Happens with me all the time. It gets picked up by your mic. Either you have mentioned it on a call or you were talking about it to someone while you had your phone next to you.
Coconut oil is also a great antifungal, too. I've had this condition on and off for most of my life. I find it is also related to diet.Since it is often a kind of yeast infection, and yeast love sugar, lowering you carb intake can help improve the condition, potentially to the point where the oils and medicines can largely cure it. However, if you go back to eating a lot of carbs again, it will return.
I had terrible itching in my ears and went to the doctor and a ear specialist, which both didn't come up with something to help solve the problem. I was so desperate I smeared Tiger Balm in the ears, and that made the itching go away .... for a while ....until it came back. Then finally I found the reason for the itching: It was the faux leather pads on my Audio Technica home studio headphones, which also began to disintegrate into flakes. Presumably I reacted to some chemical compound used on it. After that I got headphones with velour padding, and the problem is gone.
I have suffered from this condition for about 20 years now - I've tried everything under the sun - including some of the mentioned products. For the last year I've used Vitamin E oil which is giving me loads of relief.
I was glad to stumble across your video. My D.O. prescribed an oily antibiotic drop for what he diagnosed as seborrheic dermatitus. It didn't help. So I made a slurry of a couple drops of Denorex shampoo with a half teaspoon of water.. Then with 2 Q-tips I filled my ears with that foamy mix, and massaged it in from the outside. I let it set in there to dry. My ears were blue inside, but that washed out with water and Q-tips over a couple days. This worked perfectly for me. And I've had no recurrence. Thanks for your help. I hope this also helps you.
I just found this today, March 26, 2023, I can’t believe this video randomly appeared on my RUclips feed. I thought I was the only person who had death I thought I was losing my mind with the itching in my ear, taking tweezers, and pulling out the little hairs in my ears so that I didn’t lose my mind constantly putting witch hazel on a Q-tip to soothe and saturate my ears, 💁🏼♀️because Dickinsons Witch Hazel helps to keep my psoriasis at bay. Now I’m going to see if I can find out what shampoo Dr Bailey suggested. I’d like to find some thing that’s nice to my scalp before I’m completely bald headed . Shampoo that doesn’t irritate my scalp or my back or my hands or my feet has been my biggest challenge for the last 45 years. Thank you so much for putting out this video. I am going to have a great rest of my day because now I know I’m not crazy. This does happen to other people and there may be some relief. Thank you so much Dr. Bailey.
@@tamarie1189 yes, I am sensitive to propylene glycol too. So annoying that it is in so many products, including some TP and oral medications! Now that I know this, at least I no longer waste money buying toiletries that have this and cause irritation.
A Chinese lady taught me to make "shampoo" by stirring boiling water or boiling vinegar into a handful of flour (any kind of fine flour, wheat or use a non gluten plant) till it's thin and runny like Elmer's glue. Let it cool. Use on wet hair just like shampoo. It won't foam, of course. Rinse well, and maybe use some vinegar in water to rinse, then rinse with clear water. You can add raw manuka honey if want, to the shampoo, some find it soothing. Any way, this works as good as store bought shampoo. I usually do an oil treatment the night before I shampoo, and don't need conditioner after washing my hair.
I've been having this problem for about 6years now, went to an ENT did treatment and still didn't solve the problem to no avail. So i came across this video and did the coconut oil thing for 2months and now it's all all gone! No more flaking & itching 😀 Thank you Dr. Bailey you're the best!
@@samanthalouise3513 First of all i melted the coconut oil and then used my finger to apply on the outer and inside of the ear including the canal with my pinky finger before taking a shower and it helped me tremendously 🙂
I'm watching this at 3am from Australia. My ears have been driving me crazy for years. Now I feel I have an answer to my itchy ear problem. Thank you so much. God bless you.
3:22 am here in Florida, USA, April, 2023. Will show this to my husband when he wakes up. His ears have been itching and scaley for a couple of years now.
This is actually really serious. I struggled for decades with no advice from doctors for how to treat it, so ended up in a vicious cycle of scratching and infections. After 30 years of it, I ended up with squamous cell carcinoma of the ear canal and temporal bone. Extremely rare. My unverified theory is that I caused this through my mistreatment of my ears. I’m one of the lucky ones. It was caught at stage 2. I had 2 surgeries and 33 radiation treatments and am now cancer free but deaf on one side. It may be an embarrassing problem to have but doctors can’t simply brush it off as insignificant.
That's what I kept thinking about - cancer. If I kept scratching and damaging my ear tissue, it could lead to all kinds of things. People (even doctors) who have never had this cannot imagine the level of itchiness, burning, stinging, nerve jumping and feeling like something is crawling in the ear. The itch is not one that can be ignored. It is torture to NOT scratch it, and it doesn't subside if you ignore it, at least not for a long time. It is the stuff insanity is made from. Torture.
@@yellowbird5411 it is one-in-a-million rare, literally. I just happened to be one of them. Fortunately found at stage two, not further. Successfully treated.
I needed to hear this, I've also bin scratching for 30 years the same vicious cycle as you. I made me really depressed as I could,nt stop Thank you for sharing this cautionary tale😊
I suffered with itchy ears for decades and tried everything, including the steps outlined here. I ultimately tried swabbing them 2 or 3 times a day with a mixture of 90% White Vinegar and 10% Isopropyl alcohol (91% strength) for 3 to 4 weeks and the problem absolutely disappeared. The first week or so there was a lot of peeling of the damaged keratin layer but it eventually cleared up. The outer edge of the ear canal required continued treatment for a couple of weeks after the deep canal itch had ceased. I still swab them every 2-3 weeks for maintenance, or if I feel any itch starting, but I wish I had tried this earlier.
Did your ears ever start producing wax again? Mine dont have any wax. They get wet feeling ..not a lot of any flakes but they are yellowish flakes like babies head has. Just whitish scum kinda. I use canesten because i feel like its fungal and i have foot fungus and my doctor i been going to for years doesnt want to treat me for fungal ..i will try to vinegar alchol but does it brun like heck? It sounds like it will hurt.
I went to an ENT clinic and was advised to spray half white vinegar, half rubbing alcohol into my war canals before a shower. Then I rinse the area in the shower. It helped some, but I also need to go in to have the skin that remains in the ear canal removed, or my hearing is muffled. My mother had the same issue. We both have psoriasis, as this doctor mentioned, although at my clinic they said what I had in my ear didn’t look like psoriasis. Instead, it seems to be a hangover from a pseudomonas infection I picked up in Hawaii, from using untreated catchment water. Anyway, the irrigation helps and doesn’t hurt at all.
Thank you thank you thank you! Your remedy has worked for me. 10 years, 5 doctors, 5 prescriptions, 2 audiologists and the solution was in my house the whole time. Vinegar and rubbing alcohol!!!!!
I’ve had this dry, dead skin in my ear for over five years. It itches and you end up picking at it until it’s gone but the next day, it reappears! There’s also a bit of dry skin outside my ear around the hole of my earring. It has driven me insane for so long, thank you for this video.
I had this problem for several years and I finally figured out it was because of me always touching it. It started out in the right ear canal but then showed up in the left also. I tried all kinds of different creams but the dead skin / scabs would always come back. My wife made me self conscious because she would make comments when she could see flaky stuff in my ears. What happened was I got covid and was sick and coughing all the time and didn't touch or pick at my ears for at least 2 weeks. I guess I totally forgot about it. The scabs must have dried up and healed on their own but I felt both sides one day and there was nothing there. That was in June 2020 and to this day it has not come back. So for me the cure was leaving them alone.
OMG it worked. Thank you for explaining it so well. I did exactly what you said. I used head and shoulders on a wash cloth to remove flakes. and then anti fungal with cortisone. it only took a week. no more scratching!!!!! Thank you sooooooo much.
I’ve had this problem for a couple of years now. The itching seems worse after I go to bed at night. Not only do they itch, but it feels like something is slowly oozing or crawling in my ear, but nothing ever comes out. I do have dry skin scales come out of my ears on my finger. My dermatologist prescribed Desonide .05. I have done three different sets of applications but it doesn’t seem to ever entirely go away. The itching is so intense sometimes I wish I could stick one of those round wire brushes in my ear and scratch to relieve it. So annoying.
Have all these itchy symptoms around my ears, seen my doctor, got antibiotic medication, but the itchy crusting doesn't go away. Going to try your recommendations. Thank you.
Make sure you also take any supplements you might need. I found b12 helpful for my nerves and magnesium before I figured out it was fungal and got canestan ...doctors never helped at all. But the ringing and insane maddening itching was helped a lot bú the supplements i think they just calmed my nerves.
