Discover my current regimen (since August 2015) more info

Seborrheic Dermatitis Ear Treatment and Diagnosis Guide

This article examines seborrheic dermatitis effecting the ears.

Discussion includes:

  • An introduction to seborrheic dermatitis (what causes it and why some of us are more susceptible than others)
  • It’s unique characteristics in and around the ears
  • A thorough review of proven treatments (both conventional and natural/holistic)

For the most part, every attempt is made to stick to findings and treatments with substantial scientific evidence (references available). However, some reader suggested tips are also included for a more complete picture.

By the time your done reading you should know:

  • What malassezia yeast have to do with seborrheic dermatitis
  • Why the ears are so prone to seborrheic dermatitis symptoms
  • Why anti-fungal medication is still the most common treatment approach
  • Why focusing on the skin barrier may be the way forward
  • What natural treatments have gained the most popularity

You’re likely to have some questions along the way. In this case, feel free to use the comments section as you see fit; will try my best to follow-up in a timely manner.

Brief Introduction to Seborrheic Dermatitis

For the most part, seborrheic dermatitis is a considered to be a chronic skin condition that is caused by the Malassezia yeast.

The Malassezia are lipid-dependent yeast which are present on the skin of almost all humans [1]. For most people, these yeasts cause absolutely no issues, but in certain susceptible individuals, they are believed to trigger various skin symptoms and conditions; one of which is seborrheic dermatitis [2, 3].

Though seborrheic dermatitis has long been considered to be caused by malassezia, more recent evidence reveals the relationship is a bit more complex. At this time, the following is the best explanation we have:

  • Increased malassezia -> irritant by-products -> skin barrier damage -> irritation & symptoms

Apart from the Malassezia, other factors have also been put forward by researchers:

  • Altered-immune response – reduced T-helper cell numbers [4]
  • Difference in malassezia activity – in individuals affected by seborrheic dermatitis, they produce select skin irritants which are not seen in non-affected individuals [5]
  • Abnormal oxidative stress – a relationship between the oxidative stress index and seborrheic dermatitis severity has been noted [6, 7]
  • Nutritional status – lowered vitamin E levels and abnormal fatty acid balance [8]
  • Shift in overall skin microbiota – recent evidence suggests that the bacterial flora of the skin has a more direct relationship to seborrheic dermatitis than malassezia [9, 10, 11]

But really, this is just the tip of the iceberg.

Unique Characteristics of Seborrheic Dermatitis of the Ears

While seborrheic dermatitis can affect various areas of skin, it’s important to understand what makes skin issues unique (particularly if your issues are isolated here). To understanding the nuances, you become better aware of how you should approach treatment.

Why Seborrheic Dermatitis Affects the Ears

The skin environment differs throughout the body; some areas are moist, others are dry, and a select few are oily. The ears fall into the oily category. Here the number of sebaceous glands is fairly high ad the skin depends on a lipid-rich environment for adequate protection from the outside environment.

Since Malassezia yeast thrive in such a lipid-rich environment, the ears become a susceptible area. And chances are, that if your ears are affected, so is your scalp, nasal region, eyebrows, forehead, chin, and even possibly your lower back.

Severe Cases – Issues with Treatment Towards the Ear Canal

Seborrheic dermatitis can differ in severity. In some cases, seborrheic dermatitis symptoms can affect the area of skin deeper into the ear (towards the ear canal). In such cases, it’s best to seek medical attention, as many treatments discussed here may not be appropriate.

If you’ve tried everything that the medical professional has suggested and are still not seeing any progress, make plans to seek the opinion of other medical professionals in your area. Getting a second, third, fourth, and even fifth opinion can help improve the accuracy of diagnosis and increase your chances for treatment success.

Medicated Treatments

Medicated treatments usually rely on an active anti-fungal agent to suppress the Malassezia yeast (which is believed to be an integral part of seborrheic dermatitis symptom progression). Many of these anti-fungal agents have been around for several decades and have an impressive amount of literature to back-up their effectiveness. From personal experience, results may vary.

