Dandruff in the ears: treatment, symptoms, causes, prevention

In the ears, like in any other part of the body, there are sebaceous glands, and quite large ones. When the functioning of these glands is disrupted and they produce more or less than the required amount of fat, dandruff appears in the ears. This anomaly does not pose any danger to life, however, constant itching and flaking of the skin in the ears force people to look for ways to get rid of ear dandruff (seborrhea).

How to determine?

Dandruff in the ears - what is it? How to determine whether it is dandruff or flaking of the scalp? Dandruff occurs in the ears or behind the ears in the same way as on the head due to improper functioning of the sebaceous glands : too much oil secretion or, conversely, too little of it.

Quite often, when unpleasant symptoms occur in the ears, people confuse it with ordinary peeling . Without understanding the true cause of ear contamination and the deterioration of their appearance, products are often purchased that are simply not able to cope with a particular problem.

Check on our website for information about the types of dandruff: tubular, dry, oily, symptoms, causes; about treatments (dry, oily), traditional methods (for dry and oily), drugs and procedures, as well as how to distinguish dry dandruff from oily dandruff.

The main differences between seborrhea and simple peeling are as follows:

Dandruff is a disease that is associated with improper functioning of the ear sebaceous glands or fungal infections.
Peeling represents dead epidermal cells. It always has a dry state.
Dandruff is observed in significant quantities. White or yellow plates of skin always stick together into large lumps, which leave behind an unpleasant, greasy impression.
Seborrhea is always accompanied by itching , which cannot be said about ordinary peeling.

When the first signs of the disease appear, you should immediately contact an otolaryngologist or trichologist.

It, of course, cannot lead to death, but the sooner you begin to eliminate its first symptoms, the sooner you will be able to show everyone your ears again, and not hide them under your hair.

Traditional treatment

Dandruff does not threaten general health, but it does cause aesthetic discomfort to a person. Sometimes the patient tries to cover his ears with his hair, feeling inferior. In addition, the sight of affected ears evokes mixed feelings among ordinary people - they consider such a person to be contagious.

Of course, dandruff is not contagious, but it requires constant ear care. If there is insufficient hygiene, crusts mix with earwax, forming cerumen plugs. This may cause noise or hearing loss.

Traditional treatment involves the use of antifungal agents, the choice is huge:

Based on tar - for example, Friederm, tar ointment, etc. They soften dead skin, destroy fungus, and also normalize the functioning of the sebaceous glands.
Based on zinc and salicylic acid (paste and ointment) – they perfectly destroy fungal infections.
Antimycotics – Ketoconazole, Clotrimazole. They destroy the fungus by damaging its cell membrane. Perhotal cream or ointment - its active ingredient is Ketoconazole. Apply once a day to the affected area and surrounding area - approximately 2 cm around the crusts. Candibiotic ear drops - contain Clotrimazole for fungi and Levomycetin for bacteria. You can use it to treat the skin externally or moisten a tampon in it and place it in the ear canal (if the crusts are inside the ear).
Preparations with selenium sulfide (for example, Sulsen) destroy fungus and normalize the rate of skin cell renewal. In the USA they abandoned it because it increases the oiliness of the skin (latest data).
Products based on ciclopirox are very effective as they eliminate fungal microflora.
Bifon lotion - directly destroys the fungus Pityrosporum Ovale, respectively, the main cause of dandruff. Restores the lost balance of the scalp, relieves itching. The product contains the antifungal Bifonazole, also contains panthenol, which moisturizes the skin, and the anti-inflammatory component allantoin. Wipe the damaged epidermis with lotion 2-3 times a day.

Important! The use of antifungal agents is necessary to eliminate the cause of the disease, otherwise dandruff will return again and again.

Symptoms of the disease

What causes dandruff in the ears? The main signs of dandruff in the ears are :

itching;
very large peeling of the upper areas of the skin;
removing white lumps from the auricle, redness and inflammation of the ear can be clearly seen;
as a result of previous otitis or the presence of boils, it may be accompanied by hearing impairment or a feeling of ear congestion;
constant feeling of foreign bodies in the ear;
in rare cases, there are signs of burning.

Causes

Why does dandruff form in the ears? If you have dandruff in your ears, the reasons may be :

improper ear care or complete lack of it;
poor, unhealthy diet;
small amount of vitamins in the daily diet;
hormonal disbalance;
diseases of the digestive system;
physical inactivity;
increased ear dryness;
metabolic disorders in the body;
otitis;
the appearance of boils;
liver or thyroid diseases;
various skin diseases;
poorly selected shampoo and soap;
its presence in close relatives.

What treatment is needed

Treatment of seborrhea begins with identifying the causes of its occurrence. Therapeutic methods involve working in 2 directions:

Elimination of the traumatic cause - prescribing antifungal agents, eliminating other causative pathologies, for example, hormonal or endocrine disorders, changing lifestyle.
Relief of symptoms.