I’ve had this problem for probably 30 years or more. The zinc shampoos work well for me, especially some of the stronger medicated types you find for extremely itchy scalp. I follow up with a little coconut oil on my finger and rub it in my ear just to moisturize after I shower. It does help, and it does get rid of the itch and scale, but it still never goes away. If I skip the process one day it’s back with a vengeance. So it never really goes away. Oh and one good tip, don’t wear black shirts when your ears are itchy and scaly…..
I have been using The Ordinary's Glycolic Acid 7% Toning Solution - just rub a drop or 2 on the affected areas. It feels somewhat sticky, but I put up with it and now the skin around my ears is totally clear. I continue to use it 4 to 5 days a week. I can't use it as a toner, but I use it on elbows, knees and heels for perfectly smooth skin - it's a miraculous product.
@@soulfireonfire6423 I dont have inflammation but thanks. Ive had all my inflamatory markers tested. Its a fungal issue that lives on the skin and can overgrow in certain conditions. Not an inflamatory response. Initially yes an infection will cause inflamation but when something goes on for a long time and doctors make it worse by not listening all normal response stops and then doctor say ah look nó inflamation theres nothing wrong.. very annoying that doctors never bother to google anything. Ai will replace them before anyone else.
These treatments are what I've used, however, this piece only addresses treatment after the fact and does not deal the issue of systemic inflammation as the primary reason for these flareups. When I stopped eating wheat and dairy (both of which are highly inflammatory) my ears cleared up. It may be different for other people (who have other food allergies and/or sensitivities) but I can guarantee that diet plays a part. Or, you may have an autoimmune that needs investigation, rheumatoid conditions, etc.
I’ve done everything you said NOT to do and yes it made things worse. I am now researching what’s going on and how to treat it. You have helped me a lot. Thanks for this video!
@@soulfireonfire6423this is a blanketly untrue statement. If you break your arm or step on a nail … you’re going to have inflammation, and I can 100% guarantee that it’s primary cause isn’t your diet
As a SCUBA diver I learned to treat ‘swimmer’s ear’ with a half half mixture vinegar and alcohol. The vinegar balances the pH, the alcohol drives out the water
Thank you Doctor. I've had this problem since I was 11. I'm now 61 and NOTHING has worked. ENTs think it's a "mild irritation" but I have been in so much pain and misery over the years with the infections. I also live in a warm humid climate and that exacerbates the problem. I've woken up with bleeding ears when it's really bad because I've scratched during my sleep. I will try everything you suggested. Wish me luck! 😊
I had that itchiness and huge amount of flaking skin for decades and thought I tried everything OTC. Finally, I made and applied a tincture of bittersweet nightshade, everyday for a couple of weeks. Cleared up my ear problem. It's been about a year and the itchiness has not returned. I know tinctures are frowned upon, but it worked, so I don't care about the frowning.
Dr thank you for this video, I suffer with chronic itching of both ears for 30 years, they are always sore and bleeding. This has really effected my mental health and relationships . I feel really dirty. Have bin to GP,s dermatologists the whole 9 yards can't really blame the creams as I could,nt stop scratching. Thank you for your understanding and tips.❤️
Oh my goodness, I’ve had this since I was 17, I’m 52! My dad and sister both have it too. The ENT said it was because I kept my ears too clean and there was no wax. They will crust and scale and I can put the tip of my pinkie in my ear snugly and twist, and the entire surface of my ear canal sloughs off in one piece! I can also use my fingernail and peel off a deeper layer that’s like a scab and I can hear better after I do that. When I was 7, my ears over produced, and my parents used to take me to the doctor to have large pieces of wax washed out of my ears. Now, they just produce what feels like water when I release that “scab”. They also smell, like athlete’s foot smells. My whole ear canal behind my jaw swells up too and I can smell it even when I’m not messing with my ears. I don’t eat sugar or processed foods, in fact, I am whole food plant based since 2004. Clotrimazole didn’t do much. I’ve been on Neomycin for about 15 years, and it takes about 4 days to fully clean it up if I haven’t used it in a while. My ears even bleed sometimes, even with q-tips. It’s maddening and I’d give anything for it to be gone forever!
Try Bee Magic, an ointment you can get online. It has pollen, propolis, royal jelly and honey in it, with olive oil. Propolis is what bees line their hive with to keep viruses out of the hive. It is a product of the pine tree. I started about five days ago, putting a thick layer inside as deep as I can, and on the outer part too, where the skin feels like plastic. I do this twice a day, and I am improving. I've tried many things, but keeping a layer of oil on the ears seems crucial. I don't worry about the crust, because it will dissolve in the oil. I clean my ears once every two days, gently, with tissue, then reapply the ointment. I stopped washing my ears in the shower completely. I keep water out of my ears. I was an ear washer, and I think it hurt my ears. For years I did that, and when I got this problem, I did it even more, with medicated soap. The next morning my ears would start to itch again. Sometimes I would get up in the night and with a wash rag, wash my ears out with soap. It brought temporary relief only. No one who doesn't have this knows the torture. One person recommended petroleum jelly. I've not tried that, but I know it heals broken skin and small wounds and is safe for babies. So maybe that would work, I don't know.
Like a lot of people commenting I have had this issue and tried all sorts. A couple of years ago, I read of someone using feminine hygiene wash on their itchy legs, so I gave it a go. It has worked for me. No more itchiness, crust, or anything. I use it once a day in the shower after washing my hair. The brand I use in the UK is Femfresh. It is a clear gel.
@@andrewmyerscough9397 so did you use this Femfresh for your ears?? I think it makes sense to use for the ears because sebum is waxy and feminine wash removes sebum very easily. Since my cancer diagnosis I have noticed an increase in sebum production so I'll gladly try this. Thanks!
@@warroom17 it was one of those things that was driving me mad, but I no longer really worry about my ears anymore. Good luck and take care with your condition.
@@andrewmyerscough9397 thank you, I'm excited to try it because nothing has worked. My skin has become very sensitive due to chemo so I can't use things with salicylic acid. Fem soaps are also more gentle and remove the waxiness which I had forgotten until you mentioned your success with it. Thank you for the suggestion/reminder!
I’ve had this problem probably since I was a teenager that’s more than 20 years. I’ve been told several things about why my ear is itching But never this explanation. Thank you so much for making this video.
Dr. Bailey! I am delighted that you are addressing this problem. Not too long ago I asked my brother is he washes his ears specifically and this led my questioning just about everyone that I know. I am an RN who has always washed her ears with a thin washcloth and never thought of not doing it ! To my surprise I received unanimous admission that everyone said NO they do not wash their ears! My mother was an RN back in the thirties and had entire books on the subject of hygiene. It appears to me that children are not properly taught how to take proper care of their own bodies. No wonder this problem develops.
This is fantastic advice! I've had maddening itchy ear canals for more than twenty years and nothing seems to have helped- I've had chronic ear infections from trying to keep my ears clean with cotton buds ☹️ I'm going to follow this advice and keep my fingers crossed!
I used to get ear infections my whole life but when i started taking just 50mg of Zoloft it went away! The wetness stopped and so the infections stopped! I know Zoloft is for depression but what can I say...
I had this issue after contracting COVID and used 1oz. of Argon oil with 6 drops of Lavender and Peppermint essential oils; don’t use more than 12 drops total for 1oz. of a carrier oil. Argon oil is great for the skin and Lavender has anti-fungal properties and Peppermint has anti-bacterial properties. It’s not a fast remedy but it is natural. It took about 2 months of applying the oil every morning and night but it did eventually go away.
Thank you for this video. I have had this problem for over 10 years. I have been guilty of Sticking things in my ear to try to stop the itching and it made it worse. I think I will try the coconut oil. Thank you so much for the information.
I use Packers Pine Tar soap then I use Sarna lotion to sooth and calm the area. Along with not eating lots of sugar. Whenever I eat sugar my Seborrheic dermatitis flairs up.
THANK YOU...I thought it was only me who had itchy ears. Thought it was residue from shampoo...causing it. I tried hot salt water on a cotton bud...it helped. Also tried vinegar..on bud...it relieved the itch. Baking soda in water also helped. Thank you for the article. Someone told me to try garlic juice rubbed inside the ear...so many have this issue..your advice is appreciated by us all.
I’ve developed a little area in the outer of my ear canal. It itches & drives me crazy! I dig & dig at it until I come out with a tiny piece of white skin. My doctor is sending me to a dermatologist. I appreciate this information. It gives me some idea why this is happening. Thank you so much!
Take magnesium and vitamin e and it will go away. It's not an issue of not having cleansers or topical ointments on your skin, it's a deficiency of magnesium and vitamin E.