Anti-Fungal Shampoos

Most Popular Dandruff Shampoos

Shampoos are meant for the head, however, this hasn’t kept people from using them elsewhere. I’ve even been recommended to use head and shoulders on my face by a dermatologist (to control facial seborrheic dermatitis).

To use an anti-dandruff shampoo or conditioner for seborrheic dermatitis in your ears, simply apply a pea-sized amount to the ear. Once applied, leave it on for 3-5 minutes and rinse off with water. Simple as that.

Common Anti-Dandruff Shampoos

The most commonly used shampoos for seborrheic dermatitis are:

  • Head and Shoulders (zinc pyrithione)
  • Neutrogena T-Gel (coal tar)
  • Nizoral (ketoconazole)
  • Selsun Blue (selenium sulfide)
  • JASON Natural Dandruff Relief (sulfur + salicylic acid)

For me, I’ve found that anti-dandruff conditioners work much better for fighting seborrheic dermatitis in the ears. Typically, conditioners are more moisturizing then shampoos. Since your not really aiming to clean your ear, but simply to control seborrheic dermatitis, this seems to be a good alternative.

My experience with using anti-fungal shampoos has been very positive, especially, for the ears. It seems that the skin inside the ear is much less sensitive than regular facial skin. Using anti-fungal shampoos or conditioners on my facial skin would often leave it feeling unhealthy and overly bare. However, inside and behind the ears, this was not a problem. Though with time, I decided to steer away from all the commercial anti-fungal products. My opinion is that symbiosis is the way to go.

Further Reading
The Top 7 Essential Seborrheic Dermatitis Shampoos [Updated Feb 2020] article reviews the most common anti-fungal shampoos used today. The article lists them by active ingredient and the comments section provides additional perspective.

Anti-Fungal Creams, Lotions, and Soaps

Anti Fungal Cream for Ears

There are products currently on the market that contain the same active ingredients discussed in the shampoo section above. However, these products come in the form of creams, lotions, or sprays aimed at other areas of the body. The directions for each cream should be listed on the packaging.

Most Common Anti-Fungal Products

Here are the most popular products available (most of which, I’ve personally tried):

  • Noble Formula Zinc Cream (zinc pyrithione) – tried this
  • DermaZinc Cream (zinc pyrithione)
  • Noble Formula Bar Soap (zinc pyrithione) – tried this
  • DermaZinc Soap (zinc pyrithione)
  • SAL3 Cleansing Bar (sulfur + salicylic acid) – tried this
  • MG217 Medicated Tar (coal tar)
  • Soap Works Coal Tar Bar Soap (coal tar)

In addition to this list, people have reported using jock itch creams. Plus, there are also many prescription anti-fungal creams available. For these, simply talk your doctor.

My experience with many of these products has been the same as with the anti-fungal shampoos. Overall they worked really well for controlling seborrheic dermatitis in the ears.

The biggest benefit was that they were designed for general use (as compared to shampoos). The creams and lotions were much more suited for applying and leaving on. However, some products were far too greasy for my liking. In the end, I just didn’t feel like this category of products was a good long-term solution for me.

Nystatin – Anti-fungal Cream

Nystatin is the first commercial anti-fungal agent [12]. It has been shown to be effective at suppressing malassezia yeast, but its use declined as nystatin resistant malassezia strains were identified [3].

Nonetheless, a long-term community member by the name of Joakim emailed me his method and described that nystatin worked when other options failed. Since then, various other readers have also confirmed this in the comments section of that article.

In most countries, nystatin is available only through prescription. It is a well documented and widely used anti-fungal agent.

Natural Treatments

This section includes some possible natural treatments worth trying. The biggest downside is the majority of natural treatments are based primarily on anecdotal evidence and/or limited medical findings. Nonetheless, natural approaches will always have their place and many people naturally lean towards them (including myself).

Apple Cider Vinegar

Apple Cider Vinegar in a small bowl

One of the most popular natural treatments for seborrheic dermatitis in the ears is apple cider vinegar. From my research, it seems that the main constituent responsible for this is the malic acid. Anecdotal reports suggest malic acid can control various yeasts and fungi. But further investigation reveals it may be the pH-lowering effects that provide the symptom relief [13].

