If your ears are prone to eczema in or around the ears, here are a few tips for applying creams to the affected area:
- Clean up first: make sure your ears are clean. Wash the outside and the bowl of the ear with a non-scented, soap-free wash (Balmonds Natural Shampoo & Body Wash is a neutral, extremely gentle wash and is perfect for this job). Don’t wash inside the ear canal, just the outside.
- Dry your ears: use a soft paper towel, or use a hairdryer on warm (not hot) setting to get all the folds nicely dry!
- Moisturise #1: use a (clean) finger to apply an effective, unscented emollient (like Balmonds Skin Salvation) to areas on the outside of the ear, ie behind the ear, and where the ear joins the face.
- Moisturise #2: you can use a clean cotton bud to apply the emollient to affected areas within the bowl of the ear (the fold at the top, the bowl and the ear lobe) BUT NOT IN THE EAR CANAL!
- Don't poke! Don’t use an emollient cream or an ointment inside the ear canal. In fact, don't poke anything at all into the ear drum, ever! It might be tempting, but there is a serious risk of infection when eczema is flaring, which could result in damage to the ear drum.
- Drip it in: if you've got eczema in your ear canal, then either use medicated drops from your doctor, or, if it’s a mild case, a few drops of Balmonds Scalp Oil as a antimicrobial rescue oil. Pour a small amount of oil onto a saucer and dip the end of a matchstick in the oil; use this to drip into the ear canal without touching it at all.
If you’re worried about ear eczema either getting infected or not getting better, see your GP to get it checked out.
Recommended products:
Balmonds Natural Shampoo & Body Wash
