Ear hair on men is one of those sensitive issues that is not discussed openly and is therefore not as obvious. But this does not mean at all that the problem does not exist, and in no way reduces its significance. Sociological studies conducted in New York back in 1984 showed that at least 74% of men suffer from excess hair in the ear area. Over time, this problem did not disappear, but new ways to solve it appeared.
Excessive hair is not always pleasant
We invite you to familiarize yourself with the following questions: what causes hair growth on and in the ears of men, does it affect health, and what solutions to this problem (salon and intended for home) exist.
When childhood problems become adults
Hair grows in the ears of all men and women, regardless of their age; these small and transparent hairs perform a barrier function, namely, they prevent dust, moisture and pathogens from penetrating deep into the ear canal.
Problems with increased hair growth in the ears appear with age. Due to changes in hormonal levels, short and thin hair in the ears of men turns into thick and hard stubble, which sticks out untidy from the ears or covers the outside of the ears.
Interesting! The results of some studies show that the hormone involved in scalp baldness - dihydrotestosterone - is responsible for the abundant hair in the ears, as well as the hair on the nose in men.
There can be many reasons for hair growth inside the nose.
The second reason for the appearance of unwanted hairs concerns not only men, but also women.
As you age, ear hair grows longer and thicker because your body undergoes changes in its growth cycles.
Effective treatment for pathology
Typically, conservative therapy for cystic formations is ineffective; most often, treatment comes down to removing the growth. The purpose of using a scalpel is to prevent suppuration inside the skin and eliminate the growth itself, which often does not have a very beautiful appearance. In addition to cutting off the tumor with a scalpel, one of the non-invasive and safe procedures is used.
For this purpose it is prescribed:
- Radio wave treatment, where high-frequency radio waves eliminate the contents of the capsule without affecting healthy tissue. Removal in this way is carried out under local anesthesia. There is no need for further stitches.
- Laser cauterization. Prescribed only for the removal of small fatty deposits – less than 50 mm. The procedure is practically painless, effective, and does not leave any scars at the site.
- Cryodestruction is not often prescribed due to the risk of various complications.
In the presence of large wen, only surgical intervention is prescribed. During the operation, under local anesthesia, an incision is made in the area of the cyst and the contents are removed. If the surgeon works correctly, it is possible to extract the exudate from the tumor located in the capsule - there is less risk of infection in the future. Afterwards, the site of suppuration is treated with an antiseptic solution and the incision is sutured.
In advanced forms of the disease, surgery can be performed several times.
To stop the inflammatory process, the patient is prescribed subsequent treatment, including taking antibiotics, vitamins and immune-strengthening drugs. If the tumor is suspicious, part of its contents may be sent for examination to exclude the formation from being a malignant process.
Operation “Elimination”: proper cutting of hair in the ears, under them and in the nose for women and men
Ear hair does not cause serious harm to the body. Due to non-compliance with personal hygiene rules, particles of dirt, earwax, and pathogenic microorganisms may accumulate in them. It is not uncommon for the following to appear in the ears:
- dandruff,
- itching,
- skin irritation.
The main problem that men face is aesthetic. Stubble sticks out untidy from the ears, provoking excessive attention from others, and even ridicule.
For this reason, vegetation in the ear canal and outside the ears must be removed. Now there are many ways to get rid of excess vegetation. Some of them can be done at home, some can only be done in a salon.
What is better to pierce the ear – with a piercing needle or a “gun”?
The gun is still a very common tool for ear piercing: they are offered to punch holes in the earlobes anywhere, from beauty clinics to regular hairdressers. However, professional piercers claim that this is not a tool intended for piercing at all, even if we are talking about such a simple puncture.
The fact is that the gun makes a hole in the flesh due to the force and speed of the “shot”. Its tip simply tears the skin and “meat” of the earlobe - and although this tear is minimal in diameter, it is more difficult for it to heal than a puncture with a needle. After all, a needle in the hands of a skilled piercer does not tear, but, as it were, pushes the tissue apart - therefore healing proceeds better.
The funny thing is that the gun was not originally invented for people - they used it to beat the ears of livestock, to attach tags! Therefore, think carefully when you want to wear earrings yourself or for your children to wear them - choose a “simple” piercing with a gun or visit a piercing parlor where they will do it with a needle. By the way, if we are talking about a child who is afraid of pain - piercing the ear with a needle is usually less painful, and it does not take longer at all - an experienced master does it in one quick movement.
