How did KZfaq know to recommend this to me? Exactly what I needed to know, without searching!

Coconut oil. What a revelation! So much better than anything else I've tried or been prescribed. Such relief!

I had terrible itching in my ears and went to the doctor and a ear specialist, which both didn't come up with something to help solve the problem. I was so desperate I smeared Tiger Balm in the ears, and that made the itching go away .... for a while ....until it came back. Then finally I found the reason for the itching: It was the faux leather pads on my Audio Technica home studio headphones, which also began to disintegrate into flakes. Presumably I reacted to some chemical compound used on it. After that I got headphones with velour padding, and the problem is gone.

I had that itchiness and huge amount of flaking skin for decades and thought I tried everything OTC. Finally, I made and applied a tincture of bittersweet nightshade, everyday for a couple of weeks. Cleared up my ear problem. It's been about a year and the itchiness has not returned. I know tinctures are frowned upon, but it worked, so I don't care about the frowning.

Coconut oil is also a great antifungal, too. I've had this condition on and off for most of my life. I find it is also related to diet.Since it is often a kind of yeast infection, and yeast love sugar, lowering you carb intake can help improve the condition, potentially to the point where the oils and medicines can largely cure it. However, if you go back to eating a lot of carbs again, it will return.

No doctor has been able to help, until you. 20 years of this! Thank you!!!

This is actually really serious. I struggled for decades with no advice from doctors for how to treat it, so ended up in a vicious cycle of scratching and infections. After 30 years of it, I ended up with squamous cell carcinoma of the ear canal and temporal bone. Extremely rare. My unverified theory is that I caused this through my mistreatment of my ears. I’m one of the lucky ones. It was caught at stage 2. I had 2 surgeries and 33 radiation treatments and am now cancer free but deaf on one side. It may be an embarrassing problem to have but doctors can’t simply brush it off as insignificant.

I just found this today, March 26, 2023, I can’t believe this video randomly appeared on my KZfaq feed. I thought I was the only person who had death I thought I was losing my mind with the itching in my ear, taking tweezers, and pulling out the little hairs in my ears so that I didn’t lose my mind constantly putting witch hazel on a Q-tip to soothe and saturate my ears, 💁🏼‍♀️because Dickinsons Witch Hazel helps to keep my psoriasis at bay. Now I’m going to see if I can find out what shampoo Dr Bailey suggested. I’d like to find some thing that’s nice to my scalp before I’m completely bald headed . Shampoo that doesn’t irritate my scalp or my back or my hands or my feet has been my biggest challenge for the last 45 years. Thank you so much for putting out this video. I am going to have a great rest of my day because now I know I’m not crazy. This does happen to other people and there may be some relief. Thank you so much Dr. Bailey.

I’ve had this dry, dead skin in my ear for over five years. It itches and you end up picking at it until it’s gone but the next day, it reappears! There’s also a bit of dry skin outside my ear around the hole of my earring. It has driven me insane for so long, thank you for this video.

Change your diet - no sugar no processed foods no tap water - sorted

I have suffered from this condition for about 20 years now - I've tried everything under the sun - including some of the mentioned products. For the last year I've used Vitamin E oil which is giving me loads of relief.

I've been having this problem for about 6years now, went to an ENT did treatment and still didn't solve the problem to no avail. So i came across this video and did the coconut oil thing for 2months and now it's all all gone! No more flaking & itching 😀 Thank you Dr. Bailey you're the best!

I was glad to stumble across your video. My D.O. prescribed an oily antibiotic drop for what he diagnosed as seborrheic dermatitus. It didn't help. So I made a slurry of a couple drops of Denorex shampoo with a half teaspoon of water.. Then with 2 Q-tips I filled my ears with that foamy mix, and massaged it in from the outside. I let it set in there to dry. My ears were blue inside, but that washed out with water and Q-tips over a couple days. This worked perfectly for me. And I've had no recurrence. Thanks for your help. I hope this also helps you.

I'm watching this at 3am from Australia. My ears have been driving me crazy for years. Now I feel I have an answer to my itchy ear problem. Thank you so much. God bless you.

Finally, an explanation that makes senseand definitive list of positive treatments for something that has been driving me nuts for years! Thank You!!

Omg, I have scaly skin behind my ears, glad I'm not alone with this!

