What causes spots behind ears? Get insight about spots on neck, black, big, small, bump, acne, rash, lumps, red, and child, how to get rid.
Spots behind Ears Causes
Causes of spots include:
- Acne
Spots behind ear can develop wherever a hair follicle or pore becomes clogged. The skin behind your ears is no exception. While pimples are less likely to develop there due to the area’s relative isolation, it can happen.
- Lymphadenopathy
There is a lymph node in the neck that can sometimes appear as big spots behind the ear if it begins to swell. In and of itself, a swollen lymph node is not cause for concern. It happens as part of the body’s response to many different conditions and can sometimes persist for a while, even after the infection itself clears up.
- Infection
Any infection that causes swelling in the throat can cause a bump to appear behind the ears. Mononucleosis, for instance, commonly occurs with throat swelling and the above-mentioned lymphadenopathy. Obviously, the severity of your infection will affect how much of a concern the ear lump is.
- Lipoma
It is a fatty lump that forms between the layers of your skin. These can appear anywhere on the body and are almost always harmless. Depending on their size and the layers they form between, a lipoma is not always noticeable.
- Cysts
The main form of cyst that can appear as spots behind ear is known as an epidermoid cyst. Your skin (epidermis) is topped by a thin layer of cells that your body regularly sheds. Sometimes these cells move deeper into the skin and begin replicating when they are supposed to fall off (i.e. due to a damaged follicle or oil gland). These cells form the walls of the cyst and begin secreting keratin.
- Sebaceous cysts
Epidermoid cysts are sometimes called sebaceous cysts, although this term is misleading. A true sebaceous cyst originates from oil-producing sebaceous glands and is filled with sebum, not keratin. Having said that, true sebaceous cysts while rare can also form spots behind ears or on the neck.
- Abscess
Abscesses and cysts are similar in the sense that they are enclosed “capsules” filled with fluid. The main difference is that an abscess is filled with pus. An abscess can develop around foreign bodies, infections, or form out of existing cysts.
- Mastoiditis
The mastoid bone runs directly behind the ear. Ear infections can sometimes spread to the mastoid bone and result in swelling or spots behind ears.
- Tumor
A growth from the tissue of the salivary gland, mastoid bone, or skin behind your ear could be a tumor. These result when cells multiply uncontrollably instead of self-destructing at the end of their life cycle. While only a malignant tumor is cancer, a benign one can still be problematic.
Spots behind Ears and Neck
They include:
- Mastoiditis
This condition is most common in children. When it occurs, the area behind the ear swells and results in a visible protrusion. This protrusion may be as small as a fingertip or as large as a plum. Additional symptoms include fever, hearing loss, ear redness and ear pain.
- Dermatitis
Research suggests that seborrheic dermatitis causes scaly spots behind ears to form; these spots can be yellow or red in color. Scientists don’t know exactly what causes dermatitis. They do know it rarely affects teenagers, is more likely to affect men, worsens with low temperatures and may be hereditary. To treat it, doctors may prescribe topical corticosteroids to loosen the scales and dissolve the bumps.
- Lymph Nodes
Your small spots behind ears might be a case of swollen lymph nodes. Your lymph nodes belong to your immune system. They’re found throughout your body, including behind your ears, in your armpit and in your groin. When you develop infections such as tonsillitis, mono, a cold or flu, your lymph nodes might swell up to the point where you can feel them. Your lymph nodes may remain swollen for days or weeks after the infection. In rare cases, cancers and tumors can also cause lymph node swelling.
- Otitis media
Ear infections can be bacterial or viral. When an infection occurs, it can cause painful fluid buildup and swelling. These symptoms may result in visible swelling behind the ear. Antibiotics may be used to ease the symptoms and treat the infection.
- Acne vulgaris
Acne is a common skin condition that occurs when hair follicles in the skin become clogged. Dead skin cells and oil can clog the follicles. As a result, pimples and bumps may develop. In some cases, these bumps will grow to be large, solid bumps that can be painful.
Big Pimple behind Ear
Huge Pimple behind ears can also be triggered by any of the following causes:
- Tumor
- Sebaceous cysts
- Abscess
- Mastoiditis
- Cysts
- Lipoma
- Infection
- Acne
- Lymphadenopathy
The pimples could be large, painless or painful (hurts) and swollen, depending on what causes them. If they are on your scalp behind your ears, those are scalp bumps or pimples
Small Bump behind Ear
Causes include:
- Ear piercing
Ear piercing can often lead to a big pimple on the ear piercing hole (site) or near it especially if infected.
- Cystic acne
The cause of cystic acne is not different from the above mentioned ear pimple cause. The difference is that it “happens when this infection goes deep into your skin, creating a red, tender bump that’s full of pus” (webmd.com)
- Blind pimple
Ears can also be affected by blind pimples which are often swollen tender, inflamed and very painful without a head i.e. closed bump. A blind pimple can be purple, pink, red or brown in color. They are caused by face care products, diet, stress, hormonal changes, excess sebum production, among other causes.
