What should you know about cartilage keloid removal?

A keloid is firm scar tissue that grows beyond the original piercing or injury. It may feel smooth, itchy, tender, or tight and can enlarge slowly. A bump on cartilage is not automatically a keloid; irritation, infection, a hypertrophic scar, or another type of [Skin Lumps](/symptoms/skin-lumps/) can look similar. A clinician may examine its borders, firmness, colour, and growth pattern before recommending removal.

Repeated trauma, pressure, or jewellery friction can keep the area irritated. Personal and family tendency also matters. Acne near the ear may create additional inflammation; see [Acne](/conditions/acne/) if that is part of the picture.

Do not squeeze, pierce, shave, or try to cut the growth yourself. Avoid jewellery that presses on it, and keep the area clean without harsh scrubbing. A dermatologist may discuss [Steroid Injection Into The Skin](/treatments/injectables/intralesional-steroid-injection/) to soften or flatten selected keloids. Other options include [Pulsed Dye Laser Treatment](/treatments/laser-and-energy/pulsed-dye-laser-treatment/), [Cryotherapy (Lesion Removal)](/treatments/surgical-dermatology/cryotherapy-lesion-removal/), or [Keloid Removal Surgery](/treatments/surgical-dermatology/keloid-excision/). [Fractional Laser Treatment](/treatments/laser-and-energy/fractional-laser-treatment/) may be considered for selected scar texture or appearance concerns.

If surgery is chosen, the plan may include treatment around the procedure and follow-up checks. The aim is to manage the whole scar pattern, not simply remove a visible bump.

Arrange prompt assessment if the ear becomes hot, increasingly painful, very swollen, or starts draining, or if you have fever. Seek urgent help for rapidly spreading redness, severe pain, or feeling unwell. A growing cartilage lump, bleeding, ulceration, or hearing-related symptom also deserves direct examination.

Ask how the diagnosis was made, whether the piercing should remain out, and which option suits the lump’s size and location. Ask how regrowth will be monitored, what wound care is required, and what signs should prompt an earlier review.