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Earlobe creases

• Overview

Definition:

Earlobe creases are superficial lines in the otherwise smooth earlobe of a child or young adult.

Considerations:

The earlobes of children and young adults are normally smooth. Creases are sometimes associated with rare inherited syndromes.

Some studies have found that people with earlobe creases are at greater risk for heart attack than others. More recent research suggests that earlobe creases are more common in older people, and that age, not the presence of creases, accounts for the increased heart attack risk.

Other genetic factors such as race and earlobe shape may also determine who develops earlobe creasing and whether it occurs in childhood or adulthood.

Note: Having one small abnormality in facial features is not uncommon, and is usually not associated with a serious medical condition.

Common Causes:

In children, earlobe creases are often associated with rare disorders. One of these is called Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome .

• Review Date: 10/17/2006
• Reviewed By: Benjamin W. Van Voorhees, MD, MPH, Assistant Professor of Medicine and Pediatrics, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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