How to Use Apple Cider Vinegar In and Behind the Ears

To use apple cider vinegar for the ears simply mix it with water using a 1 to 1 ratio. Once mixed, use a cotton cloth-pad to wipe and cleanse the ears with this mixture. It’s typically recommended to leave the apple cider vinegar on the skin for 10-15 minutes. This allows it to really soak in and do its job.

When first starting out, it’s a good idea to try with a small area of skin and see how it reacts. Another thing you can do is start with a small concentration. Once your skin adapts, gradually increase the concentration to a more desirable one.

Some people swear by using pure apple cider vinegar without diluting it. This is especially a good option for the ears as the skin is typically less sensitive. However, pure apple cider vinegar tends to be quite strong, especially, if your skin is not yet used to the acidity. Again it’s probably a good idea to start off slow and build up to using it pure.

Further Reading
For a more in-depth analysis of the apple cider vinegar check out my post dedicated to it.

Tea Tree Oil

10ml vial of tea tree oil - essential oil

One of the most famous essential oils out there. A quick peek through the natural beauty care section at the supermarket will uncover a wide variety of tea tree based anti-dandruff shampoos. Clearly, this method has some weight behind it.

Tea tree oil is an essential oil extracted from the leaves of the narrow-leaved paperbark tree. The oil has been shown to have diverse antimicrobial properties. The reason why it has been shown to help with seborrheic dermatitis is that it can destroy the Malassezia yeast which is believed to cause it [14].

How to Use Tea Tree Oil

The tea tree oil alone is quite strong and can easily irritate the skin. The most common method to use tea tree oil is mixing it with a carrier oil. A carrier oil basically dilutes the tea tree oil, making it suitable for topical application. The most popular carrier oils are coconut oil, olive oil, and hemp seed oil. A concentration of about 5 drops of tea tree oil per teaspoon of carrier oil is the most common. However, I’ve found this number to vary from person to person.

Once you have mixed up a tea tree oil solution, simply dab it on the effect skin on your ears. Leave this mixture on and allow to soak in for maximal effectiveness. Some people prefer to wash it off, while others leave it on.

Further Reading
For a more detailed analysis of tea tree oil for seborrheic dermatitis, you can see my previous post here.

Raw (Crude) Honey

Raw Honey for Seborrheic Dermatitis in Ears

Raw honey is another extremely popular natural remedy for seborrheic dermatitis. And much of this popularity is most likely related to a small scale 2001 study that actually demonstrated and documented its effectiveness [15].

Further Reading
Raw honey has been discussed in great detail in a previous article, but here I’m discussing it’s used specifically for seborrheic dermatitis in the ears and behind the ears.

How to Use Raw (Crude) Honey for the Ears

The most common way to use raw honey to fight seborrheic dermatitis is by mixing with equal parts water. This mixture is then applied to the skin, left to do its thing for ~3 hours, and then rinsed off with water.

For me, it wasn’t really a workable approach for the ears. I found that I often forget about the honey and would sticky up my phone. So instead I would just wash the ears with the honey and simply rinse off right away. If I was having a shower, I’d apply it beforehand and rinse off towards the end of the shower.

Overall I felt like this was quite an effective solution. However, I haven’t used this method for quite a while simply because the method I go over next, has been easier.

Dietary Changes – Avoiding Certain Foods

Avoiding Gluten for Seborrheic Dermatitis

This specific seborrheic dermatitis treatment approach has quite a large number of variables, making it hard to pinpoint any specific foods that can cause seborrheic dermatitis.

Everyone’s genetics are different. People from different parts of the world grow up on different diets. From my point of view, the biggest mistake people make is believing many of the myths going around the internet.

For the longest period of time, I was convinced that gluten was the cause of my seborrheic dermatitis. After attempting to go gluten free for almost a whole year, I came to the conclusion that it definitely was not the cause of my issues. Additionally, I found it a huge struggle to avoid products containing gluten.

Commonly Discussed Items – Everybody is Different!

The experiences of people all over the internet do point to a few key dietary irritants that keep coming up. These are dairy, gluten, fruit, and night-shades. However, I really believe that specifically outlined foods like this can lead to issues.