I’ve had itchy ears for 10years now. I’ve used hydrocortisone in the past but it always comes back. I am going to try coconut oil and will update what the result will be.
I have this problem for 10 years or so, and have only ever used a soft piece of wood to scrape out the crust (high volumes) a few times a day. This is now an established habit. I really appreciate your advice, and will begin taking it. Thank you. The problem has spread naturally under my ministrations to the outer regions and the outside of my ear, plus a cyst.
My son told me last night on the phone ( he has the same problem) that he uses a pen to scratch his ear canal. Talk about introducing bacteria to his ears!
I've been using an SA cleanser, Nizoral, and Vaseline. It completely removed all the scaling/flaking skin. But now I have huge discoloration where the scaling/flaking used to be.
I've had problems with this since I was a kid (40 now). My outer ear/earlobe crusting seems to come in seasons like now as spring is coming. Thank you for the tips.
Thank you so much . itch and crust completely disappeared... after suffering with an unbelievable irritating itch for years i tried your advice and since then have not had any problems bless you for your excellent advise .
I have had this for about ten years. I always wondered if I had caught it from someone that had it, who had mentioned that she had it. Then I developed it. My friends husband has this. I sometimes have fluid that comes out of my ears. My doctor said to put 1% cortisone cream on it, which does calm the itch, but doesn't seem to go away. This is the first time I have heard anything serious explanation of what this is, and how to treat it. Thank you Doctor. I will try your cleansing method, along with the coconut oil. Sounds like it might work for me. I also sometimes have exzema on my hands, caused by certain soaps. I use clear laundry detergent, wear gloves when I do the dishes, and use a hand cream containing calendula extract, coconut oil, and some other natural ingredients. You are correct that it can just about drive you crazy from the itching. Mine seems to flair up and be worse at times, and then calms down.
it's a fungus in our blood imho. Treating the symptoms is ok but it will come back. Quiting sugar and bread helped me somewhat but it wont cure it. I pray Jesus will help us.
06/4 23, Spec's can exacerbate a skin condition behind the ear depending on the type of material. Plastic will harbour moisture. Regular sanitising & alternative materials reduces the condition. Regular sea bathers don't seem to suffer skin problems.
I was surprised + disappointed my dermatologist offered NO advice for treatment. Told me to go to an ENT. Maddening. I eventually found coconut oil and especially tea tree oil has helped. Problem became worse with hearing aids but now is fully manageable. You did a great presentation. I especially appreciate your printed information off to the side.
This is pretty wild. Ive had psoriasis since I was 12 and it started on my scalp and ears. Any time I’m in between biologics, my ears get so flaky (yuck yuck I hate it). But this video was SUPER helpful. I had no idea it was this easy to clean it up. I’ll definitely try one of these options. Thank you!
Behind both of my ears have had a crust since COVID started and we wore masks constantly. Going to try this and using masks that tie around my head instead of around my ears 🫶
No talk of the underlying cause of the inflammation. I've had dry flakey ears for years. I've tried every topical treatment known to mankind, including your suggestions. It's clearly a systemic problem. This week I am beginning berberineHCL daily. It is a strong anti inflammatory treatment. Fingers crossed. I don't want to manage this condition, I want to find a cure.
Mine was eczema and an ENT prescribed drops not meant for the ears. He said to ignore that and use them anyhow. I suffered for over 30 years and now it’s all gone. I used to peel strips of skin off my ears multiple times a day, had flaking, and crusting, weeping, even liquid on my pillow. The mometozone drops cleared it all up in a few days. I still use them once a week after my shower. I can’t believe how many decades I was driven nuts and begged doctors to help me. Crickets.
@ the ENT prescribed Mometasone Lotion (0.1% Mometasone Furoate) Topical Solution but my dermatologist just prescribed Clobetasol Propionate 0.05% Topical Solution because the Mometasone causes acne (it does and pimples in the ears really hurt!) where the Clobetasol won’t. I’m new to the Clobetasol though so I cannot attest as to its efficacy just yet. Good luck!
I developed this condition and it disappeared when I got into Keto and intermittent/ occasional prolonged fasting and got control over my gut microbiome, blood sugars and glucose.
@@NTJedi NOT EVERYONE UNDERSTANDS FAST ENGLISH. I THINK SHE'S PERFECT 👌 AND WE ARE VERY GRATEFUL FOR HER ADVICE AND INFO. NO NEED FOR YOUR SARCASM, FIND BETTER THINGS TO DO. I've been to few doctors and spent in excess of €200 to no avail. With her advice I can now just go to the chemist and get what she suggested over the counter and hopefully i can get rid of this problem. I'm so grateful for her help and advice and may ALLAH bless her over and over AMEN 🙏 ❤
I just watched your video. I have had this terrible itch in my ear canals for over 15 years, I've been told it is probably eczema and was given steroid drops by one Dr. and then told not to use them by another. Anyway, I'm sure I've caused damage because one ear gets such stabbing pains it hurts my whole head sometimes. Or it could be a really bad flake even though my family Dr. always tells me they can't see anything. I've done the mineral oil, and it does help for a bit. My scalp is now getting very itchy too. I've just started putting coconut oil on my scalp, now I can put some in my ears. And I will definitely try the other suggestions. I'm SO glad to know it's more common than I thought. I didn't know how many others had this issue.
I've had 'swimmers ear' for years tried many different creams etc to no effect. Then I bought a product called Ear Calm which seemed to do the trick at least for a couple of days before I had to give it another spray. Problem was it was expensive (about £8), a tiny spray bottle that only lasted a couple of weeks. So I looked at the 'ingredients' and acetic acid caught my attention. So me being me went and bought a bottle of distilled vinegar (1/2 ltr) and some ear buds from the super market (about £2 total). I squirt a little bit in the bottle's cap, dip in my ear bud and apply it in my ear. It relieves my itch immediately and generally lasts a few days without needing another application. A year later and I've still got 3/4 of the bottle left. It's not a cure, I don't think there is one, but it's the best I've found.
Huh. I have had this for years. At first it was behind the ear as well as inside the ear canal. I managed to cure the external problem with dandruff shampoo but was afraid to put that inside my ears. Now I have some stuff I can try. If I could get rid of this itch it would be such a relief! Thank you!
ENSTILAR is what I used for my psoriasis and it clears it up immediately. I'm in Australia so it might have another name in other countries but try it and you won't be disappointed.
I use medicated shampoos due to scalp and ear psoriasis but I never thought of putting oil on my ears before showering! I typically use Vaseline or Aquaphor on my ears in the morning but dislike the residue it leaves on my hair. This is such a great suggestion. Thank you!
Have you used the CeraVe ointment? I love it, even use it in place of lip balm now. No scent, not too greasy (but it will get in your hair. fuck psoriasis, amirite?)
My ears, inside, behind ears, all area that constitute Ear, are a torment to me. Night, day, I am tortured by this. To say that sounds over the top, but sadly are true. It makes trying to live extremely difficult. I am a watercolour artist and this is destroying the pleasure of painting. I have tried most of things you mention, so I am left .....suffering.
Just put some clarins blue orchid treatment oil on my ears and scalp and massaged in everywhere. My ears and hairline are affected on occasion. I also mixed up some Chlorella in a big glass of water(from the comment section here, helps to remove heavy metals or toxins, and I have been using a new daily detox mixture). Then took an epsom salt bath with a peaceful setting. I tend to want to connect the flare ups with stress.
My dermatologist told me it was my fault my ears were itchy because I scratch. Instead of listening to me for the reason I was scratching and prescribing a medication. Time for a new dermatologist.
Oh my goodness, I've had this since my teens and I'm almost 60! My Doctors just give me ear sprays that don't do much. The most relief I ever had was when we lived in Germany and a Chemist made me up a little bottle of oils that I had to put on my finger and just rub into (the itch & eczema is inside but I can reach it) the itch. We came back to the UK not long afterwards but when we went back to visit friends I tried to get more & sadly, the Chemist had retired 😞. I've got Nizoral & coconut oil so I'm going to try those first. Thank you so much Doctor. I'm going to pass this on to my friend who also suffers 😊
I just. …..Spray on a vinegar solution… Stopped the itching…old skin just wiped off later .. . ..with no problem… .. it’s amazing that the simple solutions are so easily available.. and effective….
