Ear pimples are like regular pimples you witness on your skin. Hence, these can cause pain, irritation, boils, or pus and appear inside the ear canal or behind the ear. Sebum, sweat, dirt, and dead skin cells lead to ear pimples. Since the hair follicles or pores become clogged due to these elements, they lead to pimple in ear.
Here, you will learn about the causes and ear pimple solution in detail.
Causes of Pimple in Ear
There are several causes behind the formation of ear pimples. Let’s understand them one by one:
- Ear pimples can occur due to the most common cause, which is pore clogging. When the pores in and around the skin of the ear get clogged due to the dead skin cells and sebum, it leads to this condition.
- The outer and external ear canals have skin cells, sebaceous glands, and hair cells. Sebaceous glands produce oils and the hair follicles produce sweat. Also, there are dead skin cells as well as ear wax in the external ear canal. All of these together can block the pores which may lead to painful pimple in the ear canal.
- Sometimes, you may get infected by bacteria and dirt. This might happen by sticking the fingers in the ear or using dirty headphones. The infections easily cause ear pimples.
- Also, imbalanced diet, stress, and increment of hormonal imbalance cause more production of sebum. Thus, these factors encourage the formation of ear pimples.
| Did You Know? Ear wax can block the pores. The blocked pores are the best place for the growth of Staphylococcus bacteria. |
Remedies for Ear Pimples
Depending upon the severity, the doctor will prescribe a treatment plan that is well suited for you. However, here are some generic treatment options that you should know about:
1. Topicals
You can purchase topical over-the-counter (OTC) medicines to begin treatment of this condition. Generally, topical medicines for ear pimple treatment contain vitamin A derivatives like Tretinoin or Retin-A is the most common medicine for this purpose.
2. Antibiotics
Antibiotics are a crucial part of pimple in ear treatment. Medical professionals recommend antibiotics like doxycycline (Doryx MPC and Doryx) or minocycline (Minocin and Amzeeq) for curing pimples in the ear. They play a vital role in fighting against the bacteria of the ear pimple.
3. Benzoyl Peroxide
There are several benzoyl peroxide compounds available in OTC. You can use 5% benzoyl peroxide for moderate pimple in ear treatment. However, you should not apply this medicine to an open wound or a mucus membrane, such as inside the mouth or nose.
4. Systematic Drugs
These drugs are prescribed in severe cases like cystic acne. Isotretinoin is the most commonly used systematic drug for such purposes. Moreover, doctors may prescribe NSAIDs (Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs) like naproxen or ibuprofen in cases of painful acne or acne lesions but all of these drugs have side effects. Thus, it’s important to be cautious.
Home Remedies for Pimple in Ear
Apart from the remedies mentioned above, you can try the pimple in ear home remedies:
1. Warm Compression
Applying warm compression becomes helpful in improving blood circulation and reducing tissue inflammation. It relieves the swelling, irritation, and redness of the pimple. The heat aids in bringing the pus nearer to the skin’s surface. As a result, it comes out easily, and the pimples get healed quickly. You have to clean up the pus quickly so that it doesn’t affect the surrounding area and spread further bacteria.
2. Apply Tea Tree Oil
You can apply tea tree essential oil as a pimple solution for the ear. The best time to apply this oil is after the warm compression. To apply this remedy, you need to take a small amount of oil on a cotton piece and swab it to the pimple. Moreover, you can also use jojoba oil to treat pimples. This oil has an effective bacteria-killing power.
| Expert’s Tip: Before applying a topical cream, test if it causes any allergic reaction to your skin. |
How to Prevent the Pimple in Ear?
Here are some preventive measures that you can follow to avoid suffering from ear pimples:
- Ensure your face, ears, and neck are clear enough and don’t produce excess oils.
- Dry your ears carefully after the bath. Specifically, you should be extra careful when you’re in a swimming pool or sea.
- You can choose a pH-balancing cleanser instead of traditional soap.
- Always use a clean headset or earbuds. Also, sanitise your phone properly.
- Furthermore, you should avoid junk foods and unhealthy diets if you are prone to pimples and acne.
Conclusion
Ear pimples are no different from other pimples and you can try the general pimple solution and home remedies to resolve this issue. Also, take note of the preventive measures that you can follow to ensure the pimple doesn’t appear in the first place.