Home methods for removing short hair using a machine or trimmer
At home, ear hairs can be cut, shaved, plucked, or use one of the chemical depilatory products. Each method has advantages and disadvantages, but, most importantly, none of them radically solves the problem with ear hair. That is, after a certain time after removal, the hair begins to grow back. Let's consider each method of removing unwanted vegetation separately.
- The hairs that grow on the outside of the ear can be shaved. The process itself is not much different from shaving any other part of the body, but there is one caveat: few people are able to perform this procedure on their own. It’s better to ask someone close to you to perform this procedure, because otherwise you will have to show off with cut, sloppily shaved ears.
- Hair in the nose and ears can be trimmed with special scissors with rounded edges. You need to cut it carefully, without going deep into the ear canal, so as not to damage the eardrum.
Advice! A good alternative to scissors is a trimmer. This device will help you quickly, painlessly, efficiently and, most importantly, independently remove unwanted hairs in hard-to-reach places, which, in fact, are the ears.
Use the equipment carefully
The trimmer is indispensable for excess vegetation in hard-to-reach places
- For plucking, tweezers with blunt, beveled ends are used. This procedure is painful and difficult to do on your own.
The beveled ends of the tweezers capture hairs better
- Special depilatory creams allow you to get rid of unwanted hair for a long time. Such products contain a substance that destroys keratin. During the procedure, you must ensure that the depilatory agent does not get into the inner ear. Do not use chemicals if you have sensitive or allergy-prone skin, as this will cause the ears to become covered with itchy blisters.
A common disease is atheroma
Structure of atheroma
Atheroma is nothing more than a blockage of the sebaceous glands. When the gland is blocked, a secretion is produced inside it, leading to an increase in the size of the tumor. It looks like a hard ball or lump under or inside the lobe, elastic, mobile and painless if there is no inflammation.
From the inside, the clot looks like a cyst, filled with yellow or white exudate and covered with epithelium. Several formations may appear at the same time, and inflammation of the lymph nodes occurs. If such a ball has formed inside the lobe, you should consult a doctor for its treatment (possibly removal).
Typically, a cyst occurs against the background of:
- genetic predisposition;
- hormonal disorders associated with diseases of the endocrine organs;
- metabolic disorders;
- damage to the root part of the hair, which leads to blockage of the pores and suppuration in them;
- seborrhea;
- hyperhidrosis;
- inaccurate puncture of the lobe (may appear from earrings made of low-quality material);
- irregular or improper skin care;
- long stay in not very good conditions.
If the wen hurts when pressed, this may indicate an inflammatory process that has begun in it. It often begins with hypothermia or infection, as a result of trying to eliminate the tumor yourself, with dirty hands or other tools.
Manifestation of the disease
Atheroma is a benign formation of small size (initially). In the absence of proper therapy, the hard ball under the skin can increase to 50 mm in diameter. An ordinary non-inflammatory atheroma is often round in shape, smooth in surface, and mobile.
Inside it, the excretory duct is enlarged and swollen, the capsule is filled with exudate. When the wen becomes infected, the clinical picture changes.
A person complains about:
- the appearance of painful symptoms;
- hyperemia;
- increased body temperature;
- discharge from the center of the formation with purulent or bloody impurities.
If the capsule spontaneously opens, all the accumulated secretion comes out. Only a doctor can tell you how to treat a disease. Unfortunately, people turn to it very rarely, more often in critical situations, preferring to self-medicate.
However, such a negligent attitude may result in further surgery, a long period of rehabilitation, and repeated relapses.
Is your hair growing and covering your earlobes? Professional methods in the salon
Professional methods used in salons allow you to remove ear hair for a long time.
One of the popular procedures is wax depilation. Its implementation will take no more than 10 minutes: the ear canal is lubricated with olive oil to protect the skin from damage, warm wax is applied to a depth of no more than 3-4 mm, after hardening the wax is removed along with the hairs.
To radically solve the problem so that ear hair stops growing, laser hair removal and electrolysis are used. Laser hair removal is one of the most expensive procedures. Short-wave radiation locally affects the hair follicle and destroys it. In some cases, several courses may be required to consolidate the results.
