What are these spots behind ears, on neck and hairline? What causes these pimple like white sores spots on your earlobe? Discover important facts on how to get rid of the spots behind your ears, neck and hairline.
Spots behind your ear, neck or hairline could mean anything. It could be a pimple, a sore or bump. While some of these spots are harmless, others could be a sign of an underlying medical condition such as rubella, acne, swollen lymph nodes behind ears or skin rash. Find out more as we explore the reasons of appearance spots behind the ears.
Spots behind Ear and on Neck
Why do I have spots behind the ears and on neck? A number of reason could be the cause of appearance of these spots on your neck and behind the ears. They include:
1. Infections
An infection on skin behind the ears and on neck could be the reasons of experiencing this problem. Bacterial and viral infections can cause rapid swelling behind the ears and around your neck including the face. Such infections include strep throat and mononucleosis. Other conditions likely to cause small lumps or spots in and around your neck include: measles, chickenpox and HIV/AIDS.
2. Abscess
The spots or lumps appearing around the neck and behind your ears could be as a result of abscess. This condition occurs when tissues or cells around the neck and ears become infected. The body responds to infection by trying to kill the bacteria causing the infection.
An abscess is a collection of pus as a result of bacterial infection. The infected skin appears as a swollen, pus-filled lump under the surface of infected skin. Abscess should be mistaken for a cyst. Although both appear as enclosed capsules filled with fluid, abscess develops around infections.
3. Mastoiditis
Spots that sits behind the ears could be mastoiditis. This is a bacterial infection of the mastoid bone. When the mastoid cells becomes inflamed, swelling of the earlobe is one of the symptom. Other symptoms include:
- Fever, headache
- Redness and tenderness behind the infected ear
- Drainage behind from the ear
- Bulging and drooping of the ear
- Ear pain
Mastoiditis is an infection of the middle ear. If left untreated, it can be life threatening resulting to hospitalization. This condition is common in children but adults too can be affected. Treatment involves antibiotic medication. You will need to take oral antibiotics at home.
4. Acne vulgaris
This is a common skin condition that occurs a results of clogged hair follicles of the skin. Dead skin and oil can block the hair follicles. The results could be pimples, bumps or spots developing around the neck and behind your ears.
5. Lipoma
The spot behind your ear could be lipoma. This is a fatty lump that develops between the layers of your skin. They can occur anywhere including behind the ear. The lumps are harmless and will clear up on its own.
6. Rubella
Also known as German measles is viral infection. This condition gets better without cure in 7 to 10 days. The symptoms include:
- Small spots red- pink skin rash
- Swollen glands around the head and neck
- Fever
Spots behind Ears and Hairline
Why do I have spots behind ears and hairline? There are a number of reasons why there are spots behind your ears and hairline. They include:
1. Atopic dermatitis
This is a very common condition that may cause spots behind your ears and hairline. Also known as eczema, it arises in people who have allergies. The skin of the affected person becomes itchy and dry with acute flare- ups.
2. Contact dermatitis
Another common skin condition that can cause spots or rash behind your ears and hairline. It occurs as result of reaction to environmental substances.
3. Seborrheic dermatitis
This is a chronic inflammatory condition that occurs in areas of the skin that are oily such as the chest, face, on scalp behind the ears and hairline. The skin will appear scaly and greasy and present yellow crust.
4. Psoriasis
Psoriasis is another skin condition that may be the cause of rash or spots on scalp behind the ears and hairline.
5. Skin infections
There a number of skin infections that cause are behind the ears and hairline to have spots. Fungal infection like tinea capitis and bacterial such as impetigo are the common cause of rash and spots on the skin.
Other causes discussed above such as rubella, shingles, chicken pox among others could be responsible for the spots behind your ears and hairline. Identify the underlying cause for effective treatment.
Spots behind Ears of Child
What are the cause of spots behind ears of child? If your child has spots or lumps behind the ears, it could be due to any of the following reasons. They include:
1. Chickenpox
The spots behind your child could be chickenpox. Also known as varicella, chickenpox is a highly contagious infection caused by varicella zoster virus. Here’s how chickenpox transmitted:
- When you get in direct contact with the blisters of someone with the virus
- Breathing in the virus from an infected person
- Breathing in the small particles from the mouth of infected person while they are talking or coughing
The symptoms include itchy rash or blisters on the skin. Other symptoms include:
- Feeling of nausea
- Loss of appetite
- Aching muscles
- Fever
The above are the initial symptoms. After the above symptoms, the child will develop symptoms such as:
- Rash, some patients may develop a few spots while others are covered all over the body
- Cluster of spots appearing on the face, neck, chest, limbs, stomach and behind the ears
- Itchy small red spots
2. Baby Acne
The spots behind your child’s ear could be as a result of baby acne. This condition usually develops after about two to four weeks of birth. They are tiny red or white spots appearing on the baby’s neck, cheek, forehead and nose. Although the cause is not known, the condition usually resolves up on its own after three to four months.
You shouldn’t treat baby acne with over- the- counter products. This can damage the delicate skin of your child. Try the following home care methods to treat baby acne:
- Use a gentle soap to wash your baby’s skin
- Don’t scrub or pinch the acne
- Do not use lotions or oily products.
