Case 3: Bilateral Keloids Following Ear Piercing

Postoperative inflammation occurred shortly after this25-year-old woman's earlobes were pierced. Within a fewmonths, bilateral keloids developed at the sites. Thekeloid on the left ear is shown here.A 4-month course of intralesional triamcinolone acetonideinjections (40 mg/mL, once a month) was followedby carbon dioxide laser surgery to remove the keloid onthe left ear. A postoperative intralesional injection of triamcinoloneacetonide was given monthly for 6 months.The keloid on the right ear was surgically excisedfollowing 4 months of triamcinolone acetonide injections;the postoperative regimen was identical to that of theleft ear.The surgically excised keloid recurred within 4months; the laser-treated left ear remained free of thescarring 2 years longer than the right ear.