This narrative review examines how chronic inflammatory skin diseases — including atopic dermatitis, seborrheic dermatitis, psoriasis, pityriasis rubra pilaris, relapsing polychondritis, cutaneous lupus erythematosus, and juvenile spring dermatosis — present on the external ear (auricle), covering epidemiology, etiopathology, diagnosis, and treatment.
Atopic dermatitis, seborrheic dermatitis, and psoriasis can be clinically indistinguishable on the outer ear; careful full-skin examination and medical history are key to diagnosis, with histopathology required in difficult cases.
Narrative review format without systematic search or meta-analysis; no original patient data or comparative treatment outcomes are reported.
Clinicians across dermatology, general practice, pediatrics, and ENT should recognize that common and rare inflammatory skin diseases can involve the auricle with atypical presentations — early identification can prevent misdiagnosis and treatment delays. Histopathology should be pursued when clinical features of ear-involved dermatoses overlap.
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