But even if you don't wash your hair daily, be sure to put soap on your ears. Because the area behind the ear is rich in sebaceous glands, it is also prone to seborrheic dermatitis SD. Marked by itching, scaling, and inflammation of the skin, as well as areas of scabs and drainage, seborrheic dermatitis usually appears on the scalp, but can also affect other sebum-saturated areas, such as behind the ears, upper chest and the face.
In babies, seborrheic dermatitis is known as cradle cap , but it affects up to 3 percent of the adult population, and a certain type of yeast is believed to be the cause. This generally does not smell on its own, although it can produce greasy yellow flakes that can trap sweat and other materials, thus causing a musty or bad smell. Ask your dermatologist so they can suggest prescription creams or shampoos or antifungals to clear up scabs.
When you wear something around your ears, like glasses, face masks, ear muffs, or a helmet, they trap sebum, pollution, and bacteria. When these don't have a place to escape, the buildup can cause acne, an unpleasant odor, and various other skin conditions like dermatitis, psoriasis, and eczema. The solution is, in addition to lathering the ear area, wash the items that touch your ears regularly.
Mix earmuffs and headbands in the washing machine and always wash the mask after each use. If, along with the smell, you also notice pain, swelling, and oozing, and you've just had an earring, it could be an infection. It is either dry, or wet and kind of sticky. How your earwax feel is a genetic trait you can use to trace your roots.
According to a study in the journal Nature Genetics, it is a gene mutation that determines whether your earwax is wet or dry. Researchers investigated 33 different populations around the world and found:. The difference between these two groups is one gene called ABCC This is the gene that controls the flow of earwax-altering molecules. At some point long ago, the gene changed in people in Europe and Africa.
The researchers from this study theorized that insects are to blame for the mutation. Sticky earwax is able to trap insects and keep them from going deeper into the ear canal and possibly even to the brain. When you sweat, the water will mix with your earwax, changing the color and texture.
Pus created by the response can mix with the earwax, and that may lead to the difference in color. Earwax with a bad smell means you need to pay attention. The change in odor typically indicates a rather serious infection. Anaerobic bacteria, in other words, bacteria that do not require oxygen to survive, tend to emit a foul odor that will make earwax stink.
That bad smell can also mean there is an infection causing middle ear damage. You might feel like your balance is off and hear a ringing or other phantom noise in the affected ear.
You need to make an appointment with your doctor. In , a group of Japanese scientists also linked stinky earwax to a gene that might cause breast cancer. Wet ears typically mean disease, most likely infection.
Ear infections create pus, so that might be why your ear feels wet. Toss earmuffs and headbands into the washing machine, and always wash your mask after each use. If, along with a smell, you're also noticing pain, swelling and drainage, and you just received a new piercing, well, it might be an infection.
Treatment for an infection includes antibiotics — and you may have to have the piercing removed, he says.
Make a special effort to wash here. It's easy to assume that the suds from your shampoo will do the job, but "there's a reason our mothers always reminded us to scrub behind our ears," Dr.
Every day is best, because consistency is key, Dr. The same gentle cleanser you use for your face can also be used to suds up your ear area, as it's strong enough to remove the dead skin, dirt, sebum, wax and bacteria.
Jessica Migala. Jessica Migala is a health and fitness freelance writer based in the suburbs of Chicago. She spends her time with her two young sons, husband, and rescue beagle mix. Connect on LinkedIn.
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