Your ears are important parts of your body. Taking care of them and making sure they are functioning properly will ensure optimal health and hearing for many years to come. While daily hygiene practices should be all you need to maintain ear health, any type of change or hearing issue should not be ignored. Visiting with your family doctor or an ear, nose and throat specialist will help you have a clear cut diagnosis.
Actinic Keratosis
The Mayo Clinic states that actinic keratosis is where the skin develops a lesion that is rough, dry, scaly and crusty. The lesion is either pink, red, brown or flesh colored and generally less than an inch in diameter. Actinic keratosis is caused from intense UV exposure. Sun worshipers or those who frequent the tanning booth are most prone to this condition. When actinic keratosis develops on the ears it is generally on the top of the ear where the skin gets the most UV exposure.
Seborrheic Dermatitis
Seborrheic dermatitis is a type of condition in which itchy, dry, crusty and red skin builds up on oily areas of the body. The ears are a common place for this condition to occur. Medline Plus explains that seborrheic dermatitis is caused from a yeast infection and excessive skin oils. This combination results in the onset of the condition. Oily skin, stress, fatigue and obesity can all be triggers. If seborrheic dermatitis persists with fluid draining, pus, itching, skin flaking and multiple skin lesions, immediate medical care needs to be sought. Corticosteroids, ketoconazole and selenium are some of the medications used to treat seborrheic dermatitis.
Sunburn
A sunburn is where the body is exposed to UV radiation and is depleted from its natural supply of oils. This causes a dry condition of peeling skin. The difference between sunburn and actinic keratosis is that a sunburn generally heals itself and new skin forms in the damaged area. Sunburn on the ears can cause peeling, dryness and a crusty skin appearance. Treatment with aloe vera gel, cold compress and avoiding further sun exposure is recommended.
Hygiene
In some cases, when someone presents dry, crusty ears, this could be the result of poor hygiene. This could mean washing hair or showering only a couple days a week. The buildup of oils in combination with the presence of bacteria, fungus or yeast can bring about an unpleasant appearance on the skin. The American Osteopathic College of Dermatology states that oily skin and infrequent body hygiene leads to crusty, dry spots on the ears.
Swimmers Ear
Swimmers ear is another skin condition that can cause ears to crust over. Swimmers ear is caused from an ear infection of the outer area of the ear canal. The condition is caused from excessive moisture entering the ear through swimming or by foreign objects entering the ear such as bobby pins and cotton swabs. Once the infection sets in, painful itching and a discharge can form. The discharge creates dry and crusty ears. Proper medical care is required to treat the infection. An oral antibiotic and sometimes eardrops are prescribed for treatment and relief.