Zinc or selenium products/shampoos are fungistatic whereas (most times) ketoconazole is fungicidal. I lather with nizoral 2% shampoo and then rinse. This is primary care stuff. I doubt anyone in Australia would take it to a dermatologist
Thank you for this info ! I just saw a dermatologist and we did not go over my ears I have ketoconazole...I was given that 2 yrs ago for toe nail fungus. That stuff works! For oil...I love coconut oil in my ears. Just a little does the trick. Glad you addressed the itching and scratching I've done THAT BEFORE. NOT A PRETTY PICTURE
I've had this for a couple of years, and lately it got a lot worse. The scratching didn't help, and just made my ear painful. I won't go into all the treatments I tried, but I did do hydrogen peroxide, medicated soap, A and D Ointment with Zinc, coconut oil, caster oil, and vinegar, which everyone swears by. I tried the solution prescribed by my doctor for eczema in the ears, which is vinegar mixed with aloe I think. Nothing was helping. I have oily skin, and my ears have always been oily too, so dryness wasn't the problem, unless I was washing the oil out, which is possible. I also sleep under a fan. So I am now applying an ointment called Bee Magic, which has all the anti-biotic and anti-viral bee products in it. I also have been alternating with an herbal ointment that has a ton of herbs in it. Both of these are very mild, and are in a base of either olive oil or coconut oil (I think). I'm about five days into the treatment, and put the ointments in my ears two times a day. My symptoms are slacking off, and the itchiness has definitely dropped about 70%. Someone said that it can take up to six weeks for symptoms to get under control, so I am going to stay with this faithfully. I have stopped washing my ears, and will clear out the ointments with a soft tissue and then reapply. I am not worried about the flakes. They will dissolve in the ointment. Try Bee Magic. I think you will find success. The other ointment is upstairs, but it's a homeopathic, natural herbal ointment. I love natural things like these.
I’ve been using clotrimazole cream daily for a month and it has helped me soooooooo much! I was so embarrased about the flaky skin on my ears 😩 thank you!! I used to wash my ears continuously but 10 mins later it appeared again this is the only thing that worked UPDATE - it didn’t work my eczema spread to my scalp which hasn’t happened before 😢
@@DrBaileySkinCare ive been using the cream every day for last 3 months but the flaky dry skin appears again in a few hours, is there something else you can reccomend that will get rid of this issue altogether? thank you! :)
An update for everyone It didn’t work 😭 the eczema actually spread to my scalp which hasn’t ever happened before not sure what caused it but it happened after using the cream
Thanks for ramdom recommendation of youtube. I suffer ears itching for a year. Even my mom doesn't know or tell me how to treat this. Thank goodness, after a year, I finally saw a solution.
I just realised that I have made a huge mistake this whole time! I thought that putting Vaseline to soften the scales would be a good idea, but could actually make things worse… I just bought nizoral and I hope it works!
I have psoriasis in my ears, have been through all of the treatments you suggested, tea tree oil saved me. I don't even need it daily now, every couple of days put some on a q tip and apply to the outer ear, and a little into the canal, I'm aware of the problems with q tips so am very careful but, it works!!
I'm going to give this a try! I recently started doing the 50/50 Peroxide/water drops in my ear, which helped some, but the itch came back within a week. I'm on antibiotics now, but I'm going to try the coconut oil and medicated soap with Salycic acid. I'll check back with results. Thanks!
@@shazaslam-khan7772 well if it's yeast it def didn't. Antibiotics make yeast infections worse, because yeast is a fungus. That's why antibiotic treatments lead to fungal infections, since the antibiotics kills off all of the good bacteria in your gut that normally keep yeasts like candida in check.
My sister had this for years. Hers was caused by her gut and it had to do with yeast and inflammation. A naturopath treated her and she had to change her diet. It fixed her ears and she has not had the problem since.
Thank you for this video. I’ve had scalp psoriasis since childhood. I’ve struggled with excessive skin production in my ears since childhood as well. My father also had this problem. My derm prescribed Olux foam which works well. I will try washing with T gel shampoo as u said. I’ve tried tea tree oil,which is not effective. I’ve tried coconut oil, baby oil, almond oil without succcess. My type of scalp psoriasis is controlled well with coal tar based shampoo. I hope it works on my ears
Mine is literally gone with nizoral and a psoriasis shampoo that has 3% salicylic acid. I’m not sure why but I am the only one in my family that has scalp psoriasis. I do notice that the rest of my skin on my body is dry but not scalely like my scalp. So I use amlactin( it has like 12-15% salicylic acid, depending on which lotion you buy) and wow wow wow It makes my skin baby soft and moisturizes it well. However, I feel like this has perks. I haven’t struggled with acne unlike many of my peers through high school and stuff. Of course I get ocasional pimples but home in a day with pimple patches. 😅 sorry just wanted to recomer some products since I also used t sal and it helped and I thought it was the best until I used those two products i mentioned above and was in literal shock on how much better they were. But, every scalp is different what worked on me might not work on you and so on and so forth.
Thank you Dr. Bailey excellent in depth advice. Firstly i am hoping i can find these products in England and secondly I'm hoping i can use these products in the ear where the ear drum is damaged. Thanks!
Coconut oil. What a revelation! So much better than anything else I've tried or been prescribed. Such relief!
Don't work for me
Try mct oil without c12
How did RUclips know to recommend this to me? Exactly what I needed to know, without searching!
They're always listening...
Happens with me all the time. It gets picked up by your mic. Either you have mentioned it on a call or you were talking about it to someone while you had your phone next to you.
Google owns RUclips, so if you did any searches online for this subject RUclips will serve you related content.
Coconut oil is also a great antifungal, too.
I've had this condition on and off for most of my life. I find it is also related to diet.Since it is often a kind of yeast infection, and yeast love sugar, lowering you carb intake can help improve the condition, potentially to the point where the oils and medicines can largely cure it. However, if you go back to eating a lot of carbs again, it will return.
I found that too and it's usually a sign of diabetes development
I had terrible itching in my ears and went to the doctor and a ear specialist, which both didn't come up with something to help solve the problem. I was so desperate I smeared Tiger Balm in the ears, and that made the itching go away .... for a while ....until it came back. Then finally I found the reason for the itching: It was the faux leather pads on my Audio Technica home studio headphones, which also began to disintegrate into flakes. Presumably I reacted to some chemical compound used on it. After that I got headphones with velour padding, and the problem is gone.
I have suffered from this condition for about 20 years now - I've tried everything under the sun - including some of the mentioned products. For the last year I've used Vitamin E oil which is giving me loads of relief.
No doctor has been able to help, until you. 20 years of this! Thank you!!!
I was glad to stumble across your video. My D.O. prescribed an oily antibiotic drop for what he diagnosed as seborrheic dermatitus. It didn't help. So I made a slurry of a couple drops of Denorex shampoo with a half teaspoon of water.. Then with 2 Q-tips I filled my ears with that foamy mix, and massaged it in from the outside. I let it set in there to dry. My ears were blue inside, but that washed out with water and Q-tips over a couple days. This worked perfectly for me. And I've had no recurrence. Thanks for your help. I hope this also helps you.
I just found this today, March 26, 2023, I can’t believe this video randomly appeared on my RUclips feed. I thought I was the only person who had death I thought I was losing my mind with the itching in my ear, taking tweezers, and pulling out the little hairs in my ears so that I didn’t lose my mind constantly putting witch hazel on a Q-tip to soothe and saturate my ears, 💁🏼♀️because Dickinsons Witch Hazel helps to keep my psoriasis at bay.
Now I’m going to see if I can find out what shampoo Dr Bailey suggested.
I’d like to find some thing that’s nice to my scalp before I’m completely bald headed . Shampoo that doesn’t irritate my scalp or my back or my hands or my feet has been my biggest challenge for the last 45 years.
Thank you so much for putting out this video. I am going to have a great rest of my day because now I know I’m not crazy. This does happen to other people and there may be some relief. Thank you so much Dr. Bailey.
I'm in the same boat. Itchy ears have driven me crazy for years, and then, today, RUclips served this up.
Psoriasis can be treated systemically with injections,it can effect your skin, joints,even your gums. Find someone who will treat all of you!
@@tamarie1189 yes, I am sensitive to propylene glycol too. So annoying that it is in so many products, including some TP and oral medications! Now that I know this, at least I no longer waste money buying toiletries that have this and cause irritation.
Trixie Belden books were my absolute favorite growing up. I had a nice hardcover set that was passed down to me and they were ruined in a flood.
A Chinese lady taught me to make "shampoo" by stirring boiling water or boiling vinegar into a handful of flour (any kind of fine flour, wheat or use a non gluten plant) till it's thin and runny like Elmer's glue. Let it cool. Use on wet hair just like shampoo. It won't foam, of course. Rinse well, and maybe use some vinegar in water to rinse, then rinse with clear water. You can add raw manuka honey if want, to the shampoo, some find it soothing. Any way, this works as good as store bought shampoo. I usually do an oil treatment the night before I shampoo, and don't need conditioner after washing my hair.
