# Any doctors here- need advice on cut ear **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 21, 2019, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-doctors-here-need-advice-on-cut-ear/829987 "2019-02-21T22:28:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![sara20](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e79b87/32.png) [@sara20](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sara20)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2019, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-doctors-here-need-advice-on-cut-ear/829987/21 "2019-02-24T20:28:53Z")
> [@nearwildheaven](#): > > If you don’t remove the steri-strip, it will heal over and around it, and then his body will go to rather uncomfortable means to expel it. > > It may pull off the scab, but don’t worry about it. It will heal. It wouldn’t let me edit my other post since it has been 5 min, but I also wanted to add what would the body do to expel it if we leave it on for a week or so? ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2019, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-doctors-here-need-advice-on-cut-ear/829987/22 "2019-02-24T22:01:21Z")
You might get a lot of puss around it, as your white cells try to digest the foreign object. ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2019, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-doctors-here-need-advice-on-cut-ear/829987/23 "2019-02-24T22:10:20Z")
OP, I would think a person, over the course of their lives, would sustain many insignificant wounds like the nicked ear in the linked pic. Have you not also dealt with many similar wounds yourself? ---
**Author:** ![sara20](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e79b87/32.png) [@sara20](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sara20)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2019, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-doctors-here-need-advice-on-cut-ear/829987/24 "2019-02-25T00:00:23Z")
> [@Inigo\_Montoya](#): > > Another vote for not bothering the doctor. > > But you really should photoshop a jumping spider into that earhole. > [@puzzlegal](#): > > Take off the steri-strip sooner rather than later. The more it starts to heal around and over it, the more it will hurt to take it off. > > IANAD, but I’ve treated lots of superficial wounds, and I agree with everyone else. Just keep it clean and dry and it should be fine. If it were on me, I would cover with a bandage only because if I didn’t, I would pick at the scab. But just the natural scab will be fine for it if he can leave it alone. > > Oh, and if it’s worse than the photo makes it appear, you might want to smear a little bacitracin jelly on it before putting the bandage on. That will keep the bandage from sticking to the wound, and make it less painful to change the bandaid from time to time. Plain petroleum jelly is probably okay, too, but your tube of bacitracin is probably clean on the inside. What do you mean by “heal around and over it”? ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2019, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-doctors-here-need-advice-on-cut-ear/829987/25 "2019-02-25T03:56:21Z")
It’s not clear from your description what you did with the steri-strip. But if it’s sitting in the “bowl” of missing skin, the healing skin might initially grow into it or around or even over it. Those would all be unpleasant. If you’ve used it to try to tape the removed flap of skin in place, that probably won’t happen, because the bandage isn’t touching the healing surface. A completely detached flap (with no blood supply) will likely die and fall off, though, even if you tape it into place. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2019, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-doctors-here-need-advice-on-cut-ear/829987/26 "2019-02-25T04:01:57Z")
Summary: Take off the steri-strip, cover it with antibiotic ointment and a Band-Aid if he’s embarrassed about it, and it should heal just fine. ---
**Author:** ![sara20](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e79b87/32.png) [@sara20](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sara20)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2019, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-doctors-here-need-advice-on-cut-ear/829987/27 "2019-02-27T00:25:55Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > take it off, it’ll be fine. So a little update, we removed the steri-strip sunday night, it stuck to the wound but with some soaking with a wet washcloth we got it off, and put a band aid on it. It had closed up to about half the size, and currently is still about that size, maybe a tiny bit smaller. Here is a current picture from today [Imgur: The magic of the Internet](https://imgur.com/a/iDvUwqv) last night we noticed there seemed to be a little swelling on the area above the wound compared to the other side. Here is the bad ear swelling [Imgur: The magic of the Internet](https://imgur.com/a/otFEvQ2) compared to the good ear [Imgur: The magic of the Internet](https://imgur.com/TQRZd3F) I am wondering will that swelling go away on it’s own or does it have to be drained so it does not harden and cause a cauliflower ear? ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2019, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-doctors-here-need-advice-on-cut-ear/829987/28 "2019-02-27T00:29:53Z")
It looks fine to me. IANAD but a Mom and I have seen many boo-boos. This will heal okay. I don’t see any swelling, btw. ---
