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Scabs Around Right Ear, Randomly Showing Up. What Could Be This?
I am getting random scabs around my right ear. It is only the right. I've had one for a couple months that won't go away, another that went away and I just formed a new one. They're not on the ear, as close to the ear you can be without actually being on it. It seems as though they're coming out of thin air, randomly showing up.
Tue, 23 Apr 2013
Hi,
Thanks for posting your query to HCM.
After reading your problem thoroughly and discussing it with other colleagues it appears to be one possibility of sun damage known as Actinic dermatitis- as is on right side of face where we are exposed to sun light more on right side of face during driving or sitting in car with right side exposed.
There may be other possibility of a peculiar form of Contact Allergic Dermatitis due to mobile phone. Now this is a very new form of inflammation or simply say reaction of skin characterized by redness, slight vesicualtion and then scab formation at the site of contact of mobile phone. There is episode of Waxing and waning of episode with more occurrence when the phone is used for a longer time on a particular side. In your case appears to be self explanatory.
Even then both the conditions can aggravate each other and can be present together.
As it is present from few months so other possibility of any viral or bacterial infection is rare. You should avoid direct sunlight on right side of face with continuous sun screen application and cold compressions in between, use mobile phone from left side or can use hands free mode or Bluetooth device rather.
Even if you are not responding, then can take mild to moderate potency steroid cream under dermatological guidance.
With best health wishes,
Dr Sanjay K Kanodia
MD (Dermatology & STD/Venereology)
Thanks for posting your query to HCM.
After reading your problem thoroughly and discussing it with other colleagues it appears to be one possibility of sun damage known as Actinic dermatitis- as is on right side of face where we are exposed to sun light more on right side of face during driving or sitting in car with right side exposed.
There may be other possibility of a peculiar form of Contact Allergic Dermatitis due to mobile phone. Now this is a very new form of inflammation or simply say reaction of skin characterized by redness, slight vesicualtion and then scab formation at the site of contact of mobile phone. There is episode of Waxing and waning of episode with more occurrence when the phone is used for a longer time on a particular side. In your case appears to be self explanatory.
Even then both the conditions can aggravate each other and can be present together.
As it is present from few months so other possibility of any viral or bacterial infection is rare. You should avoid direct sunlight on right side of face with continuous sun screen application and cold compressions in between, use mobile phone from left side or can use hands free mode or Bluetooth device rather.
Even if you are not responding, then can take mild to moderate potency steroid cream under dermatological guidance.
With best health wishes,
Dr Sanjay K Kanodia
MD (Dermatology & STD/Venereology)
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