Bilateral external ear canal Frey's syndrome: a rare disease

Background: Frey's syndrome is a socially embarrassing condition commonly involving preauricular area after parotidectomy surgery or trauma to the face. Frey's syndrome over the external ear canal without a prior history of trauma or surgery is extremely rare. To date, there were only two case reports of unilateral spontaneous gustatory sweating in the external ear canal found in the English literature. Case presentation: We report a case of bilateral external ear spontaneous gustatory sweating in a 31-year-old Chinese male. The diagnosis of Frey's syndrome was confirmed by Minor's Starch Iodine test. Conclusions: Comprehensive history and physical examination are mandatory to reach the diagnosis of Frey's syndrome of external ear canal. The treatment option should be tailored individually.