inflammation, and Asians are one of the high-risk groups!" Dr. Xu specially reminded that not only major surgical wounds, but also minor skin traumas such as acne, folliculitis, ear piercings, tattoos and even vaccinations may induce keloids. Among them, the chest, shoulders, upper back and ears are the most common.

For existing keloids, individualized integrated treatments are often used clinically, including local steroid injection, freezing, laser or drug application to inhibit scar growth and relieve discomfort. If the condition is more severe or relapses frequently, "surgical resection combined with postoperative radiation therapy" can be evaluated. Early low-dose radiation therapy can significantly reduce the chance of postoperative recurrence.

Xu Jiayuan urges those with a constitution or family history of swollen legs to think twice before attempting ear piercing, tattooing or unnecessary invasive treatments. During the wound recovery period, you should also clean and protect yourself from the sun to avoid repeated pulling and irritation. Once you find that the scar continues to show signs of "thickening, hardening, or enlarging" after the wound has healed, or is accompanied by itching and pain, you must seek medical evaluation as soon as possible so that you can stop the enlargement as soon as possible and regain your skin health and quality of life.