A 6-Year-Old Boy with a Lesion on His Ear

The patient, a 6-year-old boy, presented to a pediatric urgent care center for a well-child visit. In the exam room, the father pointed out a red lesion on the helical rim of the patient’s ear. The papule was smooth and well-defined and didn’t seem to bother the boy. The father reports that he and the boy’s mother have grown concerned as they’ve noticed it develop over several months.

View the image and consider what your diagnosis and next steps would be. Resolution of the case is described on the next page.