The best thing to do is simply keep a log book. Stop trying to over-think things. Listen to your body and see what it’s telling you and not what others on the people are telling you. Perhaps by learning to listen to your body, you will also get rid of that pesky seborrheic dermatitis in your ears.

Alternate Approaches

This section discusses two other approaches that I’ve personally used and have found helpful. Both approaches have gained a substantial following on this website and their respective posts have long comment threads with additional discussion that readers may find useful.

Barrier Repair

Treatments aiming to improve the skin’s own barrier are usually not mentioned in the medical texts on the subject. However, since a major component of seborrheic dermatitis is directly related to abnormal barrier function [16], this treatment approach surely deserves more attention.

For starters, reducing the number of irritants can be helpful and switching to a more gentle skin cleansing regimen is recommended.

Some general tips include:

  • Switch from soaps to gentle cleansers designed for sensitive skin
  • Reduce the frequency of skin washing
  • Stick to cold water
  • Avoid touching/scratching the skin

Generally, once you’ve reduced external irritation (in the case of seborrheic dermatitis, mainly attributed to the malassezia yeasts), your skin should slowly begin to stabilize. But further external assistance can be helpful and reduce recovery time.

This is where barrier repair formulations come-in. Barrier repair formulations come in a variety of options (creams, lotions, ointments), but all have one primary goal in mind: to reduce moisture loss and reduce skin sensitivity.

Though focusing on barrier stability (as opposed to reducing malassezia activity) is not an official recognized approach. Some recent case studies suggest that it may hold significant potential moving forward [17, 18].

Author's Experience
Focusing on barrier repair and stability provided the best outcome in my individual case. While antifungals were quick to act, this approach provided more stable progress.

Discover what you can do to repair a damaged skin barrier
The 8 Components of Healthy Skin - Improving Barrier Function
 Cover Photo

Skin Lipid Augmentation

As discussed at the beginning of this article, malassezia yeast depend on lipids as a food source. However, some specific lipids have shown to suppress malassezia activity [19].

A potential future direction for seborrheic dermatitis treatment would be to augment/modify the sebums lipid composition in a way that reduces malassezia activity while also improving skin barrier function. In theory, such a one-two approach could drive quick results and be well tolerated.

Authors History with Seborrheic Dermatitis in the Ears

Initially, my seborrheic dermatitis started on my scalp. This was long before I knew that it was even called seborrheic dermatitis. At that time I simply thought its name was dandruff (which technically is seborrheic dermatitis of the scalp). Then one day I noticed a strange irritation on the inside of my nasal folds.

Long story short, this irritation spread and spread. The dermatologist prescribed anti-biotic and anti-fungal creams did little to stop the spreading. It’s not that they didn’t work, it’s just that they either worked only initially or were not suitable for long-term use. About a year later I had a real problem on my hands. My facial skin was splotchy, inflamed, and covered in flaky patches.

Fast forward 3 years and countless hours of researching seborrheic dermatitis, I now have things under control. At least, for the most part. The area which has kind of stuck around, lingering in the back, has been my ears. However, seborrheic dermatitis in my ears now is different. It’s much milder and the skin doesn’t appear to be damaged. The only real issue is that flaking sometimes still occurs inside the ear. Luckily it’s not overly noticeable.

This article is essentially a review of many of the treatment options that I’ve attempted during my time dealing with seborrheic dermatitis. While I do try my best to keep the post up to date with new information that comes my way, the most active section of the websit remains the SD owner’s manual, which is my attempt to gather everything in one place.

Review of Treatments Discussed

As you can probably tell by now, there are quite a lot of options for treating seborrheic dermatitis in the ears. Depending on your preferences, some may prefer a more natural approach while others are solely interested in the treatment effectiveness.

