Earlobe

Revision as of 02:04, 9 August 2012 by WikiBot (talk | contribs) (Bot: Automated text replacement (-{{SIB}} + & -{{EJ}} + & -{{EH}} + & -{{Editor Join}} + & -{{Editor Help}} +))
(diff) ← Older revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff)
Jump to navigation Jump to search

Template:Infobox Anatomy

WikiDoc Resources for Earlobe

Articles

Most recent articles on Earlobe

Most cited articles on Earlobe

Review articles on Earlobe

Articles on Earlobe in N Eng J Med, Lancet, BMJ

Media

Powerpoint slides on Earlobe

Images of Earlobe

Photos of Earlobe

Podcasts & MP3s on Earlobe

Videos on Earlobe

Evidence Based Medicine

Cochrane Collaboration on Earlobe

Bandolier on Earlobe

TRIP on Earlobe

Clinical Trials

Ongoing Trials on Earlobe at Clinical Trials.gov

Trial results on Earlobe

Clinical Trials on Earlobe at Google

Guidelines / Policies / Govt

US National Guidelines Clearinghouse on Earlobe

NICE Guidance on Earlobe

NHS PRODIGY Guidance

FDA on Earlobe

CDC on Earlobe

Books

Books on Earlobe

News

Earlobe in the news

Be alerted to news on Earlobe

News trends on Earlobe

Commentary

Blogs on Earlobe

Definitions

Definitions of Earlobe

Patient Resources / Community

Patient resources on Earlobe

Discussion groups on Earlobe

Patient Handouts on Earlobe

Directions to Hospitals Treating Earlobe

Risk calculators and risk factors for Earlobe

Healthcare Provider Resources

Symptoms of Earlobe

Causes & Risk Factors for Earlobe

Diagnostic studies for Earlobe

Treatment of Earlobe

Continuing Medical Education (CME)

CME Programs on Earlobe

International

Earlobe en Espanol

Earlobe en Francais

Business

Earlobe in the Marketplace

Patents on Earlobe

Experimental / Informatics

List of terms related to Earlobe


Overview

On the ear of humans and many other animals, the earlobe (lobulus auriculæ, sometimes simply lobe or lobule) is the soft lower part of the external ear, similar in composition to the labia, or pinna. It is the lowermost portion of the human pinna, projecting below the antitragus. The earlobe is composed of tough areolar and adipose (fatty) connective tissues, lacking the firmness and elasticity of the rest of the pinna, since the earlobe contains no cartilage. Earlobes have a large blood supply and may help to warm the ears, but generally earlobes are not considered to have any biological function.[1]

Size and shape

Earlobes average about 2 cm long, and enlongate slightly with age.[2] Human earlobes may be free (hanging free from the head) or attached (joined to the head). Whether the earlobe is free or attached is a classic example of a simple genetic dominance relationship; freely hanging earlobes are the dominant allele and attached earlobes are recessive. Therefore, a person whose genes contain one allele for free earlobes and one for attached lobes will display the freely hanging lobe trait. Genetically dominant, free earlobes are twice as common in the human population as attached lobes.

Earlobes are normally smooth, but occasionally exhibit creases. Creased earlobes are associated with genetic disorders, including Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome. Earlobe creases are also associated with an increased risk of heart attack and coronary heart disease; however, since earlobes become more creased with age, and older people are more likely to experience heart disease than younger people, age may account for the findings linking heart attack to earlobe creases.[3]

The earlobe contains many nerve endings and consequently is an erogenous zone.

Earlobe piercing

Around the world and throughout human history, the earlobe is the most common location for a body piercing. Tearing of the earlobe from the weight of very heavy earrings, or traumatic pull of an earring, is fairly common. The repair of such a tear is usually not difficult. Some cultures practice earlobe stretching, using piercing ornaments to stretch and enlarge the earlobes. Piercing the earlobe poses a much lower risk of infection than piercing other parts of the ear. Initial healing time for an earlobe piercing is typically 6-8 weeks. After that time, earrings can be changed, but if the hole is left unfilled for an extended period of time, there is some danger of the piercing closing. After healing, earlobe piercings will shrink to smaller gauges in the prolonged absence of earrings, but may never completely disappear.

See also

References

  1. Popelka, Gerald, ""Re:Why do we have earlobes, what are they for, since when?" MadSci Network, posted Aug 31 1999. [1]
  2. Azaria, R., et al. Morphometry of the Adult Earlobe: A Study of 547 Subjects and Clinical Application (abstract), American Society of Plastic Surgeons, 2003. [2].
  3. U.S. National Library of Medicine and National Institute of Health, "Earlobe Creases." Medical Encyclopedia, [3]. Updated 10/20/2004.

Template:Auditory system


Template:WikiDoc Sources