Ear Eczema: Symptoms, Causes, and Treatments – Healthgrades

Ear eczema is a skin condition that causes itchy, red patches on or inside the ear. Another name for eczema is atopic dermatitis, which is basically skin inflammation that is itchy. There is no cure for ear eczema, but treatments can help manage symptoms.Ear eczema is more common in children but can also develop in adults.

This article discusses what ear eczema is, ear eczema symptoms, its causes, and how to treat it.

Eczema is a chronic inflammatory skin condition that causes patches of red, scaly, or itchy skin in or around the area affected. Eczema is not contagious and is more common in children.

Ear eczema can occur in the ears, behind the ears, in the ear canal, on the earlobes or ear fold (pinna), or on the ear drum. Symptoms range from mild skin dryness to extensive skin loss and irritation.

Eczema can sometimes run in families, so you may have a higher chance of developing eczema if a close family member has the condition. Food allergies can be a trigger for eczema, especially in younger children. Your doctor may ask you to keep a food diary to track your eczema symptoms.

Because ear eczema results in skin breakdown, there is an increased risk of developing skin infections. Otitis externa, also known as swimmers ear, is sometimes caused by skin problems such as ear eczema.

Ear eczema symptoms can also become exacerbated due to certain ear-piercing materials, such as nickel.

Several types of eczema can affect the ears and the skin behind the ears:

Symptoms of ear eczema include:

Ear eczema often looks like red, scaly patches in or around the ear. A common site for this to occur in people with atopic ear eczema is the junction between the earlobe and face. Sometimes painful cracks or fissures occur in this area, which can become easily infected.

Seborrheic dermatitis on the ears typically looks like itchy, flaky skin with a yellowish, greasy scale. This type of eczema is sometimes confused with psoriasis.

Weeping of the skin is usually a sign that the area of eczema has become infected. With weeping eczema, the area oozes clear or straw-colored fluid and may have fluid-filled blisters.

Ear eczema is believed to be caused by a gene mutation called filaggrin. When someone has this gene mutation, their skin is unable to repair damage to its skin barrier.

Normally, each skin cell has two copies of the filaggrin gene. But people at risk for developing eczema only have one copy of this gene.

When the skin barrier becomes disrupted, moisture leaves the skin and it becomes dry and flaky. Environmental allergens can also enter the skin and trigger an immune system response, causing the skin to become inflamed.

Eczema is more likely to occur if you have a family history of eczema or if you have an allergic condition, such as hay fever or asthma. Stress does not cause eczema.

While its not possible to prevent ear eczema, you can manage your symptoms with the following tips:

Your doctor will diagnose ear eczema by looking at your ear and examining your skin. They may ask you some questions, such as:

You do not need any lab or imaging tests to be diagnosed with ear eczema. To be diagnosed with ear eczema, the itchy skin condition must be present during the past 12 months.

Ear eczema treatments depend on the type and cause of eczema. Treatments for eczema include both at-home remedies and medical treatment. Talk with your doctor about which treatments are best for your ear eczema. Treatments may include:

The most common complication of ear eczema is a skin infection. Weeping of the skin is the most common sign of infection. Infection is more likely to occur in areas of the ear where cracks have developed, such as the juncture of the ear and face and on the ear folds.

Its also possible to develop an ear infection from ear eczema. The most common type of ear infection to occur is otitis externa, which is an infection of the outer part of the ear. This type of infection is also known as swimmers ear.

Symptoms include:

In severe cases, hearing can be affected.

People with eczema are more prone to bacterial and viral skin infections such as impetigo, herpes simplex virus (cold sores), and warts.

Ear eczema is a skin condition characterized by red, itchy patches on the skin of the ear.

Ear eczema is more common in people with a family history of eczema or in those with allergic conditions. Certain foods and contact with environmental irritants can trigger eczema. In some cases, an infection can occur in the area of eczema.

The most common form of treatment for ear eczema is moisturizers and topical steroids. In cases that dont respond to these treatments, oral medications are used.

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Ear Eczema: Symptoms, Causes, and Treatments - Healthgrades