Dead skin on eardrum A cholesteatoma is a skin growth in your middle ear behind your eardrum. If the dead cells become trapped and form a collection, this build-up of dead skin cells over time can form a cholesteatoma. Skin cells, including those that line the ear canal, normally multiply regularly to replace those that have died. If there are any problems, you may have to stay in hospital for longer. If a cholesteatoma affects your hearing, surgery may help to improve it. Clinically one often finds it hard to visualise the ear drum and the location of the build-up alerts the healthcare professional about the possibility of the ear wax being close See full list on healthline. It starts out as a build-up of skin cells and earwax that then becomes a lump. You may be able to go home the same day, or you may need to stay in hospital overnight. The skin on the ear drum surface continues to grow and shed, as skin does, but instead of coming out of the ear as it should it collects in the middle ear or mastoid. We often come across situations where the dead skin and ear wax has been pushed all the way down to the ear drum, such that the ear drum is hidden behind this build-up. Usually these skin cells just flake off. The skin which collects in the ‘sac’ formed by the collapsed ear drum can easily become infected causing a very smelly discharge to leak out of the ear. Eventually, it can cause infections, drainage, and hearing problems. It usually begins as a collection of dead skin cells and develops into a cyst-like pocket behind the eardrum. com Apr 30, 2020 · A cholesteatoma is an abnormal skin growth that can develop in the middle ear. . Feb 2, 2025 · The middle ear would not normally contain these skin cells. As skin cells gather, the cholesteatoma grows. Surgery involves removing the build-up of dead skin cells while you're under general anaesthetic. vqqjvl dwfa vafkyjg xtvy gsf bkv hbetr dhtsn kseuo miiqdh