Lump behind teenage daughter's earlobe

[Worridoncemore]

We're currently abroad on holiday, been here a couple of days, not due back for over a week.

The day before we left, I was rushing around packing when my 17 year old daughter mentioned she had "something weird in her ear". I didn't take much notice as I was busy (unusual for me as I have terrible health anxiety) and I vaguely recall her getting her brother to take a look. I didn't hear the outcome and forgot about it.

Then yesterday, I was talking to her by the pool and noticed what looked like a lump below/behind one of her earlobes. I asked her about it and it transpired it was the thing she was complaining about a couple of days before. She wouldn't let me touch it, although she says it doesn't hurt particularly, but said it feels like a hard ball. I felt myself starting to panic that it's a lymph node (lymphoma is one of my fears and went through a lymph node drama with my son a couple of years ago, which turned out fine). She seems unconcerned and I don't want to worry her by questioning her further.

DH says just keep an eye and if still there when we return home to take her to the GP, which is all we can do really! However, unless it dissapears in the next few days I know I'll spend the whole holiday worrying.

She seems perfectly fit and healthy, although she did have a bad cold about a month ago so wonder if it could be from that?

Can anyone reassure me while I wait?

Thank you 🙂

Is it actually in her ear lobe herself? Does she or has she ever had pierced ears? If so could just be a bit of keloid scarring - DD has them in both lobes. They feel like little balls

It's immediately below/behind but not actually on the lobe iykwim. When I first spotted it, I thought that lobe looked a bit bigger than the other! She doesn't have pierced ears.

I was going to say the same as PP. If it’s on the lobe itself it maybe a keloid. My daughter has had them when she’s had her last 2 piercings (second ear and helix).

Hers were quite hard and the skin was flaky. About the size of a large pea.

Healed after persevering with cooled boiling salt water every day, took a few weeks to disappear completely.

And no more piercings!

Sorry, cross posted.

Probably a cyst

I would add that there's a small red mark next to it, possibly the remains of a spot, or maybe just where she'd been touching the area.

I get one from time to time it's a hard ball, like a cyst that feels like it can move around under the skin. It goes after a few weeks. I don't have a clue what it is and I might ask the doctor next time I visit if I remember.
Maybe some hot flannels to help reduce the swelling.

Just ignore it. It sounds like a spot not a gland.

From my limited questioning, she says it's hard and doesn't move, "feels like a hard ball", which freaked me out further as I know they can be BAD signs 😔

She also says it feels like it's inside her ear but from what I can see it's just below/behind the lobe.

It's not red though, doesn't look like a spot to me.

I get these randomly every few months, They appear directly behind the earlobe but also sometimes further up behind the ear and are hard to the touch. I just assume they are benign cysts as they go away after a couple of weeks without any issues. I do have quite oily skin so that increases the risk of cysts developing around your ears.

www.healthline.com/health/earlobe-cyst#outlook

I had something similar a few years ago (slightly different location on the base of my hairline), also on holiday and I also got anxious about it. By the time I attended my doctor’s appointment a couple of weeks later it had reduced in size quite a bit. It was an inflamed lymph node, so, although I was feeling well, I must have been fighting something off, I suppose.

Yes, I get spots there too (have one now in fact) and sometimes even get them inside my ear. Must admit that's what I thought when heard her complaining and think I even said "oh it'll just be a zit". However, it doesn't look like a spot to me. I also had acne badly when I was younger and still get the odd spot now whereas she has perfect skin and rarely gets spots, lucky girl!

Have googled & it doesn't look like there's a lymph node directly behind the earlobe? The ones behind the ear are higher up. The lump looks to be attached to the back of the earlobe and then protrudes a bit below it so it's visible from the front. More likely a cyst? However, it's the same colour as her skin, not red or angry looking at all. Will have to wait & see and if still there when we get home, take her to the GP. Maybe it'll burst spectacularly in the heat, although it doesn't look infected and she says it doesn't hurt......