If an ear infection occurs, your ear can even become wet and crusty.
Treatment for dry, crusty ears depends on the cause.
Earwax is especially important as it is slightly acidic and helps prevent bacteria and fungi from growing.
vitapix / Getty Images
This allows even more moisture to escape, which can accumulate on the skin’s surface and crust over.
The risk of overcleaning is even greater as you get older as the production of earwax typically slows down.
How Often Should Ears Be Cleaned?
Ideally, you should never clean your ears.
you’re able to then suction out the fluid with a rubber bulb syringe available at most drugstores.
They are also trained to extract larger plugs with specialized instruments.
Environment
The ear canal is the passage that runs from theouter earto the eardrum.
Its position generally provides it protection from excess moisture and exposure to the elements, but not always.
Eczema often occurs behind the ears but can sometimes extend into the ear canal, causing dryness and cracking.
What Is the Skin Barrier?
Thestratum corneumis the top part of the outermost layer of skin known as theepidermis.
This roughly textured layer acts as a skin barrier in several ways.
Psoriasis can affect the entire body, including the outer ear.
Scratching only makes things worse, causing pain, bleeding, and crusty scabs.
How to Treat Scabs
If you havescabsdue to psoriasis, you better avoid scratching.
Doing so can introduce bacteria from under your nails into broken areas of skin, leading to askin infection.
Applyingcalamine lotionto the affected skin can help.
you’re able to also try moisturizing or applying a cool, damp cloth to the skin.
When the ears are affected, the patches typically develop behind the ears.
The patches can be whitish or yellowish in color and appear flaky or crusty.
Seborrheic dermatitis is often triggered by exposure to a fungus that normally lives on the skin calledMalassezia.
Dehydration
Dehydrationoccurs when your intake of water is less than what your body needs to function normally.
When you are dehydrated, one of the first organs affected is the skin.
The symptoms can be worse if older and/or live in an arid, desert-like climate with low humidity.
Drinking plenty of water and using moisturizers are easy fixes for this common condition.
Typical treatments for psoriasis and eczema includetopical steroid creamsorear drops.
They can be found either OTC or as a prescription.
If a fungus is to blame for your crusty ears, antifungal ear drops may be prescribed.
Home treatment options center around keeping your ears clean and reintroducing moisture to the area.
Petroleum jelly can help moisturize your ears and reduce any itching that could lead to further irritation.
It could also be brought on by skin conditions like eczema, seborrheic dermatitis, and psoriasis.
To find the best treatment for your crusty ears, you have to find out whats causing it first.
Having crusty ears can be irritating, especially since they are often very itchy.
The good news is they are not commonly associated with serious health conditions and can be treated easily.
Harvard Health Publishing.3 reasons to leave earwax alone.
Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care.Outer ear infection: What helps if earwax builds up?
2015 Apr 30;(4):CD009647.
