How Do I Clean Ears With Acne?

Acne is a fact of life for many teens and adults. None can be as painful or embarrassing as acne in the ears, which can be difficult to clean and treat without the aid of a dermatologist. There are several things a person can do to keep their ears clean and help to treat mild to moderate ear acne.

Tips for Cleaning Ears

• Clean the ear buds. Head phones can breed bacteria from being in a dark warm space (the ear) for an extended period of time. Clean the buds with a mild astringent at least once a week before returning them to the ears for musical enjoyment. This should help with the elimination of ear acne indirectly by preventing further exposure to bacteria that can infect the skin.
  Wash behind the ears. While in the shower, use a soapy sponge or washcloth to gently scrub behind the ears and tight spaces around the jaw where dead skin and bacteria may accumulate.
  Apply salicylic acne medication to a cotton swab to treat active sores in the ear directly. Do not insert the swab into the ear canal to avoid puncturing the ear drum and doing some real damage. Repeat the swabbing process twice daily, at morning and again at night. Do not lance any acne sores in the ear, as it could spread infection into the ear canal and ear drum.
  Pain in the ear persisting for longer than 5 days should be confronted with the help of a dermatologist. A doctor will able to prescribe medications that have the strength to eliminate more severe cases of ear acne.