Blackheads in the ears cannot be ignored as they make the ears appear ugly and dirty. Spots and freckles in your earlobes detract from your beauty and charm.
Before we proceed to blackheads removal treatments, here are some facts about the comedones in the ears:
- They are not stains or dirt that washing can remove.
- Black spots occurring in the ears indicate the presence of excess oil (sebum) in the sebaceous glands in the skin.
- It is not easy to get rid of blackheads around your ears fast; the body never tries to get rid of them until they become inflamed due to infection.
- Blackheads may gradually grow on or inside your ears; many do not develop into bumps or pimples but only black or dark spots.
- They may reappear even after their removal.
- It is possible to get rid of blackheads with regular treatments, though they might take time.
What Causes Blackheads In Ears?
“A blackhead is a wax plug in a pore made up of dead skin cells, debris, and bacteria,” says Dr. Zoe Draelos, a dermatologist in Durham, North Carolina.
They are mild acne with dark or black bumps or spots on the skin’s surface.
The hidden places in the ear lobes and canal provide ideal locations for easily clogging pores with dirt and sebum. For this reason, comedo appearing in the ear can spread and cause a severe infection.
The pimples and comedones in the ear are caused by the excess sebum (skin oil) production by the hyperactive sebaceous glands in the ears. This happens in particular to some individuals who have extra-active sebaceous glands in the ear skin.
The clogged pores of the skin develop into dark or black bumps or spots when sebum comes into direct contact with oxygen in the air.
Blackheads can form in your ears from oil and bacteria get trapped in the skin.
Sebum production in the body increases with the hormonal imbalance that happens to people during puberty, pregnancy, or menstruation.
Side effects of medications and certain types of foods can also increase the production of sebum.
Drugs that contain lithium or androgens can also cause black comedy in your ears.
Poor hygiene and dehydration can lead to blackheads forming inside or outside the ears.
People with thyroid problems, anemia, and chronic constipation are also more likely to get blackheads in their ears.
How To Get Rid of Blackheads In Your Ear
Here are the best ways to remove blackheads, pimples, and zits in the ear:
1. Maintain good ear hygiene
Make sure to wash and clean the ears while in the shower. Try to rinse the ears with lukewarm water.
Use deep pore-cleansing solutions to open up the clogged pores in the ears.
Unclogging clogged skin pores can be accomplished by gently massaging or rubbing the ear with a cotton ball soaked in skin cleansing lotions.
After cleansing the skin, you can use a skin toner with glycolic acid to remove dead skin cells from the ears.
2. Use an extractor tool
The fastest way to remove blackheads from the ears is through a natural extraction procedure or using an extractor tool.
With a single comedo extraction treatment, you can instantly eliminate pain and irritation caused by inflamed blackheads in the ears. It would be best if you had the following things for it:
- ½ tsp rubbing alcohol
- benzoyl peroxide cream
- 1 cotton ball
- blackhead extractor tool
The process of treatment:
- Cleanse and exfoliate the affected area of the skin first;
- Sterilize the extractor tool by rubbing alcohol over it;
- Moderately press down the blackhead with the loop portion of the extractor tool and extract the substances blocking the pores;
- Apply benzoyl peroxide after extracting the black spots; this shrinks the pores and prevents their clogging;
- After a few days, you may repeat the comedo extraction for a second time if a few spots are still left;
- Always seek the help of someone to extract the blackheads from your ear, for it is not easy to do it yourself with precision.
3. Skin exfoliation
The accumulation of dead skin cells in the skin’s pores is one reason for blackheads. Just washing the ears is not enough to remove them.
Carefully cleaning ear lobes and auricles with a gentle exfoliant helps get rid of dead derma cells.
Lemon juice, baking soda, sugar scrub, yogurt, papaya, oatmeal, sea salt, and ground coffee are some of the best natural exfoliating agents you can use.
Using chemical peels is another option for skin exfoliation. You can find several chemical peels containing ingredients like salicylic acid, glycolic acid, lactic acid, fruit enzymes, tartaric acid, malic acid, TCA (trichloroacetic acid), and carbolic acid.
4. Acne medication
Benzoyl peroxide is the most commonly used OTC product for getting rid of ear blackheads. Ensure that the ointment you use does not contain more than 10 percent benzoyl peroxide.