- Poor personal hygiene
Touching your ears with dirty hands or using dirty earphones or cellphones. Furthermore, unwashed hair, hair care products (gels and sprays) scratching ears with nails, pin, toothpick or any other objects that is not clean enough can result to pimples on ear.
These poor personal hygiene practices often introduce or give bacteria good breeding grounds which would be responsible for your pimples on ear. Dirt can also clog your ear pores leading to pimples.
To get rid of pimples in your ears due to hygiene, ensure you clean your ears (both the auricle and canal using special ear cleaning pads), wipe your ears after showering, and ensure your hair is clean since it can host a lot of microorganisms and bacteria.
- Winter and summer weather
Summer condition can trigger pimples on your ears. According to Dr. Jeannette Graf, Assistant Clinical Professor Dermatology at Mount Sinai Medical Center, “Acne-prone skin is just like other skin, it’s a matter of our own microflora misbehaving,” [stylecaster.com]. Heat and high humidity often increase sebum production and thus can cause acne.
Again, cold spells especially the one experienced during winter as well as indoor heating can cause skin dryness. When your skin becomes dry, you could end up with pimples, not just on your ears but also on other body parts.
- Pimple on ear due to occlusive clothing and helmets
Putting on a helmet as well as clothing that trap moisture can trap moisture around your ears, giving bacteria conducive environment to grow. As we have seen, bacteria when trapped in skin pores can lead to ear pimples or acne. Avoid as much as possible wearing occlusive clothes as well as helmets.
- Ingrown pimple in ear
If hair gets trapped beneath your ear skin, it will result to a painful ear pimple i.e. a hurting irritated and infected pimple in ear. The pimple is often pus-filled, painful and red in appearance. This problem is common to people who have much ear hair as well as those who do not know how to correct remove hair from their ears.
- Localized otitis externa
Otitis externa, “a condition that causes inflammation (redness and swelling) of the external ear canal, which is the tube between the outer ear and eardrum” [www.nhs.uk] often caused by a bacterial infection (sometimes allergies, irritation or fungal infection), when localized can cause pimple in ear canal.
Localized otitis externa happens when a hair follicle in the ear canal gets infected and will be characterized by a number of symptoms that include pain as well as “A small red pimple located in the ear canal. This pimple may eventually become white, and have yellow pus in the middle” [medicalnewstoday.com].
- Hormonal changes
Hormonal changes during pregnancy or puberty has been associated with pimples not just on ears but also no other body parts. These hormonal changes often increase sebum production. As already mentioned, overproduction of sebum can cause pimples.
Acne behind Ears
Acne behind ear can appear wherever a hair follicle or pore becomes blocked. The skin behind your ears is no exception. While pimples are less likely to appear there due to the area’s relative isolation, it can happen. Dead skin cells and oil can clog the follicles. As a result, pimples and bumps may develop. In some cases, these bumps will grow to be large, solid bumps that can be painful.
Infection can cause swelling in the throat or can cause acne to appear behind the ears. Mononucleosis, for instance, commonly occurs with throat swelling and the above-mentioned lymphadenopathy. Obviously, the severity of your infection will affect how much of a concern the ear cyst is.
Lesions of acne keloidalis nuchae occur as red or pus-filled bumps, which are either tender or itchy. Over time, these inflamed bumps develop into small scars. Without treatment, the small scars can coalesce into large, thick scars, or keloids.
Psoriasis is a disorder that affects both the skin and the joints, causing a characteristic rash and sometimes arthritis-like joint pain. The rash is usually red and raised, and the skin has a tendency to turn silvery and flaky on top of the red raised areas. Psoriasis can occur on any part of the body.
Red Spots behind Ears
Noticing red spots on any part of your body can be a cause of alarm as you begin to worry what may have caused it and how it is going to develop. If you notice a red rash behind ears, it can either be an indication of one of many common conditions that may affect your skin, or rather a sign of something more serious.
It is useful to be able to identify the type of rash that you have so you can find out the best way to treat it. According to {Med-Health.net} there are various commonly related to a rash behind ear, and you will also find out the most suitable treatment for your rash.
Spots behind Ears of Child
Spots causes include:
- Baby acne
It usually shows up after a couple of weeks. It looks like small pimples or whiteheads, surrounded by reddish skin. The pimples are likely to appear on your baby’s cheeks, but may also appear on his forehead, chin, and back.
- Bee sting
A bee sting can be very painful. The area around a sting can quickly become red, swollen, and itchy, which can be uncomfortable for your baby.
Read more http://www.babycentre.co.uk/a548382/insect-bites
- Chickenpox
A chickenpox rash starts as little red spots that develop tiny fluid-filled blisters in a few hours. They will show on your baby’s face and then spread to her body appearing in crops. There may be so many spots that they join up or there may be just a few. They may be most sore on her scalp genitals and in her mouth.