**Author:** ![sara20](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e79b87/32.png) [@sara20](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sara20)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2019, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-doctors-here-need-advice-on-cut-ear/829987/29 "2019-02-27T00:40:49Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > take it off, it’ll be fine. It won’t let me edit my post but I realized I posted the same picture for the good and bad ear, swelling, they were both the good ear. Here is the bad ear swelling [Imgur: The magic of the Internet](https://imgur.com/soyI9sf) and here is the good ear [Imgur: The magic of the Internet](https://imgur.com/TQRZd3F) ---
**Author:** ![sara20](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e79b87/32.png) [@sara20](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sara20)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2019, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-doctors-here-need-advice-on-cut-ear/829987/30 "2019-02-27T00:50:59Z")
> [@Beckdawrek](#): > > It looks fine to me. IANAD but a Mom and I have seen many boo-boos. This will heal okay. I don’t see any swelling, btw. Sorry I posted the same pic, for the good and bad ear, here is the bad ear swelling [Imgur: The magic of the Internet](https://imgur.com/a/otFEvQ2) compared to the good ear [Imgur: The magic of the Internet](https://imgur.com/TQRZd3F) ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2019, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-doctors-here-need-advice-on-cut-ear/829987/31 "2019-02-27T01:00:52Z")
IANAD, either, but I can think of at least 3 times in my life that I didn’t use an emergency room for a relatively minor injury, and later regretted it. Unless the $100+ fee is prohibitive, I’d advise you to take advantage of one, if available. Later is too late. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2019, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-doctors-here-need-advice-on-cut-ear/829987/32 "2019-02-27T01:25:25Z")
We’re 5 days into this injury. I don’t think an ER visit is necessary. I don’t even think a doctor visit would’ve been necessary on the first day. It looks, to me to be a minor cut. YMMV. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2019, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-doctors-here-need-advice-on-cut-ear/829987/33 "2019-02-27T01:34:01Z")
At this point I think the only thing to be concerned about is the risk of infection. If something you think should be getting smaller, dryer or cooler starts getting bigger, wetter or hotter, than you should have someone check it out. ---
**Author:** ![sjankis630](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7ea924/32.png) [@sjankis630](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sjankis630)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2019, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-doctors-here-need-advice-on-cut-ear/829987/34 "2019-02-27T02:42:11Z")
It doesn’t look like he needs a doctor, but he definitely needs a new barber! ---
**Author:** ![sara20](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e79b87/32.png) [@sara20](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sara20)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2019, 4:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-doctors-here-need-advice-on-cut-ear/829987/35 "2019-02-27T04:59:49Z")
I think the cut will heal fine, I just want to be sure that bit of swelling above the wound will not harden into a cauliflower ear, if any doctors or wrestlers are familiar with this. [Cauliflower ear - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cauliflower_ear) I know the spot where you get cauliflower ear is usually more central and not so much on the edge, but if you have swelling on the edge can it harden into a cauliflower ear? ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2019, 5:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-doctors-here-need-advice-on-cut-ear/829987/36 "2019-02-27T05:07:20Z")
Your boyfriend looks like he’s healing just fine, and that cut will be gone, as will the bruising, in a few days. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2019, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-doctors-here-need-advice-on-cut-ear/829987/37 "2019-02-27T18:25:38Z")
> [@Musicat](#): > > IANAD, either, but I can think of at least 3 times in my life that I didn’t use an emergency room for a relatively minor injury, and later regretted it. Unless the $100+ fee is prohibitive, I’d advise you to take advantage of one, if available. Later is too late. These days I think it’s typically more like $1200, plus hours of time waiting around to be seen. And an appointment with an urgent care doctor, or a nurse practitioner, should be plenty if the op is really worried. (They would be able to direct the guy to more care if it’s warranted.) I haven’t looked at the updated photos, yet, but unless there’s a serious infection (does he have a fever?) I’m certain it’s overkill to go to an emergency room for a five day old minor surface wound. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2019, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-doctors-here-need-advice-on-cut-ear/829987/38 "2019-02-27T18:28:09Z")
Having now looked at the image, I agree with sjankis > [@sjankis630](#): > > It doesn’t look like he needs a doctor, but he definitely needs a new barber! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-doctors-here-need-advice-on-cut-ear/829987.md?page=1)