Ear Hair

Ear Hair

It’s God’s little practical joke, says John F. Romano, M.D., clinical associate professor of dermatology at New York Hospital–Cornell Medical Center in New York City. “He takes the hair from your head and puts it on your ears and nose.”

The humor may be lost on you if you’re the one who suddenly finds that he has fuzz growing out of his ears. This new growth of hair is unfortunately a normal part of male aging. No one is entirely sure what makes it happen, but one theory is that as you age, the hair follicles in and around your ears and nose may become more sensitive to the male hormone testosterone, which stimulates the unwanted hair growth.

Science has not successfully tackled the problem of permanently removing hair, but there are some things you can do on a regular basis to keep the hair in check.

Try This First

Get a close shave. Shaving around the outer ear and the lobe is an effective, albeit temporary, method for getting rid of external hair, Dr. Romano says. You can make it easier by lathering up but then removing the lather just prior to shaving to improve visibility. Some of the softening effects of the cream will remain. Or you can use your electric shaver to gently shave the hairs off your lobe and outer ear.

For the peskier hair that seems to congregate just at the edge of your inner ear, your best and safest bet is to invest in a personal grooming shaver. These reasonably priced shavers differ from a standard electric razor in that they are much smaller in width and are designed for smaller surfaces, making it easy to mow down hair found growing just outside the ear.

Other Wise Ways

Melt it away. Using chemical depilatories on the outside of your ear is another way to remove the hair. Just remember that under no circumstance should you stick the depilatory into your ear canal, Dr. Romano says. Be sure to limit the product to only the lobe and rim and go nowhere near the opening, he says. Brands such as Neet and Nair can be purchased in any store. If using a chemical depilatory is a new thing to you, be sure to follow the instructions on the back of the package. It’s always advisable to test a small amount of depilatory on your skin first in case you might be sensitive to it.

Snip what’s sticking out. A small pair of scissors can be used to cut away ear hair on the inner ear, especially if the hair is sticking out of the ear and you can see it with a mirror. If it’s bothering you and you can’t see it, don’t use a scissors on your own, Dr. Romano says. One slip, and you could do serious damage to your eardrum or ear canal. Ask your doctor to help you.

Keep your ears clean. Excess ear hair can have an effect on your hearing in a roundabout way. Earwax can get all tangled in your ear hair and pile up, causing temporary hearing loss, Dr. Romano explains. To avoid this problem, wipe your outer ear with a warm, damp washcloth daily. You can also purchase wax removal kits.