All this has happened before – and it will all happen again. For the second time in my life, I got a bubble in my earlobe. Really annoying. I know it will go away, but just like an itch, you can’t help but play with it. How the #*$& did it get there?!
After yesterday’s line crossing into controversial, I figured I’d stay on this side of the love today. Also, NOTE: Apologies if I gross you out on this post – I’m trying to use benign terms, but since I’ve worked in multiple Emergency Departments… well, let’s just say Your Mileage May Vary.
The medical term is called an “earlobe cyst,” and although that sounds serious, it’s really not. Apparently the cause is just a malfunctioning system in the skin. Dead skin cells that are supposed to shed for some reason don’t, and just like any foreign body, your skin develops a shell to isolate the skin cells and forms the “bubble.” Then the dead skin cells breakdown and form keratin (yes, the stuff that’s good for your nails), but it’s really pus, and when it releases, it’s rather stinky but not harmful. Eventually it will either be absorbed or released (“popped”), but unless it’s huge (and it’s not), it’s not a noticeable or even slight problem.
But darn, is it weird! On the positive side, it gives my fingers something to fiddle with that won’t cause any harm. Thankfully, I’ve grown out of my excessive teenage skin oil phase, so I don’t have pimples to pop (or at least, not very often, and usually on my nose). Plus, I got rid of that ingrown hair on my chin, so I can’t fiddle with that. So in some ways, it’s a blessing, because I have something to touch that it’s bad for me.
The negative side is I’ve basically got a pimple on my earlobe that I can’t get rid of. If I wanted to get rid of it, I suppose I could heat a pin and jab it, but as much as I consider myself pretty tough when it comes to pain, I don’t seek it out either. So I just have to wait it out.
For a blog post, this is not the most exciting thing I could be typing about, but it does give you an insight into my random thoughts. However, I know I’m not alone. How many people out there have had that very same problem? Have you had a similar but equally annoying problem? Let me know in the comments below! Don’t worry about grossing me out – like I said, I’ve worked in multiple ED’s (as tech support, not as a medical professional), so I can handle it!
Albigensia Press 
My dog used to get cysts. 😀 Scary the first time, it was just like he was going to bubble out into lots of new little dogs, like a gremlin. He never did though, which would have been cool. Maybe something exciting will come of your ear bubble.