I suffered with itchy ears for decades and tried everything, including the steps outlined here. I ultimately tried swabbing them 2 or 3 times a day with a mixture of 90% White Vinegar and 10% Isopropyl alcohol (91% strength) for 3 to 4 weeks and the problem absolutely disappeared. The first week or so there was a lot of peeling of the damaged keratin layer but it eventually cleared up. The outer edge of the ear canal required continued treatment for a couple of weeks after the deep canal itch had ceased. I still swab them every 2-3 weeks for maintenance, or if I feel any itch starting, but I wish I had tried this earlier.

I’ve had this problem for a couple of years now. The itching seems worse after I go to bed at night. Not only do they itch, but it feels like something is slowly oozing or crawling in my ear, but nothing ever comes out. I do have dry skin scales come out of my ears on my finger. My dermatologist prescribed Desonide .05. I have done three different sets of applications but it doesn’t seem to ever entirely go away. The itching is so intense sometimes I wish I could stick one of those round wire brushes in my ear and scratch to relieve it. So annoying.

I’ve had this problem for probably 30 years or more. The zinc shampoos work well for me, especially some of the stronger medicated types you find for extremely itchy scalp. I follow up with a little coconut oil on my finger and rub it in my ear just to moisturize after I shower. It does help, and it does get rid of the itch and scale, but it still never goes away. If I skip the process one day it’s back with a vengeance. So it never really goes away. Oh and one good tip, don’t wear black shirts when your ears are itchy and scaly…..

I’ve done everything you said NOT to do and yes it made things worse. I am now researching what’s going on and how to treat it. You have helped me a lot. Thanks for this video!

These treatments are what I've used, however, this piece only addresses treatment after the fact and does not deal the issue of systemic inflammation as the primary reason for these flareups. When I stopped eating wheat and dairy (both of which are highly inflammatory) my ears cleared up. It may be different for other people (who have other food allergies and/or sensitivities) but I can guarantee that diet plays a part. Or, you may have an autoimmune that needs investigation, rheumatoid conditions, etc.

I just. …..Spray on a vinegar solution… Stopped the itching…old skin just wiped off later .. . ..with no problem… .. it’s amazing that the simple solutions are so easily available.. and effective….

I’ve had this problem probably since I was a teenager that’s more than 20 years. I’ve been told several things about why my ear is itching But never this explanation. Thank you so much for making this video.

OMG it worked. Thank you for explaining it so well. I did exactly what you said. I used head and shoulders on a wash cloth to remove flakes. and then anti fungal with cortisone. it only took a week. no more scratching!!!!! Thank you sooooooo much.

I've had my condition all my life, but I'm just now paying attention to it. Thank you, buddy

I've had this problem for years, and the ENT's can never solve it for me. This is the best advice I've ever heard. Thank you!

This is fantastic advice! I've had maddening itchy ear canals for more than twenty years and nothing seems to have helped- I've had chronic ear infections from trying to keep my ears clean with cotton buds ☹️ I'm going to follow this advice and keep my fingers crossed!

Dr. Bailey! I am delighted that you are addressing this problem. Not too long ago I asked my brother is he washes his ears specifically and this led my questioning just about everyone that I know. I am an RN who has always washed her ears with a thin washcloth and never thought of not doing it ! To my surprise I received unanimous admission that everyone said NO they do not wash their ears! My mother was an RN back in the thirties and had entire books on the subject of hygiene. It appears to me that children are not properly taught how to take proper care of their own bodies. No wonder this problem develops.

I use Packers Pine Tar soap then I use Sarna lotion to sooth and calm the area. Along with not eating lots of sugar. Whenever I eat sugar my Seborrheic dermatitis flairs up.

Like a lot of people commenting I have had this issue and tried all sorts. A couple of years ago, I read of someone using feminine hygiene wash on their itchy legs, so I gave it a go. It has worked for me. No more itchiness, crust, or anything. I use it once a day in the shower after washing my hair. The brand I use in the UK is Femfresh. It is a clear gel.

Thank you for this video. I have had this problem for over 10 years. I have been guilty of Sticking things in my ear to try to stop the itching and it made it worse. I think I will try the coconut oil. Thank you so much for the information.

Take magnesium and vitamin e and it will go away. It's not an issue of not having cleansers or topical ointments on your skin, it's a deficiency of magnesium and vitamin E.

