What should you know about eczema in the ear?

Ear eczema may involve the skin behind the ear, the ear opening or, less often, the canal. It can flare after contact with hair products, hearing devices, earrings, earbuds or frequent water exposure. Itching, flaking and soreness are common; scratching can break the skin and create crusting. Changes in colour may remain after inflammation settles. Symptoms can overlap with outer-ear infection, so pain, swelling or drainage should not be dismissed as dry skin.

Keep shampoo, fragranced products and water out of the affected area while it settles. Pat the outer ear dry and use a plain moisturiser on accessible external skin. Do not insert cotton buds, fingers, oils or creams into the canal unless prescribed. Pause a suspected trigger such as earbuds or a new hearing device and mention it at review. Treatments need to match the exact location because thin canal skin is easily irritated.

Arrange medical review for ear discharge, increasing pain, blocked hearing, fever, marked swelling, spreading redness or repeated crusting. Seek urgent help for sudden hearing loss, severe pain, dizziness or swelling around the ear. Night-time itching alone is not an emergency, but persistent symptoms deserve assessment so infection, contact allergy and Atopic Dermatitis are distinguished.

Ask which part of the ear is affected, whether a product or device is triggering it, what can safely be applied, and how to prevent scratching while it heals.