[pittfrog]

I've had each ear bolstered once, and drained one ear multiple times over the course of 10 or so days. Bolstering was more painful, but it also healed my injured ears more quickly than the ear that I drained myself.

If there's a scar from my ears being bolstered, I can't see it, nor can my wife. My wife is kind of anal, and she's on my ass about cauli, because she's concerned my kid will get it from Judo. Believe me, if my persnickety wife can't see the scar, there isn't one. My ears also look entirely normal(ask Frodo), although the cartilage is a bit hard in the spots I've been injured.

As for calling you ignorant, I stand by it. Google the words "auricular hematoma treatment" and you'll quickly see that bolstering is the accepted standard of care, because it effectively mitigates the risk of the hematoma re-filling. Additionally, those who have their ears bolstered, will also most likely be prescribed covering antibiotics, minimizing the risk of infection when compared with multiple rounds of bathroom surgery by a layman. Given that those doing this to themselves are grapplers, the infection risks are not insignificant.

You made bolstering sound as if it was some quack treatment applied only by ignorant doctors, when nothing could be further from the truth. Indeed, there could easily be some people who find that draining their ear injuries themselves is finally too much, and would seek medical attention. The provider of that attention will likely then bolster their ears, which, if that person was stupid and listened to you, they would resist.

I don't want to turn this into a flame war over draining yourself/seeking medical attention. Bottom line, if you're susceptible to cauli, and susceptibility seems to be in part genetic, either wear headgear or just suck it up and resign yourself to effed up ears. I choose headgear.