Medical treatments include:

  • Anti-dandruff shampoos
  • Anti-dandruff conditioners
  • Anti-fungal soap
  • Anti-fungal creams

Anti-fungals currently approved by the FDA for seborrheic dermatitis treatment are:

  • Pyrithione zinc – 0.3 to 2% in wash-off formulas
  • Pyrithione zinc – 0.1 to 0.25% in leave-on products
  • Salicylic acid – 1.8 to 3%
  • Selenium sulfide – 1%
  • Sulfur – 2 to 5%
  • Coal Tar – 0.5 to 5%

Natural treatments include:

  • Apple cider vinegar
  • Tea tree oil
  • Raw honey

Alternate approaches to consider:

  • Barrier repair
  • Skin lipid augmentation

Whatever approach you decide to take, it’s easy to forget the importance of correct diagnosis. Without a correct diagnosis, your efforts are unlikely to prove worthwhile. Different skin conditions often require completely different approaches.

Summary and Conclusion

This article was an attempt to provide a comprehensive review of why some of us are unfortunate to experience seborrheic dermatitis on the ears and possible ways we can deal with it.

Key points include:

  1. Seborrheic dermatitis is believed to be caused by an immune response to the by-products of the malassezia yeast which reside on the skin’s surface
  2. The ears are commonly affected because they are a lipid-rich area of skin, resulting in an increased presence of malassezia
  3. Medicated antifungal formulations are the primary treatment approach and a wide variety of over the counter options exists
  4. While shampoos are designed for scalp use, their excellent availability make them a popular treatment choice
  5. Anti-fungal products such as soaps and creams are also available, but typically need to be purchased online or with a prescription
  6. Commonly mentioned natural treatments include raw honey, tea tree oil, and apple cider vinegar; but clinical research remains limited
  7. Potential future treatments may focus more on barrier repair and specific augmentation of sebum composition to drive most sustained outcomes

In the end, hopefully, you found the information in this article relevant and useful. Most importantly, perhaps you may benefit from one of the treatment options presented and your seborrheic dermatitis issues become a thing of the past.

If you have any questions or want to share your own approach to seborrheic dermatitis ear treatment, feel free to drop a comment below.

