Dermatitis of the Ear Canal

There are 2 main causes:

• An allergic reaction to something that touched your ear, for example, an earring or hair product you've been using

• A skin problem, such as psoriasis or seborrhea, that affects your ear canal (and usually other parts of your body)

You'll have symptoms in and around your ear canal, such as:

• Itching

• Redness

• Cracked or peeling skin

• Clear fluid leaking out of your ear

The cracked skin sometimes lets bacteria into the skin of your ear canal. The bacteria can cause an infection called external otitis.

Doctors will tell you to:

• Stop using things that might be causing an allergic reaction, such as earrings, cosmetics, or hearing aid molds—it may take trial and error to figure out what triggers the problem

• Apply a corticosteroid cream or soothing ear drops to your ear

• Keep cotton swabs, water, or objects out of your ear