Change your diet - no sugar no processed foods no tap water - sorted
Terrible problem with this, have seborrheic dermatitis on my scalp, but never thought it was in my ears too... Huge thanks for this video.
I've been having this problem for about 6years now, went to an ENT did treatment and still didn't solve the problem to no avail. So i came across this video and did the coconut oil thing for 2months and now it's all all gone! No more flaking & itching 😀 Thank you Dr. Bailey you're the best!
Bless you for sharing your story with me. So glad to help! Coconut oil is quite amazing actually. drbaileyskincare.com/pages/coconut-oil
How did you apply the coconut oil?
@@samanthalouise3513 First of all i melted the coconut oil and then used my finger to apply on the outer and inside of the ear including the canal with my pinky finger before taking a shower and it helped me tremendously 🙂
@@AndyDarkKnight thank you so much!!
@@samanthalouise3513 No problem Samantha glad to be of some help!
Omg, I have scaly skin behind my ears, glad I'm not alone with this!
Totally!! We all do unless we give that part of the body a nice scrub in the shower with a washcloth ;-)
I also have this problem now
I was alright till i golt sepsis now my skin and my ears are terrible now
me too! had it just recently
@@leeyoww8458 i think all the drugs and antibiotics they give you are an evil brew and your body just doesn't cope
I'm watching this at 3am from Australia. My ears have been driving me crazy for years. Now I feel I have an answer to my itchy ear problem. Thank you so much. God bless you.
Its 3am in South Africa as well...1 year later. How ironic😂❤
3:33 am here also when i read this.
3:22 am here in Florida, USA, April, 2023. Will show this to my husband when he wakes up. His ears have been itching and scaley for a couple of years now.
This is actually really serious. I struggled for decades with no advice from doctors for how to treat it, so ended up in a vicious cycle of scratching and infections.
After 30 years of it, I ended up with squamous cell carcinoma of the ear canal and temporal bone. Extremely rare. My unverified theory is that I caused this through my mistreatment of my ears. I’m one of the lucky ones. It was caught at stage 2. I had 2 surgeries and 33 radiation treatments and am now cancer free but deaf on one side.
It may be an embarrassing problem to have but doctors can’t simply brush it off as insignificant.
So sorry about your troubles!
This is my fear/concern. Thank you for telling your story.
That's what I kept thinking about - cancer. If I kept scratching and damaging my ear tissue, it could lead to all kinds of things. People (even doctors) who have never had this cannot imagine the level of itchiness, burning, stinging, nerve jumping and feeling like something is crawling in the ear. The itch is not one that can be ignored. It is torture to NOT scratch it, and it doesn't subside if you ignore it, at least not for a long time. It is the stuff insanity is made from. Torture.
@@yellowbird5411 it is one-in-a-million rare, literally. I just happened to be one of them. Fortunately found at stage two, not further. Successfully treated.
I needed to hear this, I've also bin scratching for 30 years the same vicious cycle as you. I made me really depressed as I could,nt stop
Thank you for sharing this cautionary tale😊
Finally, an explanation that makes senseand definitive list of positive treatments for something that has been driving me nuts for years! Thank You!!
I suffered with itchy ears for decades and tried everything, including the steps outlined here. I ultimately tried swabbing them 2 or 3 times a day with a mixture of 90% White Vinegar and 10% Isopropyl alcohol (91% strength) for 3 to 4 weeks and the problem absolutely disappeared. The first week or so there was a lot of peeling of the damaged keratin layer but it eventually cleared up. The outer edge of the ear canal required continued treatment for a couple of weeks after the deep canal itch had ceased. I still swab them every 2-3 weeks for maintenance, or if I feel any itch starting, but I wish I had tried this earlier.
I think the vinegar was doing the same thing as salicylic acid.
Did your ears ever start producing wax again? Mine dont have any wax. They get wet feeling ..not a lot of any flakes but they are yellowish flakes like babies head has. Just whitish scum kinda. I use canesten because i feel like its fungal and i have foot fungus and my doctor i been going to for years doesnt want to treat me for fungal ..i will try to vinegar alchol but does it brun like heck? It sounds like it will hurt.
Thanks for your recipe, will try it.
I went to an ENT clinic and was advised to spray half white vinegar, half rubbing alcohol into my war canals before a shower. Then I rinse the area in the shower. It helped some, but I also need to go in to have the skin that remains in the ear canal removed, or my hearing is muffled. My mother had the same issue. We both have psoriasis, as this doctor mentioned, although at my clinic they said what I had in my ear didn’t look like psoriasis. Instead, it seems to be a hangover from a pseudomonas infection I picked up in Hawaii, from using untreated catchment water. Anyway, the irrigation helps and doesn’t hurt at all.
Thank you thank you thank you! Your remedy has worked for me. 10 years, 5 doctors, 5 prescriptions, 2 audiologists and the solution was in my house the whole time. Vinegar and rubbing alcohol!!!!!
I’ve had this dry, dead skin in my ear for over five years. It itches and you end up picking at it until it’s gone but the next day, it reappears! There’s also a bit of dry skin outside my ear around the hole of my earring. It has driven me insane for so long, thank you for this video.
Edit: MY mom and I went to the pharmacy and got a special cream, it was gone after applying it only twice 😶
@@novix07do i know the cream name m?
@@tonyo9381 Fucibet Cream - fusidic acid/betamethasone
I hope it helps you! 😊
@@novix07 Ah I know that cream. Cool.
Is a prescription needed for fusidic acid , fucibet cream or betamethasone?
I had this problem for several years and I finally figured out it was because of me always touching it. It started out in the right ear canal but then showed up in the left also. I tried all kinds of different creams but the dead skin / scabs would always come back. My wife made me self conscious because she would make comments when she could see flaky stuff in my ears. What happened was I got covid and was sick and coughing all the time and didn't touch or pick at my ears for at least 2 weeks. I guess I totally forgot about it. The scabs must have dried up and healed on their own but I felt both sides one day and there was nothing there. That was in June 2020 and to this day it has not come back. So for me the cure was leaving them alone.
Agree totally!!
OMG it worked. Thank you for explaining it so well. I did exactly what you said. I used head and shoulders on a wash cloth to remove flakes. and then anti fungal with cortisone. it only took a week. no more scratching!!!!! Thank you sooooooo much.
Which anti fungal?
I’ve had this problem for a couple of years now. The itching seems worse after I go to bed at night. Not only do they itch, but it feels like something is slowly oozing or crawling in my ear, but nothing ever comes out. I do have dry skin scales come out of my ears on my finger. My dermatologist prescribed Desonide .05. I have done three different sets of applications but it doesn’t seem to ever entirely go away. The itching is so intense sometimes I wish I could stick one of those round wire brushes in my ear and scratch to relieve it. So annoying.
Yes! Same and I also am perplexed how this showed up in my feed! I need help
Have all these itchy symptoms around my ears, seen my doctor, got antibiotic medication, but the itchy crusting doesn't go away. Going to try your recommendations.
Thank you.
Make sure you also take any supplements you might need. I found b12 helpful for my nerves and magnesium before I figured out it was fungal and got canestan ...doctors never helped at all. But the ringing and insane maddening itching was helped a lot bú the supplements i think they just calmed my nerves.
I’ve had this problem for probably 30 years or more. The zinc shampoos work well for me, especially some of the stronger medicated types you find for extremely itchy scalp. I follow up with a little coconut oil on my finger and rub it in my ear just to moisturize after I shower. It does help, and it does get rid of the itch and scale, but it still never goes away. If I skip the process one day it’s back with a vengeance. So it never really goes away. Oh and one good tip, don’t wear black shirts when your ears are itchy and scaly…..
I have been using The Ordinary's Glycolic Acid 7% Toning Solution - just rub a drop or 2 on the affected areas. It feels somewhat sticky, but I put up with it and now the skin around my ears is totally clear. I continue to use it 4 to 5 days a week. I can't use it as a toner, but I use it on elbows, knees and heels for perfectly smooth skin - it's a miraculous product.
I have been using canesten for thrush cream. It works well but it sitll comes back.
@@Padraigp
It’s be ages the inflammation is coming from insure your body!
Clean. Your gut out and change your eating habits!
@@soulfireonfire6423 I dont have inflammation but thanks. Ive had all my inflamatory markers tested. Its a fungal issue that lives on the skin and can overgrow in certain conditions. Not an inflamatory response. Initially yes an infection will cause inflamation but when something goes on for a long time and doctors make it worse by not listening all normal response stops and then doctor say ah look nó inflamation theres nothing wrong.. very annoying that doctors never bother to google anything. Ai will replace them before anyone else.
