How do I get rid of eczema in my ears?
How do I get rid of eczema in my ears?
To get rid of your ear eczema, it’s important to determine what’s causing it. Try to determine what triggers or worsens your ear eczema, and then avoid it. The goal is to reduce itching and discomfort and prevent infection and additional flare-ups.
The following home remedies may relieve your ear eczema:
- Avoid common allergens, including earrings made of nickel, cobalt or copper.
- Use a humidifier if dry air makes your skin dry.
- Wear a warm hat that covers your ears when you’re out in cold weather.
- Avoid rubbing or scratching your skin.
- Apply a hydrocortisone cream or ointment. Hydrocortisone is a corticosteroid combined with an anesthetic pain reliever. It relieves itching and discoloration.
- Moisturize your skin using a cream or ointment. Lotions usually don’t work as well. Apply several times a day, including after your bath or shower. Moisturizers help trap moisture in the skin.
- Bathe or shower in lukewarm — not hot — water. Gently wash your ears. Limit the amount of time you spend in the water to under 15 minutes.
- Use mild soaps and hair and skin care products that are free of perfumes, dyes and alcohol. Look for products labeled “fragrance-free,” “hypoallergenic” or “for sensitive skin.”
- Use mild laundry soap, and thoroughly rinse your clothes.
- Use skin products that contain ceramide. These products replace some of the “glue” (the barrier) missing from your skin.
- Wear cotton clothes. Wool, silk and other fabrics can dry your skin.
- Take over-the-counter (OTC) antihistamines for severe itching.
- Take prescription medications. Your healthcare provider may prescribe steroid creams, pills, shots or ear drops. Long-term risks include side effects like high blood pressure, weight gain and thinning of the skin. There are newer medications, called topical immunomodulators (TIMs), that show progress in treating patients who don’t respond to other treatments. They change the body’s immune response to allergens and have fewer side effects.
- Try phototherapy. Phototherapy uses ultraviolet light, usually ultraviolet B (UVB), from special lamps. The ultraviolet light waves found in sunlight can help certain skin disorders, including eczema.