Other prescription topical medicines are made of ingredients such as salicylic acid, alpha-hydroxy acids, or sulfur.
Dabbing a small amount of sulfur solution on blackheads can quickly suppress the bacteria that cause infection and breakouts.
Simple Natural Remedies For Blackheads Removal
Blackheads on the ears are not a serious concern, but they make you look unpleasant and ugly. Inflammation in the affected location can also cause pain, breakouts, and irritation.
If you do not treat them on time, they might spread to other parts of your body, like the neck, chin, and forehead.
The ear is a delicate and important organ in our body. Using chemical-rich medicines on the ear can adversely affect the ear’s functional capacity.
As far as you can, use natural solutions to manage and remove the blackheads in the ears.
Here are some of the best natural remedies that you can use:
1. Lemon juice
Lemon juice contains citric acid, a natural alpha hydroxy acid that works well to remove blackheads. The citric acid in lemons exfoliates the skin and unplugs blocked pores.
The citric acid in lemon juice also effectively eliminates the bacteria that give rise to black or whiteheads.
How to use: Squeeze the lemon juice from half a lemon into a small bowl and add half a teaspoon of water to dilute the juice. Apply the diluted lemon juice to the blackheads with a cotton ball. After 15 minutes, you can rinse the ear to remove the application.
Alternatively, mix 5 drops of lemon juice and half a teaspoon of warm milk. Apply the solution to the blackhead-affected area of the ear. You can rinse off the application after 15 minutes.
Use the lemon juice treatment three times a day until the blackheads are gone.
2. Tea tree oil
Tea tree oil is a fantastic option for removing acne-related problems on the ears and skin.
This essential oil contains disinfecting and soothing properties that reduce spotted pimples. This oil’s antibacterial properties, especially the terpenes, effectively heal them. Some dermatologists have been praising and recommending terpenes for their amazing antibacterial and soothing powers.
One of the studies conducted by the Australasian College of Dermatologists found that study subjects who used the face wash containing tea tree oil significantly improved mild to moderate acne after 2-3 months of consistent use.
It is easy to administer tea tree oil treatments for acne.
How to use: Add 5 drops of tea tree oil to an equal amount of olive oil and apply the blended oil to the acne-affected areas of the ear with a cotton ball; repeat the treatment twice a day.
Do not apply the tea tree oil to the skin without diluting it with suitable carrier oils.
3. Baking soda scrub
Baking soda is a mild exfoliant that helps unclog pores and balance pH levels.
It is excellent for making blackheads disappear.
How to use: You can use a paste made from baking soda and water as a blackhead treatment. Leave it on the ear for 10 minutes before washing it off.
Repeat this process once a day until the black spots disappear completely.
4. Warm compress
Once a day, apply a warm compress over the acne-affected area on the ear.
Ensure that the water’s temperature is bearable for the delicate skin of the ear.
Warm compresses help to loosen impurities trapped in the skin’s pores.
How to use: Soak a clean washcloth in warm water; gently apply it to the ear after squeezing out the excess water. Gently rub the warm, wet washcloth over the acne-affected area for five minutes. You can do the compression once a day.
This treatment is more effective if done before the baking soda scrub.
5. Alcohol treatment
Alcohol treatment is an effective solution to your query on how to get rid of blackheads in your ear.
Putting alcohol on the acne part of the ear helps kill the bacteria faster.
How to use: Take about 10 ml of alcohol in a bowl; soak a cotton ball. Apply the alcohol to the affected areas with the cotton ball.
Leave the application on the ear overnight or rinse it off after an hour.
Repeat this treatment once a day to remove the blackheads quickly.
6. Sugar scrub
Sugar scrub is beneficial for clearing clogged pores by removing dirt and dead cells in the skin. Opening up the closed pores leads to the removal of bacteria. Sugar scrubs work well for preventing and curing all types of zits.
How to use: Take two tablespoons of table sugar in a bowl and add a few drops of lemon juice and lavender essential oil to the sugar. Let the sugar dissolve to become a thick paste.
Apply the sugar paste on the ear, especially over the acne-affected area.
You can rinse off the application with warm water after 30 minutes.
Repeat the treatment once a day to get fast results.
7. Mask made of egg whites
Using egg whites is one of the traditional treatments for fighting all types of acne.
It is one of the cheapest and easiest remedies for blackheads that you can do at home.