These treatments are what I've used, however, this piece only addresses treatment after the fact and does not deal the issue of systemic inflammation as the primary reason for these flareups. When I stopped eating wheat and dairy (both of which are highly inflammatory) my ears cleared up. It may be different for other people (who have other food allergies and/or sensitivities) but I can guarantee that diet plays a part. Or, you may have an autoimmune that needs investigation, rheumatoid conditions, etc.
I’ve done everything you said NOT to do and yes it made things worse. I am now researching what’s going on and how to treat it. You have helped me a lot. Thanks for this video!
thanks for watching and sharing your comment!
Anything inflammatory has to come from the inside!
Start with your gut and changing your eating habits!!
@@soulfireonfire6423this is a blanketly untrue statement. If you break your arm or step on a nail … you’re going to have inflammation, and I can 100% guarantee that it’s primary cause isn’t your diet
I've had my condition all my life, but I'm just now paying attention to it. Thank you, buddy
Happy to help!
Me too now that im older it's bothers me more ugh
As a SCUBA diver I learned to treat ‘swimmer’s ear’ with a half half mixture vinegar and alcohol. The vinegar balances the pH, the alcohol drives out the water
Thank you Doctor. I've had this problem since I was 11. I'm now 61 and NOTHING has worked. ENTs think it's a "mild irritation" but I have been in so much pain and misery over the years with the infections. I also live in a warm humid climate and that exacerbates the problem. I've woken up with bleeding ears when it's really bad because I've scratched during my sleep.
I will try everything you suggested. Wish me luck! 😊
I had that itchiness and huge amount of flaking skin for decades and thought I tried everything OTC. Finally, I made and applied a tincture of bittersweet nightshade, everyday for a couple of weeks. Cleared up my ear problem. It's been about a year and the itchiness has not returned. I know tinctures are frowned upon, but it worked, so I don't care about the frowning.
Dr thank you for this video, I suffer with chronic itching of both ears for 30 years, they are always sore and bleeding.
This has really effected my mental health and relationships . I feel really dirty.
Have bin to GP,s dermatologists the whole 9 yards can't really blame the creams as I could,nt stop scratching.
Thank you for your understanding and tips.❤️
Oh my goodness, I’ve had this since I was 17, I’m 52! My dad and sister both have it too. The ENT said it was because I kept my ears too clean and there was no wax. They will crust and scale and I can put the tip of my pinkie in my ear snugly and twist, and the entire surface of my ear canal sloughs off in one piece! I can also use my fingernail and peel off a deeper layer that’s like a scab and I can hear better after I do that. When I was 7, my ears over produced, and my parents used to take me to the doctor to have large pieces of wax washed out of my ears. Now, they just produce what feels like water when I release that “scab”. They also smell, like athlete’s foot smells. My whole ear canal behind my jaw swells up too and I can smell it even when I’m not messing with my ears. I don’t eat sugar or processed foods, in fact, I am whole food plant based since 2004. Clotrimazole didn’t do much. I’ve been on Neomycin for about 15 years, and it takes about 4 days to fully clean it up if I haven’t used it in a while. My ears even bleed sometimes, even with q-tips. It’s maddening and I’d give anything for it to be gone forever!
Try Bee Magic, an ointment you can get online. It has pollen, propolis, royal jelly and honey in it, with olive oil. Propolis is what bees line their hive with to keep viruses out of the hive. It is a product of the pine tree. I started about five days ago, putting a thick layer inside as deep as I can, and on the outer part too, where the skin feels like plastic. I do this twice a day, and I am improving. I've tried many things, but keeping a layer of oil on the ears seems crucial. I don't worry about the crust, because it will dissolve in the oil. I clean my ears once every two days, gently, with tissue, then reapply the ointment. I stopped washing my ears in the shower completely. I keep water out of my ears. I was an ear washer, and I think it hurt my ears. For years I did that, and when I got this problem, I did it even more, with medicated soap. The next morning my ears would start to itch again. Sometimes I would get up in the night and with a wash rag, wash my ears out with soap. It brought temporary relief only. No one who doesn't have this knows the torture. One person recommended petroleum jelly. I've not tried that, but I know it heals broken skin and small wounds and is safe for babies. So maybe that would work, I don't know.
Like a lot of people commenting I have had this issue and tried all sorts. A couple of years ago, I read of someone using feminine hygiene wash on their itchy legs, so I gave it a go. It has worked for me. No more itchiness, crust, or anything. I use it once a day in the shower after washing my hair. The brand I use in the UK is Femfresh. It is a clear gel.
Am I missing something? I thought this was about ear wax?
@@warroom17 You might be. I do not suffer from ear wax anymore. My ears are completely clear.
@@andrewmyerscough9397 so did you use this Femfresh for your ears?? I think it makes sense to use for the ears because sebum is waxy and feminine wash removes sebum very easily. Since my cancer diagnosis I have noticed an increase in sebum production so I'll gladly try this. Thanks!
@@warroom17 it was one of those things that was driving me mad, but I no longer really worry about my ears anymore. Good luck and take care with your condition.
@@andrewmyerscough9397 thank you, I'm excited to try it because nothing has worked. My skin has become very sensitive due to chemo so I can't use things with salicylic acid. Fem soaps are also more gentle and remove the waxiness which I had forgotten until you mentioned your success with it. Thank you for the suggestion/reminder!
I’ve had this problem probably since I was a teenager that’s more than 20 years. I’ve been told several things about why my ear is itching But never this explanation. Thank you so much for making this video.
Dr. Bailey! I am delighted that you are addressing this problem. Not too long ago I asked my brother is he washes his ears specifically and this led my questioning just about everyone that I know. I am an RN who has always washed her ears with a thin washcloth and never thought of not doing it ! To my surprise I received unanimous admission that everyone said NO they do not wash their ears! My mother was an RN back in the thirties and had entire books on the subject of hygiene. It appears to me that children are not properly taught how to take proper care of their own bodies. No wonder this problem develops.
This is fantastic advice! I've had maddening itchy ear canals for more than twenty years and nothing seems to have helped- I've had chronic ear infections from trying to keep my ears clean with cotton buds ☹️ I'm going to follow this advice and keep my fingers crossed!
IT WORKED! For the first time since the Nineties I'm not being driven insane by an itch inside my ears! Thank you so much for this advice 😍😍😍
so glad to see this. sorry I'm behind on youtube comments - pandemic and all!
Fantastic! Can I use your story as a nice comment?
I used to get ear infections my whole life but when i started taking just 50mg of Zoloft it went away! The wetness stopped and so the infections stopped! I know Zoloft is for depression but what can I say...
I had this issue after contracting COVID and used 1oz. of Argon oil with 6 drops of Lavender and Peppermint essential oils; don’t use more than 12 drops total for 1oz. of a carrier oil. Argon oil is great for the skin and Lavender has anti-fungal properties and Peppermint has anti-bacterial properties. It’s not a fast remedy but it is natural. It took about 2 months of applying the oil every morning and night but it did eventually go away.
Wow never knew could get this after COVID.
Finally someone can acknowledge the intensity of the ear itch, drives me mad!!! wakes me up !Thanks for the advice.
Thank you for this video. I have had this problem for over 10 years. I have been guilty of Sticking things in my ear to try to stop the itching and it made it worse. I think I will try the coconut oil. Thank you so much for the information.
I use Packers Pine Tar soap then I use Sarna lotion to sooth and calm the area. Along with not eating lots of sugar. Whenever I eat sugar my Seborrheic dermatitis flairs up.
THANK YOU...I thought it was only me who had itchy ears. Thought it was residue from shampoo...causing it. I tried hot salt water on a cotton bud...it helped. Also tried vinegar..on bud...it relieved the itch. Baking soda in water also helped. Thank you for the article. Someone told me to try garlic juice rubbed inside the ear...so many have this issue..your advice is appreciated by us all.
I've had this problem for years, and the ENT's can never solve it for me. This is the best advice I've ever heard. Thank you!
Quite brilliant. I'm going to have a go at this, having had this problem for 40+ years. I'll let you know how I get on.
I’ve developed a little area in the outer of my ear canal. It itches & drives me crazy! I dig & dig at it until I come out with a tiny piece of white skin. My doctor is sending me to a dermatologist. I appreciate this information. It gives me some idea why this is happening. Thank you so much!
Olive oil is always my ‘go to’ for cleaning ears, however after watching this, I’ll give coconut oil a try.
Thank you. 👍🏼
Take magnesium and vitamin e and it will go away. It's not an issue of not having cleansers or topical ointments on your skin, it's a deficiency of magnesium and vitamin E.
Not so for me. Taken both for years and still have painful crusty on outer ear.
