What Are Cabbage Ears?

Cabbage ear, also known as cauliflower ear, is a condition where the outside of the ear looks disfigured and lumpy, shriveled and pale. It often resembles a cauliflower or cabbage, hence the name. This is a condition caused by trauma to the ear, and often occurs to athletes who participate in the sports of wrestling, boxing and martial arts because of the vulnerability of athletes' ears during contact with the opponent.

Causes

• Cabbage ear is caused when the ear is struck and a blood clot forms under the skin. It is also possible to get cabbage ear if the skin is pulled or torn from the cartilage of the ear, disrupting the connection of the skin to the cartilage. When this happens, blood flow to the cartilage is cut off and it becomes deprived of nutrients. If gone untreated, the cartilage of the ear dies and the skin of the ear shrivels up and, in some cases, looks pale due to lack of blood supply. This deformity makes the ear look like a cabbage.

Prevention

• Cabbage ear is very simple to prevent. To avoid trauma to the ear and to the head in general, athletes should wear protective head gear that covers the ears. This protective gear is necessary both in competition and during practice. If a blow to the ear does take place and there appears to be a blood clot or torn skin on the ear, visiting and receiving treatment from a doctor immediately prevents any permanent damage from occurring.

Treatment

• Immediate treatment to an ear that has been struck is necessary to prevent the ear from becoming deformed. Typically, treatment consists of a doctor draining the blood from the affected ear through an incision. The doctor then uses a tight bandage to reconnect the skin to the cartilage. If the injury goes untreated for over a few days, it begins to deform into the condition known as cabbage ear. To treat this condition and return the ear to normal, the ear must be cut open and all dead cartilage must be removed before the ear is stitched up once again.

Long Term Effects

• If gone untreated, cabbage ear becomes a deformity that is extremely difficult to correct. Even with reconstructive surgery, it may be impossible to return the ear fully to its previous appearance. A person with cabbage ear is often left with a permanent deformity. Fortunately, there are no health risks to having cabbage ear after it has shriveled into its deformed state. The only concerns behind the deformity are merely cosmetic.