I had this issue after contracting COVID and used 1oz. of Argon oil with 6 drops of Lavender and Peppermint essential oils; don’t use more than 12 drops total for 1oz. of a carrier oil. Argon oil is great for the skin and Lavender has anti-fungal properties and Peppermint has anti-bacterial properties. It’s not a fast remedy but it is natural. It took about 2 months of applying the oil every morning and night but it did eventually go away.

Finally someone can acknowledge the intensity of the ear itch, drives me mad!!! wakes me up !Thanks for the advice.

Terrible problem with this, have seborrheic dermatitis on my scalp, but never thought it was in my ears too... Huge thanks for this video.

As a SCUBA diver I learned to treat ‘swimmer’s ear’ with a half half mixture vinegar and alcohol. The vinegar balances the pH, the alcohol drives out the water

I’ve had itchy ears for 10years now. I’ve used hydrocortisone in the past but it always comes back. I am going to try coconut oil and will update what the result will be.

I've had problems with this since I was a kid (40 now). My outer ear/earlobe crusting seems to come in seasons like now as spring is coming. Thank you for the tips.

Thank you Doctor. I've had this problem since I was 11. I'm now 61 and NOTHING has worked. ENTs think it's a "mild irritation" but I have been in so much pain and misery over the years with the infections. I also live in a warm humid climate and that exacerbates the problem. I've woken up with bleeding ears when it's really bad because I've scratched during my sleep. I will try everything you suggested. Wish me luck! 😊

I developed this condition and it disappeared when I got into Keto and intermittent/ occasional prolonged fasting and got control over my gut microbiome, blood sugars and glucose.

I thought I was the only one with this problem thank you so much you don't know how much you've helped me with this video thank you

I’ve developed a little area in the outer of my ear canal. It itches & drives me crazy! I dig & dig at it until I come out with a tiny piece of white skin. My doctor is sending me to a dermatologist. I appreciate this information. It gives me some idea why this is happening. Thank you so much!

Oh my goodness, I’ve had this since I was 17, I’m 52! My dad and sister both have it too. The ENT said it was because I kept my ears too clean and there was no wax. They will crust and scale and I can put the tip of my pinkie in my ear snugly and twist, and the entire surface of my ear canal sloughs off in one piece! I can also use my fingernail and peel off a deeper layer that’s like a scab and I can hear better after I do that. When I was 7, my ears over produced, and my parents used to take me to the doctor to have large pieces of wax washed out of my ears. Now, they just produce what feels like water when I release that “scab”. They also smell, like athlete’s foot smells. My whole ear canal behind my jaw swells up too and I can smell it even when I’m not messing with my ears. I don’t eat sugar or processed foods, in fact, I am whole food plant based since 2004. Clotrimazole didn’t do much. I’ve been on Neomycin for about 15 years, and it takes about 4 days to fully clean it up if I haven’t used it in a while. My ears even bleed sometimes, even with q-tips. It’s maddening and I’d give anything for it to be gone forever!

My itchy scaly ears drive me nuts. I'm glad I watched your video 🙂

This is pretty wild. Ive had psoriasis since I was 12 and it started on my scalp and ears. Any time I’m in between biologics, my ears get so flaky (yuck yuck I hate it). But this video was SUPER helpful. I had no idea it was this easy to clean it up. I’ll definitely try one of these options. Thank you!

My sister had this for years. Hers was caused by her gut and it had to do with yeast and inflammation. A naturopath treated her and she had to change her diet. It fixed her ears and she has not had the problem since.

When I told my doctor about it she just made a face. No help at all. Thanks for this.

I have this problem for 10 years or so, and have only ever used a soft piece of wood to scrape out the crust (high volumes) a few times a day. This is now an established habit. I really appreciate your advice, and will begin taking it. Thank you. The problem has spread naturally under my ministrations to the outer regions and the outside of my ear, plus a cyst.

Behind both of my ears have had a crust since COVID started and we wore masks constantly. Going to try this and using masks that tie around my head instead of around my ears 🫶

I've had 'swimmers ear' for years tried many different creams etc to no effect. Then I bought a product called Ear Calm which seemed to do the trick at least for a couple of days before I had to give it another spray. Problem was it was expensive (about £8), a tiny spray bottle that only lasted a couple of weeks. So I looked at the 'ingredients' and acetic acid caught my attention. So me being me went and bought a bottle of distilled vinegar (1/2 ltr) and some ear buds from the super market (about £2 total). I squirt a little bit in the bottle's cap, dip in my ear bud and apply it in my ear. It relieves my itch immediately and generally lasts a few days without needing another application. A year later and I've still got 3/4 of the bottle left. It's not a cure, I don't think there is one, but it's the best I've found.

