Your cauliflower's ear to stay

Sep 2 2007 DR GARETH SMITH

Q I HAVE played rugby for three years and developed a cauliflower ear like England star Graham Rowntree. Will it go away?

A CAULIFLOWER ear is caused by repeated injury to the cartilage of the ear. When it repairs itself, it gets a little thicker each time and it can become disfigured.

You need to either stop playing rugby or bind your ears with tape when you play. To reverse the damage, you will need cosmetic surgery.