An earlobe is the soft, fleshy part at the bottom of your ear that hangs down slightly. Unlike the rest of your ear, which is made of cartilage (the firm, flexible material that gives your ear its shape), your earlobe is just soft tissue and skin. You can gently pinch and wiggle it without feeling any hardness inside.

Earlobes come in different shapes and sizes. Some people have earlobes that hang freely, while others have earlobes that attach directly to the side of their head. This is a harmless genetic variation, like having different eye colors or hair textures.

Many people pierce their earlobes to wear earrings because the soft tissue heals well and usually hurts less than piercing cartilage. Throughout history and across cultures, people have decorated their earlobes in various ways, from small studs to elaborate jewelry.

Interestingly, earlobes are one of the few parts of your body that can keep changing slightly throughout your life, which is why older people sometimes have noticeably longer earlobes than they did when they were younger.