I had this problem for several years and I finally figured out it was because of me always touching it. It started out in the right ear canal but then showed up in the left also. I tried all kinds of different creams but the dead skin / scabs would always come back. My wife made me self conscious because she would make comments when she could see flaky stuff in my ears. What happened was I got covid and was sick and coughing all the time and didn't touch or pick at my ears for at least 2 weeks. I guess I totally forgot about it. The scabs must have dried up and healed on their own but I felt both sides one day and there was nothing there. That was in June 2020 and to this day it has not come back. So for me the cure was leaving them alone.

Thank you so much! This really gives me hope to finally get rid of it! I always feel embarrassed because I fell my ears are always dirty.

My dermatologist told me it was my fault my ears were itchy because I scratch. Instead of listening to me for the reason I was scratching and prescribing a medication. Time for a new dermatologist.

I've been using an SA cleanser, Nizoral, and Vaseline. It completely removed all the scaling/flaking skin. But now I have huge discoloration where the scaling/flaking used to be.

It is a dimorphic fungus. It can actually be a symptom of internal fungus infection.

No talk of the underlying cause of the inflammation. I've had dry flakey ears for years. I've tried every topical treatment known to mankind, including your suggestions. It's clearly a systemic problem. This week I am beginning berberineHCL daily. It is a strong anti inflammatory treatment. Fingers crossed. I don't want to manage this condition, I want to find a cure.

I have had this for about ten years. I always wondered if I had caught it from someone that had it, who had mentioned that she had it. Then I developed it. My friends husband has this. I sometimes have fluid that comes out of my ears. My doctor said to put 1% cortisone cream on it, which does calm the itch, but doesn't seem to go away. This is the first time I have heard anything serious explanation of what this is, and how to treat it. Thank you Doctor. I will try your cleansing method, along with the coconut oil. Sounds like it might work for me. I also sometimes have exzema on my hands, caused by certain soaps. I use clear laundry detergent, wear gloves when I do the dishes, and use a hand cream containing calendula extract, coconut oil, and some other natural ingredients. You are correct that it can just about drive you crazy from the itching. Mine seems to flair up and be worse at times, and then calms down.

When the itching in my ear canals gets really irritating I find the addition of a little Vick works wonders

06/4 23, Spec's can exacerbate a skin condition behind the ear depending on the type of material. Plastic will harbour moisture. Regular sanitising & alternative materials reduces the condition. Regular sea bathers don't seem to suffer skin problems.

My friend says he takes a strand of wire from a RJ45 Ethernet cable, forms a loop which he pushes inside his ear hole to clean it. He says an ear doctor looked inside his ear and she was amazed, she said you only see clean ear holes in text books and she had never seen such a clean ear before.

Huh. I have had this for years. At first it was behind the ear as well as inside the ear canal. I managed to cure the external problem with dandruff shampoo but was afraid to put that inside my ears. Now I have some stuff I can try. If I could get rid of this itch it would be such a relief! Thank you!

Me scratching my itchy ear 5 sec before she said do not scratch your ear😐

I was surprised + disappointed my dermatologist offered NO advice for treatment. Told me to go to an ENT. Maddening. I eventually found coconut oil and especially tea tree oil has helped. Problem became worse with hearing aids but now is fully manageable. You did a great presentation. I especially appreciate your printed information off to the side.

Love this lady, Lord God, we need more people in the world like this.

I had this problem for a number of years until a physician prescribed triamcinolone 0.1% cream. That cured it for me very quickly.

Thank you for this advice as I've been suffering with this exact condition for a long time!

Thank you! I've only recently started having itchy, crusty ear lobes. I thought it was some kind of infection from my ear piercings. I love KZfaq.

Thank you so much . itch and crust completely disappeared... after suffering with an unbelievable irritating itch for years i tried your advice and since then have not had any problems bless you for your excellent advise .