95% of readers found this article helpful

References

  1. David M Underhill, Iliyan D Iliev "The mycobiota: interactions between commensal fungi and the host immune system." Nature reviews. Immunology 14.6 (2014): 405-16. PubMed
  2. Yuping Ran, Xiaodan He, Hao Zhang, Yaling Dai, Lina Li, G S Bulmer "Seborrheic dermatitis flare in a Dutch male due to commensal Malassezia furfur overgrowth." Medical mycology 46.6 (2009): 611-4. PubMed
  3. R J Hay "Malassezia, dandruff and seborrhoeic dermatitis: an overview." The British journal of dermatology 165 Suppl 2 (2012): 2-8. PubMed
  4. Luis J Borda, Tongyu C Wikramanayake "Seborrheic Dermatitis and Dandruff: A Comprehensive Review." Journal of clinical and investigative dermatology 3.2 (2017). PubMed
  5. George Gaitanis, Prokopios Magiatis, Konstantina Stathopoulou, Ioannis D Bassukas, Evangelos C Alexopoulos, Aristea Velegraki, Alexios-Leandros Skaltsounis "AhR ligands, malassezin, and indolo[3,2-b]carbazole are selectively produced by Malassezia furfur strains isolated from seborrheic dermatitis." The Journal of investigative dermatology 128.7 (2008): 1620-5. PubMed
  6. Selma Emre, Ahmet Metin, Duriye Deniz Demirseren, Gulsen Akoglu, Aynure Oztekin, Salim Neselioglu, Ozcan Erel "The association of oxidative stress and disease activity in seborrheic dermatitis." Archives of dermatological research 304.9 (2013): 683-7. PubMed
  7. Perihan Ozturk, Ozer Arican, Ergul Belge Kurutas, Tugba Karakas, Betul Kabakci "Oxidative stress in patients with scalp seborrheic dermatitis." Acta dermatovenerologica Croatica : ADC 21.2 (2014): 80-5. PubMed
  8. S Passi, A Morrone, C De Luca, M Picardo, F Ippolito "Blood levels of vitamin E, polyunsaturated fatty acids of phospholipids, lipoperoxides and glutathione peroxidase in patients affected with seborrheic dermatitis." Journal of dermatological science 2.3 (1991): 171-8. PubMed
  9. Zhijue Xu, Zongxiu Wang, Chao Yuan, Xiaoping Liu, Fang Yang, Ting Wang, Junling Wang, Kenji Manabe, Ou Qin, Xuemin Wang, Yan Zhang, Menghui Zhang "Dandruff is associated with the conjoined interactions between host and microorganisms." Scientific reports 6 (2016): 24877. PubMed
  10. Taehun Park, Hye-Jin Kim, Nu Ri Myeong, Hyun Gee Lee, Ilyoung Kwack, Johnhwan Lee, Beom Joon Kim, Woo Jun Sul, Susun An "Collapse of human scalp microbiome network in dandruff and seborrhoeic dermatitis." Experimental dermatology 26.9 (2018): 835-838. PubMed
  11. Luciana Campos Paulino "New perspectives on dandruff and seborrheic dermatitis: lessons we learned from bacterial and fungal skin microbiota." European journal of dermatology : EJD 27.S1 (2018): 4-7. PubMed
  12. E L HAZEN, R BROWN "Fungicidin, an antibiotic produced by a soil actinomycete." Proceedings of the Society for Experimental Biology and Medicine. Society for Experimental Biology and Medicine (New York, N.Y.) 76.1 (2004): 93-7. PubMed
  13. C Selander, A Zargari, R Mufllby, O Rasool, A Scheynius "Higher pH level, corresponding to that on the skin of patients with atopic eczema, stimulates the release of Malassezia sympodialis allergens." Allergy 61.8 (2006): 1002-8. PubMed
  14. K A Hammer, C F Carson, T V Riley "In vitro activities of ketoconazole, econazole, miconazole, and Melaleuca alternifolia (tea tree) oil against Malassezia species." Antimicrobial agents and chemotherapy 44.2 (2000): 467-9. PubMed
  15. N S Al-Waili "Therapeutic and prophylactic effects of crude honey on chronic seborrheic dermatitis and dandruff." European journal of medical research 6.7 (2001): 306-8. PubMed
  16. Yvonne M DeAngelis, Christina M Gemmer, Joseph R Kaczvinsky, Dianna C Kenneally, James R Schwartz, Thomas L Dawson "Three etiologic facets of dandruff and seborrheic dermatitis: Malassezia fungi, sebaceous lipids, and individual sensitivity." The journal of investigative dermatology. Symposium proceedings / the Society for Investigative Dermatology, Inc. [and] European Society for Dermatological Research 10.3 (2005): 295-7. PubMed
  17. Marie Lodén "Role of topical emollients and moisturizers in the treatment of dry skin barrier disorders." American journal of clinical dermatology 4.11 (2004): 771-88. PubMed
  18. Schandra Purnamawati, Niken Indrastuti, Retno Danarti, Tatan Saefudin "The Role of Moisturizers in Addressing Various Kinds of Dermatitis: A Review." Clinical medicine & research 15.3-4 (2018): 75-87. PubMed
  19. C Papavassilis, K K Mach, P A Mayser "Medium-chain triglycerides inhibit growth of Malassezia: implications for prevention of systemic infection." Critical care medicine 27.9 (1999): 1781-6. PubMed
Last Updated:
in Seborrheic Dermatitis   25

About Michael Anders

After being affected by seborrheic dermatitis, I have made it my goal to gather and organize all the information that has helped me in my journey.

Notable Community Replies

  1. Dear,
    Can I use lemon juice as ascorbic acid source instead of lab made ascorbic acid?

    Reply Permalink
  2. Hi Akbar,
    You can potentially give it a try. Personally, I didn’t have any luck with lemons.
    The acidity of the citric acid was too strong for my skin.

