Let’s begin with dry skin around the ears.
What causes dry skin AROUND EARS?
A dry, itchy, or irritated feeling on the skin around the ears can have many causes.
First of all, the reason may be the environment you live in: too cold or too hot weather outside, too warm and dry air in your home or at work.
The second reason is over-cleaning. You may be using too harsh soaps, shampoos, shower gels, dying your hair, or taking too hot long baths. These products and actions strip natural oils away from your skin.
Among other reasons, there are dehydration, stress, smoking, allergies, and swimming in a chlorine pool.
Chronic skin conditions that can cause dry skin around the ears include psoriasis, eczema, and seborrheic dermatitis.
Psoriasis causes a build-up of dead skin cells on all body parts and ears too.
Eczema usually starts as a slight dryness but over time leads to skin loss and soreness.
Seborrheic dermatitis affects the scalp and causes dandruff and powdery or greasy scales on or behind the ears.
What to do about dry skin AROUND EARS?
The treatment of dry skin around the ears depends on the condition’s causes. If it is caused by the environment, weather, or over-cleaning, you can treat it at home. But if you suspect the symptoms are caused by a chronic skin condition, you’d better see a doctor.
If the reasons are the environment and over-cleaning, check your daily habits. Think about environmental factors, like do you spend a lot of time in the sun? Do you go to the swimming pool? You might want to drop these activities, at least for some time, to see if they are causing dry skin around the ears.
Then review the cosmetic products you use, and try switching your shampoo and soap to something with natural ingredients which says “moisturizing,” “fragrance-free,” and “ph-balanced.” Keeping a diary of shower products you use and seeing how your skin feels after using them might help to define which products cause the problem.
Try showering and bathing less often and in colder water. Hot water dries out the skin, and over-cleaning leads to skin microbiome disruption and leaves you without oils your sebaceous glands naturally produce.
Dry skin needs to be moisturized. If your skin microbiome is balanced, your skin moisturizes itself naturally, but to relieve the discomfort when you have dry ear skin, you can use lotions, ointments, and creams. Products based on the water will be less effective, as they will have to be applied more frequently. While oil-based products (in most cases, ointments contain more oils than lotions and creams) will provide a better layer of protection.
Over-the-counter creams are the most effective, especially if they contain lactic acid and urea. Lactic acid is one of many forms of alpha hydroxy acids (AHA). AHA support and increase skin cell turnover by removing dead skin cells and revealing fresh new ones. And lactic acid is a humectant, which means it helps to improve the skin’s natural moisture barrier and hydration levels. Read more about the benefits of acids for the skin in this post.
Urea is naturally produced when the liver breaks down protein or amino acids and ammonia. But the urea used in skin care products is made synthetically in a lab. Urea is also a powerful humectant, which exfoliates and hydrates dry, rough, scaly skin, making skin texture more smooth.
Dry skin around the ears often comes with itching. And the more you scratch the skin, the higher your chances of bringing bacteria to your skin, causing infections. To relieve the itching, apply cooling compresses to your ears and look for products with hydrocortisone or witch hazel. Hydrocortisone reduces inflammation and itch and helps your skin heal faster. It is a steroid, so use it with caution, as if the long run, it can damage the skin. We recommend consulting your doctor first.
Witch hazel is a botanical astringent used to treat itching, redness, pain, and swelling. It provides an anti-inflammatory, soothing, and cooling effect and is a natural ingredient. Just make sure the product with witch hazel you use does not contain alcohol, as alcohol only dries out the skin.
Chronic conditions causing dry skin AROUND EARS: psoriasis, eczema, seborrheic dermatitis
If home treatment doesn’t help much or your condition worsens, it is time to see a dermatologist. Your doctor might find that you have psoriasis, eczema, or seborrheic dermatitis; in this case, they will prescribe you a proper treatment.
Psoriasis is a skin condition that causes a rash with itchy, scaly patches and irritation, mainly on the knees, elbows, lower back, and scalp. The scalp comprises the forehead and the hair-bearing regions. Ears and cheekbones define scalp borders, so the ears are in the “damage area.” Approximately 8 million people in the United States have psoriasis.
Eczema (aka atopic dermatitis) is a skin condition that causes dry patches of skin to become inflamed, itchy, cracked, and rough. Some types of eczema can also cause blisters. It can appear anywhere on the body. 31.6 million people in the U.S. (10.1% of the population) have some form of eczema.
Seborrheic dermatitis (aka dandruff, seborrheic eczema, seborrheic psoriasis) is a common skin condition that mainly affects the scalp. It causes scaly patches, inflamed skin, and dandruff. It usually affects oily areas of the body, such as ears, face, sides of the nose, eyebrows, and eyelids. Seborrheic dermatitis affects more than 10 million people in the U.S.
You need to see a doctor if you have symptoms of any of the above because, left untreated, these conditions can get infected. They cause cracked skin, and bacteria can get in these cracks and start to grow there, spreading the infections.
What causes dry skin INSIDE EARS?
Dryness inside the ears is usually presented by dry skin cell build-up and skin flakes in the ear canal. The reason can lie behind the lack of earwax, over-cleaning of the ear canal, or allergies.
And just like dry skin around the ears, it can be caused by chronic skin conditions: psoriasis, seborrheic dermatitis, and eczema. If it is eczema and it is inside the ear, your nose and scalp are probably already affected too. The most unpleasant thing about a dry ear canal is the itching and discomfort.
What to do about dry skin INSIDE EARS?
If dryness in the ears is the result of over-cleaning, the solution is very simple: you need to stop cleaning your ears too often. Both earwax and natural oils inside the ears are there for a reason. Earwax, also known as cerumen, is secreted by ceruminous glands in the outer half of your ear canals. The wax and hairs in your ears trap dust and other foreign particles that could damage deeper structures, such as your eardrum. Moreover, ears are self-cleaning, and earwax works its way out of your ear naturally in time. And if a build-up of earwax causes pain or hearing problems, go to your GP to have it removed.
If the condition is caused by psoriasis, eczema, or seborrheic dermatitis, you should see a doctor who will prescribe you some kind of ointment. The treatment will likely involve eardrops with oils, steroids, and anti-fungal ingredients.
It is clear that a dry ear canal causes itching, but remember that scratching it with sharp objects like toothpicks is extremely dangerous. And not only because you can harm your eardrum but because even a small scratch on the skin can result in an infection.
How to prevent getting dry ear skin?
If the reason for dry skin inside or around your ears is not related to a chronic skin condition, you can prevent it if following these simple steps:
- Use an air humidifier in your home or at work, and avoid air-conditioning.
- Shower in colder water, as too hot water dries the skin.
- Use milder shower products and consider bathing less frequently to protect natural skin oils.
- Cover your head and ears with a hat and apply sunscreen before sun exposure.
- Try our ointment that not only provides gentle exfoliation with Lactic acid but also delivers microbiome-boosting ingredients that could help get your ear skin flora back on track!
Summary:
- The main causes of dry ear skin include environment, over-cleaning, and chronic skin conditions.
- If the reason is an environment, review your habits, and use sun protection.
- If the reason is over-cleaning, shower less frequently and in colder water, use milder cosmetic products.
- If you suffer from a chronic skin disease, see your doctor for proper treatment.
- Avoid scratching the affected area, as you can bring the infection to your dry ear skin.
