Don’t forget sunscreen for the prettiest ears. Many skin conditions of the external ear are caused or aggravated by sun damage. Ears are one of the most UV exposed areas of our bodies and very susceptible to cancerous or precancerous changes and lesions.
The outer ear consists of the skin bearing external ear canal and the auricle. Both are of elastic cartilage with a skin dermal layer on the outer portion. There is also a dense concentration of ceruminal glands that produce wax. Thick ear wax can mask a precancerous lesion.
All skin cancers are linked to Ear Sun Exposure
One lumpy lesion caused by sun damage is light brown, mostly more flat, occasionally appears almost pockmarked lesion is seborrhoic keratosis. Other common changes to the ear lobe are granulomas and atheromas. None of the lesions convert to cancer. Actinic keratoses however progresses to cancer in 1/5 cases. Actinic keratosis appears as a rough flat plaque. Sunscreen protects against these. In a well researched summary of ear skin conditions online you can get information about cancerous and non-cancerous skin conditions.
Ears can also burn, if you don’t forget to sunscreen your ears. If the ear doesn’t burn they can dry out and get flakey patches, and they can get moles. It’s important to get sunscreen that will be protective but not greasy and irritating to the ears or surrounding scalp.
Keloid scars are mostly the result of cosmetic piercing, and occur in about 2.5% of cases of ear piercings. Newer techniques can get rid of them, and there is less sunexposure link.
In this picture the ear is very irritated and inflamed, and yet will still need sun protection. The inert compounds in powdered sunscreen such as what is available through Hada Cosmetic Medicine’s sunscreens can provide anti-aging protection which will enable protection against the ravages of the sun, and in this case, in addition to treatment, the skin can be shielded safely.