I use medicated shampoos due to scalp and ear psoriasis but I never thought of putting oil on my ears before showering! I typically use Vaseline or Aquaphor on my ears in the morning but dislike the residue it leaves on my hair. This is such a great suggestion. Thank you!

Thank you for this info ! I just saw a dermatologist and we did not go over my ears I have ketoconazole...I was given that 2 yrs ago for toe nail fungus. That stuff works! For oil...I love coconut oil in my ears. Just a little does the trick. Glad you addressed the itching and scratching I've done THAT BEFORE. NOT A PRETTY PICTURE

Hey guys…this works! Great for dandruff too. I’ve tried EVERYTHING over the years. This hands down works the best!im not affiliated with this product and have no “skin in this game”! See what I did there!! But seriously, try Dermazinc products. I use the cream on any spots on ears, face , and scalp. U can buy it in shampoo and bar soap form too. I use cream as a hair gel a few times per week and it KILLS it! Thank me later

THANK YOU...I thought it was only me who had itchy ears. Thought it was residue from shampoo...causing it. I tried hot salt water on a cotton bud...it helped. Also tried vinegar..on bud...it relieved the itch. Baking soda in water also helped. Thank you for the article. Someone told me to try garlic juice rubbed inside the ear...so many have this issue..your advice is appreciated by us all.

Sweet almond oil works great for me. Had itchy ear canals for years and my sister has the same issue. But the oil helps a lot.

Never did care much for the music, but this ear itch has me appreciating the name of the band....The Grateful Dead

Thanks for ramdom recommendation of youtube. I suffer ears itching for a year. Even my mom doesn't know or tell me how to treat this. Thank goodness, after a year, I finally saw a solution.

I have psoriasis in my ears, have been through all of the treatments you suggested, tea tree oil saved me. I don't even need it daily now, every couple of days put some on a q tip and apply to the outer ear, and a little into the canal, I'm aware of the problems with q tips so am very careful but, it works!!

I just realised that I have made a huge mistake this whole time! I thought that putting Vaseline to soften the scales would be a good idea, but could actually make things worse… I just bought nizoral and I hope it works!

Thank you for this video. I’ve had scalp psoriasis since childhood. I’ve struggled with excessive skin production in my ears since childhood as well. My father also had this problem. My derm prescribed Olux foam which works well. I will try washing with T gel shampoo as u said. I’ve tried tea tree oil,which is not effective. I’ve tried coconut oil, baby oil, almond oil without succcess. My type of scalp psoriasis is controlled well with coal tar based shampoo. I hope it works on my ears

I used olive oil as it was all I had on hand and it really helped

Neosporin works great for me. A small amount rubbed onto the affected areas (not in the ear canal) every night for the first couple of weeks then once a week thereafter. Clean the outer ear surfaces every day with a wet washcloth.

Thankyou i have been suffering with this problem from years I m. Fed up now. Thanks for the help

WHOS EAR IS FLAKY AND YELLOWISH JUICE COME OUT OF THE EAR WHEN YOU RUB THE FLAKES OFF?

Thanks - This provides me more background on my skin issues, and why my dermatologists have prescribed the treatments that they have.

Very interesting. I live in a dry (low humidity) state, and I have this problem with my ears in the winter. The best treatment I have found is to use Eucerin eczema cream twice a day, applying just a little. Too much seems to cause problems but just a little twice a day has fixed it, at least for now.

Bless you for making this video. I thought I was alone in my struggles. Will try your recommendations.

I'm going to give this a try! I recently started doing the 50/50 Peroxide/water drops in my ear, which helped some, but the itch came back within a week. I'm on antibiotics now, but I'm going to try the coconut oil and medicated soap with Salycic acid. I'll check back with results. Thanks!

Oh my goodness, I've had this since my teens and I'm almost 60! My Doctors just give me ear sprays that don't do much. The most relief I ever had was when we lived in Germany and a Chemist made me up a little bottle of oils that I had to put on my finger and just rub into (the itch & eczema is inside but I can reach it) the itch. We came back to the UK not long afterwards but when we went back to visit friends I tried to get more & sadly, the Chemist had retired 😞. I've got Nizoral & coconut oil so I'm going to try those first. Thank you so much Doctor. I'm going to pass this on to my friend who also suffers 😊

Olive oil is always my ‘go to’ for cleaning ears, however after watching this, I’ll give coconut oil a try. Thank you. 👍🏼

I’ve been using clotrimazole cream daily for a month and it has helped me soooooooo much! I was so embarrased about the flaky skin on my ears 😩 thank you!! I used to wash my ears continuously but 10 mins later it appeared again this is the only thing that worked UPDATE - it didn’t work my eczema spread to my scalp which hasn’t happened before 😢

This is such a helpful video! I have scalp psoriasis thats been affecting my ears lately and this is the first video/article that gave suggestions to try with items I had on hand. Already feeling relief. Thank you!

