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If you have dry, flaking skin on your ears, you’re probably adopting some new inventive hairstyles to keep your ears out of sight. Before you invest in extensions, start treating the root of your problem and find out why your ears are dry, flaky and downright scaly. By keeping them clean and using just the right things to treat them, you can cut out the dryness and start sporting ponytails, fishtail braids -- you name it.
Change Up Your Cleanser
Sometimes the cleansers you use to keep your ears clean can be exactly what’s making your ears dry and flaky. If you’re using a shampoo that dries out your scalp, that same shampoo can drip down to your ears and cause itching and dry skin. Another cleansing culprit is using a soap or cleanser that has too-harsh detergents in it. You may need to switch up your cleanser or shampoo to one intended to be mild, such as a baby shampoo. By babying your ears with a cleanser that won’t dry them out, you can nix the flakes.
Turn Down the Heat
Sure, the super-hot temperatures of your shower water feel soothing on your skin. But after your shower’s over, they can lead to some itchy, dry skin -- your ears included. Do yourself and your ears a favor by cleaning them when you’ve turned the water to a lower temperature. By limiting your shower time, you also can keep the moisture from seeping out of your skin and causing the dry skin on your ears.
Dandruff Happens
Sad but true -- dandruff doesn’t happen just on your scalp. The flakes can appear on your skin, from your scalp to your chest to your eyebrows. If your dry skin is crusty or has patch-like scales on your ears, this may mean you’ve got dandruff on them. You can clean them with a shampoo or cleanser that contains ketoconazole, a topical cream that can kill off the fungus that leads to ear and scalp dandruff. Gently apply the cleanser to your ears, trying to keep the soap from getting in your ear canal. You can increase your accuracy by putting a small amount of soap on your index and middle fingers and use these to clean your ears.
Keep ‘Em Dry
Cleaning is just half the battle for dry, flaky ears. You’ve got to dry every nook and cranny (gently, please) of your ears after your shower or cleansing session. That’s because leaving water on your skin can actual rob it of moisture. Once you’ve dried your ears, apply a moisturizing cream that contains the ingredient hydrocortisone. This ingredient helps to ease inflammation and dryness. If you apply it after cleansing, you may find your ears less dry after your next washing session.
