Psoriasis Behind The Ears
Having psoriasis just about anywhere on the body can be a real nightmare and lead to comorbidities such as anxiety and depression. Some of the more unusual places I’ve had a psoriasis flare include my belly button and behind the ears.
Tips for manage behind the ears
Behind the ears can be a particularly troublesome area to have the skin condition. When you pull your ears back to wash behind them or when you find yourself having to scratch or itch behind the ears, it can cause the psoriasis plaque to split, making the lesion red and sore.
I wear glasses and so having this happen behind the ears causes me some extra trouble. I have to wear my glasses with the frame rubbing on the plaque. It can make it feel even more sore and itchy. So, what do I do to help when my psoriasis behind the ears is particularly troublesome?
Make sure you moisturize
I know it sounds rather repetitive and annoying, but moisturizing or applying lotions to behind your ears can really help the plaque if it split or become itchy and sore. I like to use Vaseline or Cetraben cream but just about any decent moisturizer will help in reducing the redness and making the plaque less irritating where it has split.
Add it to your treatment plan
Secondly, make sure you’re seeing your medical team and getting treatment for it. Make sure you’re seeing your doctor and making him aware of the trouble psoriasis behind the ears is causing you. If he or she doesn’t know, they can’t help. My biologic injection cleared my psoriasis behind the ears, but it may be that you need a small corticosteroid or something else to help.
Be kind to your skin
Thirdly, try to avoid doing things that make your plaques split. If you’re washing the area, make sure you do it delicately, considering the plaque before you do. We all need to make sure we are washing properly, but you also have to consider the splitting plaque and the potential for it to be red, sore and how it can bleed. Don’t move your ears back too quickly or do anything to rub or itch the area as you may create new problems rather than clear up the plaque.
A process of trial and error
Living with psoriasis behind the ears, for me, was difficult. The worst part, for me, was not the presence of the lesion but the splitting that occurred which made the plaque red, itchy, and sore. I had times when it would bleed onto the frames of my glasses and made getting haircuts even more difficult when it’s already hard because of scalp psoriasis.
Don’t be afraid to reach out to other sufferers of psoriasis behind the ears if you’re finding yourself in a rut and it’s causing you problems. I find talking about it with someone who understands really helpful and while none of us are medical experts, we can provide insights that the health professionals can’t always relate to.
It took me a while to find the right moisturizer and treatment but when you do it can be liberating. I’m using a combination of moisturizer with my biologic injection and the two are helping to keep my symptoms behind the ears at bay. It’s important to remember that it can take time to find the right treatment and it could be a process of trial and error, so don’t be too disheartened if you don’t find something after a few weeks or months.
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