The effectiveness of treatment is achieved by an integrated approach, which includes:

strengthening immunity;
change in diet;
eliminating stress;
local impact.

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How to treat dandruff in the ears?

How to get rid of dandruff in the ears? First of all, you need to remember that the very first method of treating dandruff in the ears should be suggested by an otolaryngologist , dermatologist or trichologist. Only he, after a series of tests and examinations, will be able to prescribe methods for eliminating seborrhea and high-quality medications suitable for each patient.

If dandruff occurs as a result of any disease in the body, then the first thing to do is treat it, and only then eliminate the discomfort in the ears.

get rid of dandruff in the ear using the following methods :

Use ointments, creams and special shampoos that reduce the number of white lumps or prevent them from appearing again for some time. The disadvantage of such remedies is that they are not able to get rid of the true cause of seborrhea in the ears. Similar agents also include salicylic acid, octopyrode and selenium disulfide.
The most effective today a product called Ciclopirox .

It is this remedy that not only gets rid of dandruff, eliminates the cause of its appearance, but also reduces inflammatory processes on the skin.

In addition, ketoconazole and zinc pyrithione are often purchased in pharmacies, but they are considered less effective drugs than the previous one.

In the treatment of dandruff or any other disease, it is necessary to remember that it is strictly prohibited to prescribe yourself medications to combat them , since this can cause harm and worsen your overall health.

Traditional methods

How can dandruff in the ears be treated with home methods? Only after qualified consultation with a specialist can you begin to eliminate dandruff at home.
And yet, if dandruff appears in the ears, how to get rid of it using folk methods? Here are some folk methods that have long been helping people all over the world get rid of the problem in question:

Twist dense tampons from cotton wool and soak them in sunflower oil.

IMPORTANT. In this case, the vegetable oil must be warm.

Insert cotton into your ears for 15 minutes to soften dandruff clumps. After this time, gently wipe the skin with a soft cloth. This procedure must be repeated two to three times a day for two weeks.

It is strictly forbidden to wash oil out of the ear with soap, shampoo or wipe with alcohol.

Prepare a chamomile infusion . To do this, brew 2 tablespoons of flowers in 200 ml of boiling water. Let it brew for at least 20 minutes. Cool. Soak small pieces of cotton wool in the resulting liquid and insert them into your ears for 15 minutes.
You can add a few drops of olive or sunflower oil to the prepared and cooled chamomile infusion. After soaking cotton swabs in this solution, insert them into the ear canal.
At regular intervals throughout the day, wipe the ear with cotton wool soaked in novocaine. These steps should be repeated at least 7 days .
You can also prepare an anti-dandruff mask. To do this, carefully grind one clove of garlic until smooth, add a pinch of soda and 5 ml of olive, corn or sunflower oil. Let the prepared mixture for 15 minutes and wipe the ears with it . The course of treatment with this remedy is 7 days.

The most effective methods in the treatment of dandruff in the ears are , of course, pharmaceutical preparations , carefully selected for each individual patient.

Check out on our website the traditional methods of treatment: egg, salt, soda, tar soap, laundry soap, apple cider vinegar; with recipes for medicinal masks for oily hair, against dandruff and itching, as well as medicinal oils - castor, tea tree, burdock and treatment with herbs, such as nettle.

Prevention

To prevent the development of seborrhea in the ears, it is imperative to follow the recommendations for the prevention of such a disease:

observe the rules of personal hygiene;
wash your ears;
It is better not to use cotton swabs to clean your ears;
walk more in the fresh air and maintain a proper daily routine;
consume vitamins, vegetables and fruits in sufficient quantities in the daily diet;
treat boils and otitis in a timely manner;
during the cold season or strong winds, wear hats and avoid getting overcooled;

avoid severe stressful situations;
choose the right shampoo and wash your hair in a timely manner;
Eat a balanced, healthy diet .

Only by following simple rules for the prevention of the disease in question, and promptly seeking advice from a professional doctor , can you protect your ears from dandruff or quickly get rid of it.

Diet and lifestyle correction

Proper nutrition plays a huge role in the treatment of seborrhea; it can normalize impaired secretion of the sebaceous glands. First of all, you should avoid eating fatty, sweet, salty, smoked and fried foods.

Fresh vegetables and fruits, fish, chicken, and cereals are recommended for consumption. Adequate water consumption is also important - 1.5 liters per day.

Multivitamin complexes are recommended - Vitrum, Duovit, Multi-Tabs, Supradin, Sanasol.

If prescribing medications is the prerogative of a doctor, then the patient can make the necessary changes in lifestyle independently:

Increasing the body's defenses. Often it is suppressed immunity that becomes the trigger for the development of dandruff. To increase it, it is recommended to have proper rest, engage in feasible physical sports, and take daily walks in the fresh air.
Avoiding stressful situations. To increase stress resistance, sedatives can be prescribed: tincture of motherwort and peony, valerian, Novopassit, Sedavit, etc. They are taken in courses according to the instructions.