3. Hives
Spots on your kid’s ears could be hives. They are similar to mosquito bites. They are slightly raised red patches or spots on the skin. They range in shape and sizes appearing anywhere on the body in both the children and adults. You should check if your child has hives. Hives can be different in sizes and shapes appearing anywhere on the body of the children and adults.
The rash can also appear as red spots and often itchy and sometimes feels like its pricking or burning. To relieve any pain or itchiness caused by hives spots on your child’s ear, you can use:
- a Steroid cream
- a cooling cream such as calamine
- the rash can be cleared by taking antihistamine tablets
4. Shingles behind ear child’s ear
Shingles is considered as not life-threatening. But it can cause painful rash or spots anywhere on the body including the scalp, on neck and behind your ears. The shingles will appear as a single stripe of blisters on the affected area of the ear. A weak immune system is the prime cause for developing shingles.
Pain is the first sign of shingles arising anywhere on the body before the rash develops. While the pain can be mild to some people, for some it can be unbearable.
Pimple behind Ear
The spots appearing behind the ear could as well be a pimple. The pimple may appear as lumps or nodes. Generally these lumps are harmless. A number of several conditions may lead to knots, lumps, bumps or pimples behind your ears. They include:
- Infection
- Mastoiditis
- Abscess
- Otitis media
- Sebaceous cysts
- Lipoma
- Acne vulgaris
- Lymphadenopathy
Identify the cause of the pimple behind your ears. If you have a history of acne, it may be easy for you to diagnose the knot or bump behind the ear as a pimple. It may be quite difficult to figure out what’s causing the pimple.
If the pimple is causing you any pain or discomfort, make a point to visit your doctor. The lump can be problematic or associated with other symptoms. Although pimples behind the ear aren’t harmful, your doctor may suggest treatment based on his findings. Treatment could range from medicine to surgery to help eliminate the lump.
Sores Spots behind Ears
Sore spots or lumps behind ear can be a difficult experience to deal with it. Although some causes are not life threatening and need simple solutions, others might require medical attention. A spot behind your ear can either be a tumor, abscess, cyst or nodule. Below here, we will assess the five most common types of painful spots or lumps behind the ear. They include:
1. Abscess
A painful spot behind the ear could be an abscess. This is a collection of pus caused by a bacterial infection. It can occur anywhere on your body including behind the ear. Having a weakened immune system puts you at higher risk for abscess. When bacteria enter your body, white blood cells fight them. This creates a hole where the dead bacteria and pus are collected forming an abscess.
2. Mastoiditis
This an infection caused by bacteria on the mastoid bone found behind the ear. Infection or inflammation can result to mastoiditis. The infection can at time spread causing other ear complications. The signs include fever, lethargy, swollen ear lobe, redness and tenderness behind the ear. You can treat mastoiditis with antibiotics or ear drops.
3. Otitis Media, ear infection
Sores spots behind the ear could be an ear infection or otitis media. The ear infection commonly appear in younger children. The signs include fever, pain, difficulty hearing, sore throat, neck pain, nasal congestion, ringing in the ear.
4. Acne Vulgaris
A painful or sore spot behind your ear could be caused by acne. The acne in some cases will grow into a large solid lump usually accompanied by pain.
5. Shingles
Sores spots behind your ear could be shingles. The signs include an itchy and painful rash appearing around the ear and neck. Ear pain or hearing difficulty are the common complications that develop from the infection of shingles virus.
6. Cysts
Cysts that occur behind the ear are the epidermoid cysts. They occur as a result of infection or damaged hair follicle or sebaceous glands. Cysts are usually harmless but can be painful or sores once they become inflamed or ruptured.
White Spots behind the Ear
White spots behind your ear could mean anything. It could be any of the conditions discussed above. Check out the symptoms of each causes in the post to tell exactly what the white spots behind ear is. Identifying the causes such as shingles, rubella, chicken pox, pimple or any other is the key for effective treatment.
How to Get Rid of Spots behind Ears
Depending on the cause of spots, rash or lumps behind your ear, you can easily get rid of them with the following ways. They include:
- Hot compress: A lump, cyst or rash behind your ears can be cured at home with hot compress.
- Tea tree oil: tea tree oil is essential in getting rid of spots occurring behind the ears.
- Egg white is also helpful in removing the spots on your
- Apply Aloe Vera Gel. it has antibacterial and antifungal properties to help cure spots and rash behind the ear
- Apply Apple Cider Vinegar on the affected area. The antiseptic properties in apple cider vinegar help to treat skin infections causing spots and rashes behind the ears.
Sources and references:
- http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Abscess/Pages/Introduction.aspx
- http://www.healthline.com/health/mastoiditis – overview1
- https://beta.nhs.uk/conditions/hives
- http://www.rch.org.au/kidsinfo/fact_sheets/Hives/
- http://www.healthline.com/health/causes-lumps-behind-ears – overview1
- http://www.doctorshealthpress.com/skin-care-articles/treating-lump-behind-ear/
- http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Rubella/Pages/Introduction.aspx