Whatever is inside and behind my ears sometimes likes to play games with me and happen on my face around my mouth and nose. Now it’s suddenly a thing on my eyelids! And a spot on the back of my neck that itches ALWAYS. When I first started trying to treat it years ago, I used anti fungals thinking it was something yeasty, then added hydrocortisone cream. Then I asked my doctor. He gave me a prescription for heavy duty dandruff shampoo. It’s a tiny little bottle that’s supposed to last me a whole year, so I only use it on my face and ears like he told me to and forget about the actual dandruff. Now I’m having a big ol flare up and nothing I have is working. 😭😭 I’ve currently got a heavy layer of Vaseline all around and in my ears just to loosen some of it up.

Quite brilliant. I'm going to have a go at this, having had this problem for 40+ years. I'll let you know how I get on.

OMG, I came across this by accident! This is exactly what I have! Thank you!!! Blessings..... :)

Great information Doc... Thank you, what’s my co-pay? 🤣

Full on grapefruit seed extract works great!

I've had this for a couple of years, and lately it got a lot worse. The scratching didn't help, and just made my ear painful. I won't go into all the treatments I tried, but I did do hydrogen peroxide, medicated soap, A and D Ointment with Zinc, coconut oil, caster oil, and vinegar, which everyone swears by. I tried the solution prescribed by my doctor for eczema in the ears, which is vinegar mixed with aloe I think. Nothing was helping. I have oily skin, and my ears have always been oily too, so dryness wasn't the problem, unless I was washing the oil out, which is possible. I also sleep under a fan. So I am now applying an ointment called Bee Magic, which has all the anti-biotic and anti-viral bee products in it. I also have been alternating with an herbal ointment that has a ton of herbs in it. Both of these are very mild, and are in a base of either olive oil or coconut oil (I think). I'm about five days into the treatment, and put the ointments in my ears two times a day. My symptoms are slacking off, and the itchiness has definitely dropped about 70%. Someone said that it can take up to six weeks for symptoms to get under control, so I am going to stay with this faithfully. I have stopped washing my ears, and will clear out the ointments with a soft tissue and then reapply. I am not worried about the flakes. They will dissolve in the ointment. Try Bee Magic. I think you will find success. The other ointment is upstairs, but it's a homeopathic, natural herbal ointment. I love natural things like these.

I started getting itchy flaking skin in my ear canals about 10 years ago, I have tried EVERYTHING, including the methods in your video. It has cycled from a bit better to worse over the years, to the point now it is horrible. Not only the canals but the outer ear as well. I have ulcerative colitis, and its an inflamatory condition also, and as its gotten worse so has my ears. Its very embarrassing, and the itchiness is pretty tough to deal with as well. There was an oily medicated drop my Doctor prescribed years ago that worked a bit to lessen the flaking and itching but they stopped making it , and it was VERY expensive. It was prescription only, and not covered by insurance. If I can come across the name of it I will share it here.

I’ve always found that CBD oil since it’s readily available now has a lot of anti-microbial and antiviral etc. properties and it’s also good for the dryness in the years well I have tinnitus and it’s a it’s actually helps relieve some of the symptoms maybe not for everybody but it is natural I’m not telling anybody to put THC or anything like that but just CBD oil OK thank you

It’s called Otitis Externa … It causes inflammation & terribly itchy ears. It’s basically eczema on the outer ear. I had this condition for years & was under my ent consultant for a few years. Glad to say mine is totally under control now due to some ointment ( not cream) it must be ointment because of the ingredients. If my ears ever start to itch I put this ointment on a cotton bud & apply around the outer ear & slightly down into the ear canal…It’s amazing stuff & has to be prescribed by a Doctor. 😊

I have found that Selenium based shampoos application to the ear lobes and into the canal during a bath..left on for ten minutes..then washed off.. works wonders.