Possible Skin Conditions

The pictures below link to conditions that affect the ear in adults. The outer ear is a cartilage structure that is covered by skin. Occasionally this cartilage can become inflamed due to repeated irritation (often caused by sleeping on the ear) or from sun exposure. Repeated irritation to the ear can cause small, reddened bumps (sometimes with a crust) to appear along the edge of the ear, called chondrodermatitis nodularis helicis. Keloid scars also commonly affect the ear. Keloids are lumps on the skin that form in response to some type of injury, such as piercing the skin of the ear. The position of the ears on the head makes it so they are often exposed to the sun. Therefore, skin cancer and a precancerous condition called actinic keratitis commonly affect the ear.