For some young combat sports practitioners, cauliflower ear is no longer just a consequence of training. It becomes a goal. On social networks, some go so far as to voluntarily cause trauma intended to deform their ear, like a trophy that they could wear for life.
When pain becomes a sign of virility
Marcus, 22, practices Brazilian jiu-jitsu in Denmark. On TikTok, where he has some 28,000 subscribers, he says he deliberately hit his ears to achieve this appearance.
“It hurts like hell, but it’s definitely worth it.”he says. For him, this deformation is also a family affair: “My whole family has them. My uncle says real men have them in cauliflower”.
The phenomenon now extends beyond training rooms. One MMA fighter even offers a paid guide online touted as a method for getting cauliflower ears. A logic that transforms an injury into a marker of belonging.
Scott, 21, who started having deformed ears at 17, sums up this collective dimension: “It’s like a tattoo, you keep them for life. It creates a community, a brotherhood.”.
A deformation which is however not trivial
“Cauliflower ear” usually appears after trauma. An impact can cause a hematoma between the cartilage of the ear and the tissues that supply it with blood. If this hematoma is not quickly treated, the cartilage can be deprived of its blood supply and become deformed.
“It is an ear hematoma (an accumulation of blood between the cartilage and the perichondrium) with deformation of the cartilage caused by violent friction on the ear. Without drainage, the blood coagulates and disrupts the nutrient supply to the cartilage. The damaged cartilage partially dies, triggering an inflammatory reaction and the body replaces the cartilage with fibrous, hard and irregular tissue. This is what gives this appearance” specifies Dr. Gérald Kierzek, emergency physician and medical director of True Medical.
It is this mechanism that gradually gives the ear its thick, irregular and bumpy appearance. The deformation may become permanent within a few days.
In an old study of American college wrestlers, wearing head protection was associated with a lower frequency of hematomas and ear deformities. Another study cited by the Cleveland Clinic reports that 96% of national-level fighters studied in Finland had at least one symptom of cauliflower ear.
“The danger is infection”
The problem is therefore not limited to aesthetics. “This can lead to chronic pain, infections (perichondritis), or even hearing loss.” lists our emergency doctor. A hematoma can in fact promote a bacterial infection and cause chondritis, which can cause lasting damage to the cartilage.
And the consequences can go further. “Hitting too hard can cause damage to the ear canal, perforate the eardrum, or even fracture the ear bone. And cause deafness”warns the specialist.
Once healing is complete, the deformity is difficult to correct spontaneously. “Once the healing is done, it is impossible to find a brand new one.”underlines the doctor.
For some, an injury becomes a trophy
Elias, 21, practices MMA. Unlike those who intentionally go for this appearance, his cauliflower ear appeared accidentally after a shock in training. She now recounts, according to him, the hours spent on the tatami mats, the fights and the blows received. This appearance can even change the way others see you. During an altercation in the street, a man reportedly backed away after noticing his ears. “I think they’re afraid of me.”he says.
On the other hand, it is easy to imagine that pretending to be a fighter without possessing the skills could put some people in a difficult position against an opponent genuinely looking to fight.
In all cases, cauliflower ear remains, medically, the consequence of trauma.
For fighters, prevention is primarily based on ear protection and rapid treatment of a hematoma after a shock. Because behind this appearance that has gone viral lies a much less spectacular reality: a poorly treated injury can leave lasting consequences.