Photos of the ears before and after laser hair removal
Electrolysis hair removal is used for excess hair on the outside of the ear. A thin needle is inserted into the hair follicle, through which a low-power electric current is passed, which leads to the destruction of the root and the cessation of hair growth.
How to care for pierced ears?
After the ears are pierced, the piercer usually tells the parents how to care for the wounds so that a proper and painless tunnel in the ear is formed faster. The process will indeed require concentration and mandatory adult supervision. First of all, this concerns the treatment of wounds. The puncture sites should be treated daily, 3-4 times a day. It is best to carry out the procedure in the morning, lunch and evening.
The mother should carry out the treatment only with clean hands.
Hydrogen peroxide or any other antiseptic - Miramistin, Chlorhexidine - is instilled into the wound. Children should not treat their ears with alcohol or alcohol-containing solutions.
After instilling the antiseptic, the earring is carefully moved back and forth if it has a bow (such earrings can be inserted into ears pierced using the traditional manual method using a piercing needle). If the puncture was made using modern methods - with a “pistol” or “System 75”, then there is a “stud” in the ear. After instillation of the antiseptic, it is slightly moved back and forth and carefully scrolled clockwise.
For some time after ear piercing, some changes should occur in the child's life. The girl does not need to be bathed for the first 5 days after the puncture.
This also applies to visiting the bathhouse, sauna, and swimming pool. There is no need to take your child to a public pool for the first 3-4 weeks after the puncture. With water, pathogenic bacteria and viruses can enter the wound; water chlorination agents can cause serious inflammation. For the first five days, it is better to refrain from washing your hair. There is no need to swim in the sea or river for a month.
While the holes in the lobes are healing, proper hair care is important. It is advisable that the hair does not come into contact with the wounds.
A girl with a short haircut has nothing to worry about, but if her hair is long, it is best to keep it constantly tied up in a high hairstyle - a ponytail, a bun at the back of the head, a basket braid. You should be very careful when combing your hair; you should not touch the earring with the comb.
It is better to leave physical activity and active entertainment for later. While running, jumping, playing sports, or dancing, sweating increases, and sweat (a rather caustic substance) causes additional inflammation in unhealed wounds of the earlobes. If the child is small, it will be quite difficult to ensure that the baby does not touch her earlobes with her hands, but this should be done.
It is better not to touch medical “studs” or exchange them for other earrings for at least a month and a half.
During this time, if the wounds are properly cared for, the holes stop hurting, are covered from the inside with an epithelial layer, and you can change the first earrings to any others without much fear. The main thing is that these other jewelry are made of high-quality gold without nickel impurities
so that they are not bulky and heavy and have a comfortable and reliable clasp.
It can be psychologically quite difficult to remove the medical “studs” that have already become habitual during the first month for the first time. Mom is scared because she is afraid that she will not be able to insert other earrings into her ears and cause severe pain to her daughter. If you do everything carefully, it will not hurt the child. You can remove the carnations in the following way:
- Prepare hydrogen peroxide and a piece of clean gauze or sterile medical bandage.
- Wash your hands, treat them with Miramistin, place the child’s head on your lap.
- With one hand you should grab the front part of the earring, and with the other hand, the stud clasp and slightly begin to pull the clasp towards the edge. It is important that the second hand at this moment securely fixes the earring stem so that it does not move in the ear and does not cause pain to the child.
- A common problem is the tight fasteners of medical studs. Get ready for the fact that it will not give in easily, especially since most of these earrings fasten with two clicks.
- Sudden movements are prohibited. Only smooth and careful, but decisive movements. It is important to distract the child, calm him down so that he does not jerk his head or resist. Inaccurate movements can lead to injury to the earlobe.
- After the clasp is removed, you need to carefully remove the stud rod with a twisting motion, lubricate the lobe front and back with hydrogen peroxide and leave the child alone for 15-20 minutes.
- After this time, the lobe is lubricated with peroxide again, and new earrings are treated with it. Using the edge of the earring bow, carefully feel the hole and carefully insert the bow into the earlobe. If at the same time droplets of ichor or pus appear, it’s okay. After inserting the earring, it is fastened and the lobe is once again treated with an antiseptic.
If you can’t do it yourself, you can go to the clinic or office where the piercing was performed, where the “studs” will be removed and they will help you insert new earrings into the child. There is usually no additional charge for these services.
