Dry skin around the ears is not a very uncommon condition and can be associated with an allergic reaction or other dermatological conditions. While the condition is not detrimental to overall health, one should not ignore it as it may be indicative of a more systemic skin ailment.
Fortunately, there are a host of home remedies and natural treatment options that can help in the prompt management of dry flaky ears.
What Causes Dry Flaky Skin In Ears?
Dry flaky ears are characterized by flakes and crusts around the ears. The common causes include,
- Seborrheic dermatitis, a skin ailment, which is aggravated by stress, cold weather and autoimmune disorders like AIDS and HIV. In some cases, dermatitis is associated with Parkinson’s disease or yeast (malassezia), which causes dandruff.
- Allergic dermatitis can also lead to dry flaky ears, which is aggravated by application of certain shampoos, fragrances, lotions, etc.
As per experts from the American college of dermatology, seborrheic dermatitis is attributed to excessive production of oil or sebum by the skin. The accumulation of the excessive oil is ideal for the growth of yeast, which then along with bacteria cause dermatitis.
Flaky ears are associated with crusty scales, which become yellowish on infection. The skin may be itchy with appearance of a strange rash and blisters.
Home Remedies To Treat Dry Flaky Ears
Fortunately, there are a host of home remedies and natural treatment therapies that can help in dealing with dryness and flakiness of the ears,
- Local application of walnut or avocado oil is considered to be beneficial. Both the oils are loaded with essential vitamins namely vitamin A and E. Vitamin A helps improve the texture of the skin and helps in improvement of the dermal layers while vitamin E helps build collagen tissues.
- Add a few drops of tea tree oil on a piece of cotton and dab the ears. Tea tree oil is loaded with anti-fungal and anti-bacterial agents. Application of tea tree oil is useful in cases of dermatitis linked with yeast or bacterial infections.
- Some experts recommend application of apple cider vinegar, which is an equally potent anti-bacterial agent. However, apple cider vinegar should be applied locally only in diluted form (one part vinegar and one part water). It is known to have a stinging action on the skin.
- Homeopathy is considered very useful in the treatment of dry and scaly flakes. Homeopathic drugs namely Graphitis and Bryonia are very potent in the management of scaly and itchy skin. Low potency drugs should be taken internally and repeated about three to four times a day after consulting your homeopath.
- Alternatively, mother tincture of these homeopathic medicines can be mixed with Aloe Vera gel or Vaseline gel and applied locally. Internal consumption helps in improving overall immunity and skin texture, while local application hastens the healing/ recovery process.
- Vitamin C supplements help boost natural immunity. Alternatively, increase the intake of foods rich in vitamin C namely citrus fruits like lime, lemon, oranges, etc. Strengthening natural immunity is critical to deal to repeated infections.
- Avoid application of shampoos, fragrances and lotions which contain chemicals or artificial ingredients. If the use of these products is inevitable, attempt to find natural alternatives. Also frequently keep changing the brand of these products, until you find the one that suites you the most.