Red Ears

When we see someone with bright red ears, we might assume they are embarrased about something, and we may be right. Whenever we blush, our ears-as well as our faces and other visible body parts -often turn crimson. But red ears can also be a warning sign that it is time to get out of the sun. Because our ears tend to stick out from our bodies, they are on the front line for sunburn.

Red ears may be red flags for ear infections as well as such skin disease as Psoriasis or Rosacea. They can also signal a condition, aptly named Red Ear Syndrome, in which one ear typically becomes red, hot ,and sometimes painful. Various seemingly innocuous triggers such as touching your ear, turning your neck, chewing, sneezing, or coughing, can set off red ear syndrome, which primarily affects children and young adults. But regardless of age, it is often associated with migraine headaches that affect the same side as the red ear.