The egg white mask treatment peels away the dead skin cells and the dirt that block the skin pores.
How to use: Extract the egg white from the country hen’s egg into a bowl. Use a cotton ball or soft skin brush to apply a thick layer of egg-white mask on the acne-affected area of the ear.
Let the coating of egg white on the ear gradually dry up. After 10 minutes, you can gently peel off the mask.
Repeat the egg white mask treatment once a day till the blackheads are gone.
8. Honey and cinnamon
A blend of honey and cinnamon powder works amazingly well for stopping pustules.
Cinnamon and honey’s powerful anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties act fast.
Manuka honey is your best bet for medicinal use. Also, try to get the particular type of cinnamon called Cinnamomum zeylanicum, or “true cinnamon.”
How to use: Mix the two ingredients and place them in the microwave for 30 seconds at a moderate temperature for proper blending. For applying on the ear, you need one teaspoon each of honey and cinnamon powder.
Apply the honey-cinnamon mixture to the blackhead-infected area of the ear. You can rinse off the application after 30 minutes with lukewarm water. Repeat the treatment once a day till your acne problem is fully solved.
9. Apple cider vinegar
Apple cider vinegar is highly acidic; it contains about 5% acetic acid by volume. Acetic acid is an alpha-hydroxy acid, one of the ingredients usually found in prescription medicines for acne.
ACV breaks down the tough buildup that blocks the skin pores and balances the pH in the body to stop the breakout of spotted acne.
How to use: Apply the ACV to the affected skin on the ear with a cotton ball. Rinse the ear only after 15 minutes of the treatment.
Repeat the treatment twice daily until you eliminate all the blackheads on the ear. ACV can also be used as a daily skin toner for healing and preventing all types of zits problems on the skin.
10. Oatmeal mask
An oatmeal mask is a commonly used treatment for skin exfoliation.
It works as a gentle natural cleanser and exfoliant, loosening clogged skin pores. Oatmeal is also rich in powerful antioxidants and has anti-inflammatory properties for removing blackheads.
How to use: Make a mixture of uncooked oatmeal and low-fat yogurt; add 2 tablespoons of yogurt and 1 ½ tablespoons of oatmeal; also add a few drops of lemon juice and olive oil.
Apply the mixture on the ear and other areas of skin with blackheads. Smooth the mixture over your skin and leave it for 5 to 7 minutes before rinsing.
How To Prevent Blackheads From Forming
Here are a few more useful tips for keeping blackheads at bay:
- Wash and remove earwax regularly to keep your ears clean.
- Ensure ear exfoliation once a week to prevent the pores from clogging.
- Never touch or scratch the zits with unclean hands.
- Clean objects that touch your ears such as pillowcases, headphones, and earbuds.
- Keep your outer ears clean and free of excess oil, dust, and dirt; use a gentle moisturizer if you have dry skin on the outer or inner ear;
- Wash your ears daily with acne-reducing skin toners.
- Clean your ears daily with a soft cloth or cotton ball.
- Avoid squeezing, scratching, picking, or rubbing your ears.
- Never use chemical or oil-rich skin toners and cosmetics on the ears;
- Eat healthy diets good for skin health.
- Drink enough water daily to keep your skin hydrated.
Should You Pop Blackheads
All dermatologists are vehemently against the idea of popping blackheads or whiteheads on ears.
Popping the pimple bumps can lead to the spread of acne-causing bacteria to other areas of your skin.
Blackheads, zits, and pimples in the ear can be quickly removed using benzoyl peroxide or other natural remedies discussed above.
Keeping your ears clean and well-moistened is key to preventing and speeding up the healing of acne.
Instead of popping the blackheads, use an acne lotion with astringent properties like salicylic acid to open up the skin pores and clear the comedo.
If you are determined to pop the blackheads, here are 3 mild and gentle methods of blackheads popping you can try:
- Wrap your fingers in unscented tissue. With one finger holding the skin close to the blemish, use the other to push against the opposite side. This method should be used only on highly inflamed blackheads with lots of puss formation.
- Apply an exfoliating enzyme peel on the blackheads and cover them with a hot, wet towel. After 3 minutes, clean off the product in a massaging motion.
- Cover the blackheads with a lotion made with zinc oxide and bust them with a clay mask.
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