    Reply Permalink
  3. I have had Seborrhric Dermatitis for years on my scalp. The only thing that helped and of recent use is Mystatin, it is gone for now for the first time in three years. I have it in my ears, it feel like it is in deep, I have a Doctor appointment Thursday I was told that Mystatin can thin the skin? So don’t want to over do it. My ears feel plugged up at times daily, itch a little and the skin has little flakes, once in a while I will get a sharp pains, which I feel may be an infection inside of my ears? I am going to use the vinegar/water wipe for now until I go to the doctor Thursday. My dog has been itching his ear for a week, took him to the Vet today, he has the same problem inside of his one ear !! Is it contageous? He likes to sleep on my head when I am sleeping soundly before I can get him off. It is caused by the same name as Seborrheic Dermatitis on the scalp is. He is starting on medication for it today. If his medication does not work ,I will use my Nystatin on him. I will see what the Doctor wants me to do before I use it in my ears, but if no results, then I will use it in mine too. If I can find my way back here I will let you know what my Ear,nose specialist Doctor said. Arlene

    Reply Permalink
  4. Thank you so much for such a comprehensive and in depth list of treatment options. I have been suffering for years from seborrheic dermatitis in my left ear canal. I’m a swimmer and since my left ear does not produce wax it is frequently exposed to harsh chemicals. I can’t tell you how many ENT appointments I’ve had about this issue only to be left hanging and without a definitive answer as to what was causing the maddening itching and subsequent pain and what to do about it. I was prescribed aural antibiotics sometimes for an entire year which only worsened my condition. Finally, my primary doctor told me that what I had was dermatitis.

    On another note, one thing I tried and that seems to work when the itching becomes unbearable is Benadryl or Claritin at bed time. Any thoughts on allergy pills?

    Reply Permalink
  5. I just got diagnosed with dermatitis in ear. 15 yrs. of swollen lymph node, ringing, itching, 15 drs., Cipro drops, antibiotics, steroids, ear flushings!! that sucked out yucky stuff, even bought one of those Elephant squirt bottles so hubby could flush out all the junk. Now I’m told to NEVER do that, to keep my ear as dry as possible with vaseline and cotton balls, get on a regimen of oils to balance it all out after l0 days of CiproDex drops. Oh wow.

    Reply Permalink
  6. Hi Arlene, I was just curious what your doctor said at your appt? I have the same thi has you described

    Reply Permalink
  7. nuno says:

    I have lived most of my life with seborrheic dermatitis in several parts of my body on and off, scalp, chest, around nose, around mouth, ears, and what helped for me was shower every day or every other day from cylinder heated water instead of boiler heated water, and sun bathing.

    Reply Permalink
  8. honey says:

    Hi,
    Thank you for great post. I noticed flakes on my head couple of days back. I hate any thing in my head :-(! checked internet and found this Nutrogina T seal shampoo. I used it just today, and found the flakes are reducing. Thank God!
    Couple of days back I started noticing bumps inside my ear like flakes, scratching it, peals it off, yewww!!! hate it…
    Could you please assist me using honey in my ear would help?

    Reply Permalink
  9. Tried everything to ease symptoms of seborrheic dermatitis. Nothing worked. Then I started saturating area in hair and behind ears with hair conditioner. I used aloe based L’Bri conditioner. Left this on for 5-10 minutes, then shampooed hair with dandruff shampoo. Rinsed hair very thoroughly, before drying hair, I applied a generous amount of Vaseline Intensive care lotion to scalp, ears and behind ears, then blow dried my hair as usual. I applied organic salve(Badger Balm) to ears and behind ears. At night I apply lotion to scalp and ears, let dry, then apply Badger Balm again. Been doing this for one week, the itching has almost completely stopped. The flakey scaling is gone except a small patch on one ear. Hope this might work for someone else. Going to continue this until all symptoms have been gone for at least two weeks. Then will start again as soon as any symptoms return. No more discharge. No more scales, no more itching!

    Reply Permalink
  10. I too am a swimmer and just diagnosed withthis. Im sure the chlorine is part of the problem. Im on doxycycline and Ketoconozole cream. My skin burns like heck.

    Reply Permalink
  11. I enjoyed your comities and experience. I am having problems . I love the yams and squash. thanks for all the info

    Reply Permalink
  12. My daughter loves Foderma serum as helps with her eczema. I haven’t seen the results I was hoping with my stubborn eczema but won’t blame the product–no prescriptions work either to cure/clear up my eczema.

    Reply Permalink
  13. Thanks so much for this…the itch is drivng me mad. The doctor gave me steroid cream but that makes hardly any difference to ears or face. I am off to buy some head and shoulders conditioner to try.