- Erythema toxicum
If your baby has erythema toxicum, it will appear on her skin as red spots with small yellow or white pustules in the middle. Newborns often get this rash about two days to five days after birth.
Erythema toxicum can appear anywhere on your baby’s body, apart from the palms of her hands or the soles of her feet. It should disappear on its own in around two weeks.
- Folliculitis
If your baby has folliculitis, he will have pustules around some of his hair follicles. These may then crust over. The pustules usually appear in crops, and your baby may have them on his neck, arms, legs, armpits, and bottom. Folliculitis is rare in children under two years old.
- Hives
Appears in the following ways:
- Small raised patches known as wheals about 1cm to 2cm wide that develop suddenly.
- These wheals can be red or white and are itchy and surrounded by an area of redness.
- Wheals may join together with others making the rash look extensive.
Other causes include:
- Ingrown pimple in ear
- Cystic acne
- Tumor
- Sebaceous cysts
- Abscess
- Mastoiditis
How to Get Rid of Spots behind Ears
Natural cure:
- Hot Compress
It is the most efficient way of getting rid of pimples and preventing its occurrence since it helps in drying out spots behind ears. Application of cotton or a towel submerged in boiling water helps in widening and opening up the pores of the neck. Once the pores have opened up, the dirt tends to get out when cleaned with a gentle neck wash and may help an individual attain clear skin.
- Citric Acid Application
It contains Vitamin C which is very helpful, as its application assists in the contraction of the tissues, henceforth, thrusting the oil out of the swellings. The medicinal qualities held by citric acid help in destroying the germs and bacteria as they find it very laborious to live in an acidic ambience.
- Tea Tree Oil
The oil derived from the leaves of tea tree as well as milk is very helpful in treating spots behind ears. Application of milk that contains alpha hydroxy acids or tea tree oil assists in displacing lifeless skin; the pores tend to get unclogged through the removal of the outer layer of dead skin along with accumulated oil and dirt. Tea tree oil has medicinal compounds which kill the germs and hasten the process of healing.
- Egg White Application
If an individual tends to be very prone to spots behind ears or neck of ears or anywhere on skin, he or she should apply eggs to get back to normal condition. The presence of vitamins and zinc helps to fight against spots. The whites of the eggs should be blended well and applied. The application should be washed off after a span of thirty minutes in a proper manner to attain clear skin.
- Basic Care
An individual should not burst the spots behind ears since their removal takes place only from the outside but the problem may still persist inside. Bursting may cause the growth of other spot-like pimples, so it should be abstained from. Getting away with stress in daily life is essential since proper relaxation and asana help in the secretion of endorphins and an increment in the circulation of blood.
An increased flow of blood provides essential vitamins and nutrients, and hence helps in the subsidization of the pimples. Your hair too should be rinsed on a routine basis, as dirty hair leads to the growth of germs which may cause problems of acne on the face and especially pimples around ears.
- Apply milk
Milk has alpha hydroxy acids, which help unclog pores and remove dead skin. Soak a cotton ball in milk, and then squeeze it. Wipe the milk along the pimple.
- Apply aloe vera gel
Aloe vera has antibacterial properties that can help clear up pimples and reduce swelling.
- apple cider vinegar
Apple cider vinegar has antiseptic properties that can prevent infection and bacterial growth. It also helps shrink pores. Soak a cotton ball in vinegar and wipe it over the pimple.
- Make a saline solution
A saline solution can also help get rid of the pimple. Mix a teaspoon of Epsom salt with 1/2 cup of hot water, making sure the water dissolves. When the mixture has cooled some, use a cotton ball to spread the saline solution on the pimple. After it dries, rinse off.
Treatment tips:
- Alcohol & Cologne:
These both are very helpful in treating spots behind ears and unwanted spots on the skin. An application of a ball of cotton, or a washcloth submerged in alcohol or cologne helps in getting rid of such pimples. The liquid helps in removing the germs and bacteria from the skin, and opens up the pores of the skin.
- Apply acne cream.
To help reduce the pimple, apply acne cream that includes two to 10% Benzoyl Peroxide. Let the cream dry on the pimple.
- Apply ointment gel
Try placing some Neosporin or other ointment cream or gel to help heal the pimple. Let the gel dry.
- Use peroxide
Soak a cotton ball in hydrogen peroxide and spread it on the pimple. If the pimple is inside the ear canal, you can pour peroxide into the ear. Drain the peroxide into a bowl or onto a cotton swab.
References
- Pimple in Ear: How It Happens and How to Treat It: http://www.healthline.com/health/beauty-skin-care/pimple-in-ear
- Small Bumps Behind the Ears: http://www.livestrong.com/article/532488-allergic-reactions-that-cause-bumps-on-the-skin/
- Childhood rashes, skin conditions and infections: http://www.babycentre.co.uk/l1038755/childhood-rashes-skin-conditions-and-infections-photos