Skin microbiome behind the ears
The microbiome refers to the collection of microorganisms that live inside the human body and on the skin. Each area of the body has a distinct microbiome influenced by factors such as environment, genetics, hygiene practices, and immune response.
The skin behind the ears is a sebaceous area, meaning it contains sebaceous glands that produce sebum – an oily substance that helps moisturize the skin. The microbiome of the skin behind the ears is influenced by sebaceous glands and includes a variety of bacteria and fungi.
Bacterial species commonly found behind the ears include Staphylococcus, Propionibacterium, Corynebacterium, and Streptococcus. These bacteria are part of the normal skin flora and play a role in maintaining skin health.
When the amount of these bacteria is balanced, they keep the skin healthy. However, when one or several of the bacteria types overgrow, you may face skin problems like acne, dermatitis, infections, and skin being too dry or too oily.
What causes dry skin behind the ears?
- Excessive washing or the use of harsh soaps, shampoos, conditioners, and hair sprays disrupts the skin’s natural protective barrier (aka the acid mantle). The acid mantle defends the skin against harmful bacteria and maintains skin hydration.
Soaps, shampoos, and any product that is supposed to clean something include surfactants.
Surfactants have both a hydrophilic (water-loving) and lipophilic (oil-loving) end. The lipophilic end of the surfactant molecule attaches to the oils, while the hydrophilic end attaches to water.
Most shampoos contain harsh surfactants like SLS (sodium lauryl sulfate) or SLES (sodium laureth sulfate). When you rinse off these shampoos, they not only remove dirt and oils but also strip away the natural oils that protect your skin. This can leave your skin behind and around the ear more dry, irritated, and itchy over time.
- Allergic reactions can cause dryness and irritation of the skin. Fragrances and harsh preservatives in your shampoos and conditioners can trigger allergies. If you suspect that it’s your case, try to replace it with a fragrance-free product that has milder natural preservatives.
- Environmental factors also play a role in the development of dry itchy skin behind the ears. Cold weather and low humidity levels reduce the moisture content in the air, leading to increased water loss from the skin. This can result in dryness of the skin.
What to do about dry skin behind the ears?
As the core of the problem lies with the skin microbiome, this is what should be addressed.
To rebalance the skin microbiome behind your ear try Dry Ear Skin Ointment. It is designed specifically for this problem and with the skin microbiome in mind.
The formulation includes urea, ichthyol, glycolic acid, salicylic acid, and gorgonian extract. Together these ingredients contribute to an immediate and long-lasting effect – so once the dry skin is gone, it will not return that quickly (or it won’t return at all if your skin microbiome stays balanced). Let’s see what each of the ingredients brings to the table:
Urea gently exfoliates the skin removing dead skin cells and regenerating them. It has anti-itching, anti-fungal, and anti-microbial properties.
Ichthyol provides anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial, and moisturizing properties. It soothes damaged skin and promotes skin regeneration and wound healing.
Glycolic and salicylic acids in DES Ointment also provide gentle chemical exfoliation, removing dry flaky skin. They support healthy pH which in turn helps to rebalance the skin microbiome.
Gorgonian extract (aka sea whip) neutralizes enzymes responsible for irritation and helps to soothe and hydrate the skin.
Additional measures you can take to combat dryness around and behind the ears include:
1. Moisturize the skin with gentle, fragrance-free lotion and apply it to the clean skin behind the ears. This helps restore and retain moisture, temporarily combating dryness.
But keep in mind that lotions have to be reapplied several times throughout the day. They mostly contain a combination of humectants and emollients that work on the outermost layer of the skin – the epidermis. These ingredients fill in the gaps between skin cells, making the skin more subtle. But the upper layer consists of dead skin cells and is constantly shedding and being replaced, and any benefits provided by a lotion may only last as long as this outer layer remains intact.
2. Avoid excessive washing. This recommendation applies to the skin behind your ear and the whole body. Over-cleaning strips the skin of its natural oils, leading to dryness. Limit washing behind the ears and use plain water or at least a mild, non-irritating cleanser.
3. Protect the skin from harsh weather conditions. Wear a hat or a scarf to shield the area from harsh winds and low humidity. This helps, especially when your skin is already damaged, so it doesn’t get more irritated from cold or sun exposure.
As you can see, microbial balance is the key to healthy skin behind the ears and on the whole body.
Do not over-clean, and support your healthy bacteria with microbiome-friendly products.
If the issue persists or worsens despite these measures, seek professional advice from your doctor.