    Reply Permalink
  14. kat says:

    I have had a skin disorder since 2012 after a series of immunizations that I had to have to go to Africa. It first started on my arms where I would break out into little tune blisters that would itch and then scab over and then itch more. Then it spread to my back. Now since 2014 I have had the ear thing that you speak of above. I have tried every doc and every cream for the maddening itch, scaling, peeling, and leaking fluid from my ears. I look forward to trying these remedies. I have also thought that maybe it was a yeast infection in the ears instead of a fungus of sorts. What do you think?

    Reply Permalink
  15. I finally found a wonderful, instantly effective treatment: Betamethasone Valerate (creme or ointment) .01% , by prescription.

    Reply Permalink
  16. My daughter had struggled with eczema since she was a baby. She scratches so bad at her skin. We have used steroid creams, dermatologists and the usual triamcinolone. I decided to go the natural route and use the Made from Earth Pure Aloe Skin Treatment. This product has worked wonders and we only had it a few days.

    With the Made from Earth Aloe Treatment, I saw saw results super fast and its not toxic like the steroid creams the dermatologist gave us which did not work!

    Reply Permalink
  17. Hello my name is Vivian Anderson i want to give a testimony on how I got cured from Herpes Virus. Few months back I was having some symptoms . I went to see a doctor and many blood tests was done on me, later on I was told I had Herpes. My doctor told me that there’s no cure for Herpes I felt bad, I went online searching for a possible cure for Herpes Virus, I saw a post of Dr Odidi a herbal doctor that’s helping people get cured from HIV, HEPATITIS B, RINGING EAR, CANCER e.t.c. I contacted him and told him how I’m feeling he said his herbal medicine can cure me. He sent me the medicine via Courier Service and I received the medicine some days after he sent it, i took the medicine as prescribed by him. Before the completion of the medication the symptoms stopped. I went to the doctor and carried out another blood test, surprisingly I was Negative. I haven’t had any symptoms anymore. Dr.Odidi is great…You can contact him on this Email: [email protected]

    Reply Permalink
  18. steve says:

    I have this affliction on my nose, between the eyes, and in my eye brows. It has spread to my ears, and to some degree, my scalp. Avon dandruff shampoo with conditioner has really helped the scalp, but the greatest product for my nose and ears has been a product called “Dermarest”. This product is available on Amazon, is relatively inexpensive, and a little goes a long way. It really keeps my symptoms at bay! I apply it every other day. For my ears, I put a very small dab on the end of a q-tip and apply it even to the inside of my ear canal. In two days it eliminated all of the little white flaky pieces and eliminated the itchiness. Hope this will help someone.

    Reply Permalink
  19. I have found a good quality Emu Oil works. I am going to try putting some tea tree oil in it as well.

    Reply Permalink
  20. I had the same symptoms for 2 years incl clear fluid from ears that was sticky. . Went to dermatologist. He prescribed: fluocinonide 0.5%. Instant remission. I used 1 time and everything stopped overnight. I now apply twice a week maintenance. You only put it on external ear and just around opening w a qtip. It’s a liquid. Don’t put it in the ear though (even though you’ll be tempted) as if you have any openings in eardrum it can cause issues. It’ll work it’s way in on it’s own.

    Reply Permalink
  21. Have you ever just put a couple of drops of Sovereign Silver ( a colloidal silver) in your ears since it’s a natural antipathogen/antifungal? If anyone has, please answer below with how long you had to do it before it was gone for good… I’ve done it one night… all itching and flaking progress halted for up to three days, then slowly came back. Am thinking of doing it for several days, but would like to get an idea of how long first… ‘putting a cold liquid in my ears, I’m afraid of causing an ear infection as the SD in my ears has now made me prone to ear infections… However, the Colloidal silver seems to really work, so… trying to figure out if I can use it for a reasonable amount of time to permanently remedy this relatively new problem ( has been about a year).

    Reply Permalink
  22. Thank you for this. Things finally make sense after YEARS.
    One thing that immensely helped me with skin barrier restoration is a B vitamin serum. It’s the first thing in a decade that has made any marked difference. But I’ll definitely try the rest of the stuff you mention.

    Reply Permalink

Continue the discussion

Discussion participants