I’ve had itchy ears for 10years now. I’ve used hydrocortisone in the past but it always comes back. I am going to try coconut oil and will update what the result will be.
My itchy scaly ears drive me nuts. I'm glad I watched your video 🙂
Thank you so much for watching and sharing that.
How is your ear now? Improved ?
I have this problem for 10 years or so, and have only ever used a soft piece of wood to scrape out the crust (high volumes) a few times a day. This is now an established habit. I really appreciate your advice, and will begin taking it. Thank you. The problem has spread naturally under my ministrations to the outer regions and the outside of my ear, plus a cyst.
My son told me last night on the phone ( he has the same problem) that he uses a pen to scratch his ear canal. Talk about introducing bacteria to his ears!
It is a dimorphic fungus. It can actually be a symptom of internal fungus infection.
I've been using an SA cleanser, Nizoral, and Vaseline. It completely removed all the scaling/flaking skin.
But now I have huge discoloration where the scaling/flaking used to be.
I've had problems with this since I was a kid (40 now). My outer ear/earlobe crusting seems to come in seasons like now as spring is coming. Thank you for the tips.
Put kefir with water in contains lactic acid . Yeast hate it and itching stopps imedeadly.
Thank you! I've only recently started having itchy, crusty ear lobes. I thought it was some kind of infection from my ear piercings. I love RUclips.
I thought I was the only one with this problem thank you so much you don't know how much you've helped me with this video thank you
Did that work for you Angel?
I am glad. Thanks for watching
Love this lady, Lord God, we need more people in the world like this.
Thank you so much! This really gives me hope to finally get rid of it! I always feel embarrassed because I fell my ears are always dirty.
I hate the fact i cut part of the scaly part by mistake i pull my head and my ear hurts WHYYYY
Thank you so much . itch and crust completely disappeared... after suffering with an unbelievable irritating itch for years i tried your advice and since then have not had any problems bless you for your excellent advise .
I have had this for about ten years. I always wondered if I had caught it from someone that had it, who had mentioned that she had it. Then I developed it. My friends husband has this. I sometimes have fluid that comes out of my ears. My doctor said to put 1% cortisone cream on it, which does calm the itch, but doesn't seem to go away. This is the first time I have heard anything serious explanation of what this is, and how to treat it. Thank you Doctor. I will try your cleansing method, along with the coconut oil. Sounds like it might work for me. I also sometimes have exzema on my hands, caused by certain soaps. I use clear laundry detergent, wear gloves when I do the dishes, and use a hand cream containing calendula extract, coconut oil, and some other natural ingredients. You are correct that it can just about drive you crazy from the itching. Mine seems to flair up and be worse at times, and then calms down.
it's a fungus in our blood imho. Treating the symptoms is ok but it will come back. Quiting sugar and bread helped me somewhat but it wont cure it. I pray Jesus will help us.
06/4 23, Spec's can exacerbate a skin condition behind the ear depending on the type of material. Plastic will harbour moisture. Regular sanitising & alternative materials reduces the condition. Regular sea bathers don't seem to suffer skin problems.
I had this problem for a number of years until a physician prescribed triamcinolone 0.1% cream. That cured it for me very quickly.
I was surprised + disappointed my dermatologist offered NO advice for treatment. Told me to go to an ENT. Maddening. I eventually found coconut oil and especially tea tree oil has helped. Problem became worse with hearing aids but now is fully manageable.
You did a great presentation. I especially appreciate your printed information off to the side.
This is pretty wild. Ive had psoriasis since I was 12 and it started on my scalp and ears. Any time I’m in between biologics, my ears get so flaky (yuck yuck I hate it). But this video was SUPER helpful. I had no idea it was this easy to clean it up. I’ll definitely try one of these options. Thank you!
Behind both of my ears have had a crust since COVID started and we wore masks constantly. Going to try this and using masks that tie around my head instead of around my ears 🫶
Thanks - This provides me more background on my skin issues, and why my dermatologists have prescribed the treatments that they have.
When I told my doctor about it she just made a face. No help at all. Thanks for this.
No talk of the underlying cause of the inflammation. I've had dry flakey ears for years. I've tried every topical treatment known to mankind, including your suggestions. It's clearly a systemic problem. This week I am beginning berberineHCL daily. It is a strong anti inflammatory treatment. Fingers crossed. I don't want to manage this condition, I want to find a cure.
Mine was eczema and an ENT prescribed drops not meant for the ears. He said to ignore that and use them anyhow. I suffered for over 30 years and now it’s all gone. I used to peel strips of skin off my ears multiple times a day, had flaking, and crusting, weeping, even liquid on my pillow. The mometozone drops cleared it all up in a few days. I still use them once a week after my shower. I can’t believe how many decades I was driven nuts and begged doctors to help me. Crickets.
What's the name of the drops???
@ the ENT prescribed Mometasone Lotion (0.1% Mometasone Furoate) Topical Solution but my dermatologist just prescribed Clobetasol Propionate 0.05% Topical Solution because the Mometasone causes acne (it does and pimples in the ears really hurt!) where the Clobetasol won’t. I’m new to the Clobetasol though so I cannot attest as to its efficacy just yet. Good luck!
I developed this condition and it disappeared when I got into Keto and intermittent/ occasional prolonged fasting and got control over my gut microbiome, blood sugars and glucose.
Thank you for this advice as I've been suffering with this exact condition for a long time!
To save yourself time... watch the video at 2 times the speed. This lady talks really slow.
@@NTJedi
NOT EVERYONE UNDERSTANDS FAST ENGLISH. I THINK SHE'S PERFECT 👌 AND WE ARE VERY GRATEFUL FOR HER ADVICE AND INFO.
NO NEED FOR YOUR SARCASM, FIND BETTER THINGS TO DO.
I've been to few doctors and spent in excess of €200 to no avail. With her advice I can now just go to the chemist and get what she suggested over the counter and hopefully i can get rid of this problem.
I'm so grateful for her help and advice and may ALLAH bless her over and over AMEN 🙏 ❤
@@LondonCarnaval You need to find better ways of spending your time instead of lecturing people who are trying to be helpful.
I just watched your video. I have had this terrible itch in my ear canals for over 15 years, I've been told it is probably eczema and was given steroid drops by one Dr. and then told not to use them by another. Anyway, I'm sure I've caused damage because one ear gets such stabbing pains it hurts my whole head sometimes. Or it could be a really bad flake even though my family Dr. always tells me they can't see anything. I've done the mineral oil, and it does help for a bit. My scalp is now getting very itchy too. I've just started putting coconut oil on my scalp, now I can put some in my ears. And I will definitely try the other suggestions. I'm SO glad to know it's more common than I thought. I didn't know how many others had this issue.
I've had 'swimmers ear' for years tried many different creams etc to no effect. Then I bought a product called Ear Calm which seemed to do the trick at least for a couple of days before I had to give it another spray. Problem was it was expensive (about £8), a tiny spray bottle that only lasted a couple of weeks. So I looked at the 'ingredients' and acetic acid caught my attention. So me being me went and bought a bottle of distilled vinegar (1/2 ltr) and some ear buds from the super market (about £2 total). I squirt a little bit in the bottle's cap, dip in my ear bud and apply it in my ear. It relieves my itch immediately and generally lasts a few days without needing another application. A year later and I've still got 3/4 of the bottle left. It's not a cure, I don't think there is one, but it's the best I've found.
it's a fungus in our blood, so until we can treat it, we can only mollify the symptoms, imho. I pray Jesus will help us.
I have tried this and it has been helping really well but it’s only been 1 week but it is such a relief!!
Huh. I have had this for years. At first it was behind the ear as well as inside the ear canal. I managed to cure the external problem with dandruff shampoo but was afraid to put that inside my ears. Now I have some stuff I can try. If I could get rid of this itch it would be such a relief! Thank you!
ENSTILAR is what I used for my psoriasis and it clears it up immediately. I'm in Australia so it might have another name in other countries but try it and you won't be disappointed.
Sweet almond oil works great for me. Had itchy ear canals for years and my sister has the same issue. But the oil helps a lot.
Thank you so much for telling us some remedies for itchy flaky skin ears, I can used olive oil bec, it's always available in the kitchen
thanks for watching!
I use medicated shampoos due to scalp and ear psoriasis but I never thought of putting oil on my ears before showering! I typically use Vaseline or Aquaphor on my ears in the morning but dislike the residue it leaves on my hair. This is such a great suggestion. Thank you!
