Growing up in Nigeria, I always wondered why I had this hole in my ear. Mine is very similar to the picture but a little bit higher
My friend who had a similar hole told me that it meant I was stubborn. As I grew up, I still believed this. Besides, I admit it - I am a stubborn person. I always believed I was kinda special in some way haha
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| I have a similar hole in my ear. I recently found out the medical term for it is a preauricular pit. Image source: DermAtlas |
Since I left Nigeria, everyone who's seen my ear thinks it's a piercing and I always have a hard time convincing them that it's not.
A few days ago, I randomly decided to do some Google research about this. I found out that this 'hole in my ear' is actually called a preauricular pit (PP).
According to Wikipedia, PP are a common congenital malformation characterized by a nodule, dent or dimple located anywhere adjacent to the external ear. They are inherited features and usually appear on one side, but may be bilateral in 25-50% of cases.
Occasionally, PPs can become infected. Doing research about this, I read about PP infections and I was shocked to discover that more than a few people have had some problems due to their PP.
I feel almost less special knowing that PP's are not uncommon, but I blame my ignorance for this.
Do you, or someone you know have a PP? What stories did you hear about PP's growing up
Reminiscing Mondays is a weekly post by Pearlle Magazine's contributors, sharing their memories about life in Nigeria.