Vaseline can trap bacteria
Have you used the CeraVe ointment? I love it, even use it in place of lip balm now. No scent, not too greasy (but it will get in your hair. fuck psoriasis, amirite?)
my pleasure
i prefer coconut oil which is proven to have antimicrobial efficacy drbaileyskincare.com/pages/coconut-oil though not everyone is a fan
My ears, inside, behind ears, all area that constitute Ear, are a torment to me. Night, day, I am tortured by this. To say that sounds over the top, but sadly are true. It makes trying to live extremely difficult. I am a watercolour artist and this is destroying the pleasure of painting. I have tried most of things you mention, so I am left .....suffering.
Just put some clarins blue orchid treatment oil on my ears and scalp and massaged in everywhere. My ears and hairline are affected on occasion. I also mixed up some Chlorella in a big glass of water(from the comment section here, helps to remove heavy metals or toxins, and I have been using a new daily detox mixture). Then took an epsom salt bath with a peaceful setting. I tend to want to connect the flare ups with stress.
My dermatologist told me it was my fault my ears were itchy because I scratch. Instead of listening to me for the reason I was scratching and prescribing a medication. Time for a new dermatologist.
I hope this helped give you some new ideas.
Oh my goodness, I've had this since my teens and I'm almost 60! My Doctors just give me ear sprays that don't do much. The most relief I ever had was when we lived in Germany and a Chemist made me up a little bottle of oils that I had to put on my finger and just rub into (the itch & eczema is inside but I can reach it) the itch. We came back to the UK not long afterwards but when we went back to visit friends I tried to get more & sadly, the Chemist had retired 😞. I've got Nizoral & coconut oil so I'm going to try those first. Thank you so much Doctor. I'm going to pass this on to my friend who also suffers 😊
its a fungus, you're just treating the symptom but it's actually in the blood. imho I pray Jesus will help us.
I just. …..Spray on a vinegar solution… Stopped the itching…old skin just wiped off later .. . ..with no problem… .. it’s amazing that the simple solutions are so easily available.. and effective….
Hi... What kind of vinegar and should i dilute it?
Zinc or selenium products/shampoos are fungistatic whereas (most times) ketoconazole is fungicidal. I lather with nizoral 2% shampoo and then rinse. This is primary care stuff. I doubt anyone in Australia would take it to a dermatologist
Thank you for this info !
I just saw a dermatologist and we did not go over my ears
I have ketoconazole...I was given that 2 yrs ago for toe nail fungus. That stuff works!
For oil...I love coconut oil in my ears. Just a little does the trick. Glad you addressed the itching and scratching
I've done THAT BEFORE.
NOT A PRETTY PICTURE
I am glad the info helped, thanks for watching and commenting.
Oh my goodness thank you I have a lived with this for 20 years I’m gonna try all of it.
Bless you for making this video. I thought I was alone in my struggles. Will try your recommendations.
my pleasure
I've had this for a couple of years, and lately it got a lot worse. The scratching didn't help, and just made my ear painful. I won't go into all the treatments I tried, but I did do hydrogen peroxide, medicated soap, A and D Ointment with Zinc, coconut oil, caster oil, and vinegar, which everyone swears by. I tried the solution prescribed by my doctor for eczema in the ears, which is vinegar mixed with aloe I think. Nothing was helping. I have oily skin, and my ears have always been oily too, so dryness wasn't the problem, unless I was washing the oil out, which is possible. I also sleep under a fan. So I am now applying an ointment called Bee Magic, which has all the anti-biotic and anti-viral bee products in it. I also have been alternating with an herbal ointment that has a ton of herbs in it. Both of these are very mild, and are in a base of either olive oil or coconut oil (I think). I'm about five days into the treatment, and put the ointments in my ears two times a day. My symptoms are slacking off, and the itchiness has definitely dropped about 70%. Someone said that it can take up to six weeks for symptoms to get under control, so I am going to stay with this faithfully. I have stopped washing my ears, and will clear out the ointments with a soft tissue and then reapply. I am not worried about the flakes. They will dissolve in the ointment. Try Bee Magic. I think you will find success. The other ointment is upstairs, but it's a homeopathic, natural herbal ointment. I love natural things like these.
I’ve been using clotrimazole cream daily for a month and it has helped me soooooooo much! I was so embarrased about the flaky skin on my ears 😩 thank you!! I used to wash my ears continuously but 10 mins later it appeared again this is the only thing that worked UPDATE - it didn’t work my eczema spread to my scalp which hasn’t happened before 😢
I'm so glad!
@@DrBaileySkinCare ive been using the cream every day for last 3 months but the flaky dry skin appears again in a few hours, is there something else you can reccomend that will get rid of this issue altogether? thank you! :)
An update for everyone It didn’t work 😭 the eczema actually spread to my scalp which hasn’t ever happened before not sure what caused it but it happened after using the cream
Thanks for ramdom recommendation of youtube. I suffer ears itching for a year. Even my mom doesn't know or tell me how to treat this. Thank goodness, after a year, I finally saw a solution.
My hope is that the info is helpful. Thanks for watching and leaving a comment!
Me scratching my itchy ear 5 sec before she said do not scratch your ear😐
Best chuckle today, I love the comment! Yep, it's what we do!! Thanks for the levity.
me as well!!!
Thank you . Have had this problem for decades. Will try your remedies. This just popped up in my feed. Thank you again .
Thankyou i have been suffering with this problem from years I m. Fed up now. Thanks for the help
My pleasure
this was so informative, first time it was explained in depth, I will try this so glad to have come across this
I just realised that I have made a huge mistake this whole time! I thought that putting Vaseline to soften the scales would be a good idea, but could actually make things worse… I just bought nizoral and I hope it works!
Did the nizoral work?
@@tracybergamin6305 no it turns out I had a form of scalp eczema, it was treated with betamethasone and tacrolimus ointment. It’s been treated since
I have psoriasis in my ears, have been through all of the treatments you suggested, tea tree oil saved me. I don't even need it daily now, every couple of days put some on a q tip and apply to the outer ear, and a little into the canal, I'm aware of the problems with q tips so am very careful but, it works!!
Never did care much for the music, but this ear itch has me appreciating the name of the band....The Grateful Dead
Thank you so much for watching and commenting!
finally, useful advice. my dermatologist never gave me a satisfactory answer to this problem, just prescribed steroid cream and sent me on my way.
I'm going to give this a try! I recently started doing the 50/50 Peroxide/water drops in my ear, which helped some, but the itch came back within a week. I'm on antibiotics now, but I'm going to try the coconut oil and medicated soap with Salycic acid. I'll check back with results. Thanks!
Did this work for you?
@@shazaslam-khan7772 well if it's yeast it def didn't. Antibiotics make yeast infections worse, because yeast is a fungus. That's why antibiotic treatments lead to fungal infections, since the antibiotics kills off all of the good bacteria in your gut that normally keep yeasts like candida in check.
I was told that just peroxide would work better than the combination of water and peroxide
Antibiotics has never helped me and the last time I had them it seemed to make it worse so I will try these 😊
Thank you doc, I've been having this issue reoccurring for quite a while now, and i usually have a tear at the bottom of my ear and its so painful.
My sister had this for years. Hers was caused by her gut and it had to do with yeast and inflammation. A naturopath treated her and she had to change her diet. It fixed her ears and she has not had the problem since.
Do you still have her diet plan? What things she avoid and which supplements use for gut health?
Same question
Great insight and suggestions. I'll be trying these out. Thanks so much 😊
Thank you for this video. I’ve had scalp psoriasis since childhood. I’ve struggled with excessive skin production in my ears since childhood as well. My father also had this problem. My derm prescribed Olux foam which works well. I will try washing with T gel shampoo as u said. I’ve tried tea tree oil,which is not effective. I’ve tried coconut oil, baby oil, almond oil without succcess. My type of scalp psoriasis is controlled well with coal tar based shampoo. I hope it works on my ears
Mine is literally gone with nizoral and a psoriasis shampoo that has 3% salicylic acid.
I’m not sure why but I am the only one in my family that has scalp psoriasis. I do notice that the rest of my skin on my body is dry but not scalely like my scalp. So I use amlactin( it has like 12-15% salicylic acid, depending on which lotion you buy) and wow wow wow It makes my skin baby soft and moisturizes it well.
However, I feel like this has perks. I haven’t struggled with acne unlike many of my peers through high school and stuff. Of course I get ocasional pimples but home in a day with pimple patches. 😅 sorry just wanted to recomer some products since I also used t sal and it helped and I thought it was the best until I used those two products i mentioned above and was in literal shock on how much better they were. But, every scalp is different what worked on me might not work on you and so on and so forth.
Full on grapefruit seed extract works great!
Thank you Dr. Bailey excellent in depth advice. Firstly i am hoping i can find these products in England and secondly I'm hoping i can use these products in the ear where the ear drum is damaged. Thanks!