It is gross. That sticky yellow goo you can see in someone’s ear! You want it to not be there, but before you reach for a cotton swab or one of those little scoops sold online, consider this: earwax is best just left alone, even if people have long struggled to do that.
Some extraordinary uses for earwax are best stored in the history books. Pliny the Elder, a Roman naturalist who lived in the first century AD, listed earwax among the many ingredients in his encyclopedia of folk remedies, recommending it for everything from insect stings to skin sores.
Other traditions are hard to appreciate. In Japan, mimikaki is the practice of cleaning another person’s ears with a tiny bamboo pick. It is considered relaxing, and an act of affection. In India, itinerant ear cleaners offered ear-cleaning services in markets and on streets using metal instruments. Concerns about infection and injury have brought this to an end.
There remains, however, an urge among people for earwax to be removed at the first opportunity but resist the temptation. The truth is that your ears are self-cleaning and do not need scheduled care, your partner’s attention, or commercial remedies.
Earwax has an important function. It traps dust, pollen, bacteria, fungi, and even tiny insects before they can reach the delicate eardrum. The skin inside the ear canal then slowly migrates outward, carrying old earwax with it. Every time you chew, yawn, or talk, your jaw helps move the wax toward the opening of the ear where it dries and flakes away. Most healthy ears never need cleaning at all.
Yet, many people interfere. The worst offenders are cotton swabs. Manufacturers often print “Do not insert into the ear canal” right on the package, yet millions of us do exactly that. Instead of removing wax, swabs can push it deeper, packing it against the eardrum where it can cause hearing loss, ringing, dizziness, or pain. Ear, nose, and throat specialists have a saying: “Never put anything smaller than your elbow in your ear.”
Earwax is a blended mixture of secretions from specialized glands, dead skin cells, and a little oil. The combination keeps the ear canal slightly acidic, making it a difficult place for harmful bacteria and fungi to grow.
A surprising fact is that earwax is genetic. People of European and African ancestry usually have wet, honey-coloured earwax. Many East Asians and Indigenous peoples have a dry, gray, flaky variety. The difference comes from a single gene. The same gene is also associated with underarm body odour. People with dry earwax are less likely to need deodorant, a wonderful “I bet you didn’t know that” fact. Here is another: scientists use earwax genetics to study ancient human migrations.
As we age, earwax changes too. It often becomes drier and harder, making blockages more common in older adults. Hearing aids and earbuds can make matters worse by preventing wax from naturally working its way out. If your hearing suddenly seems muffled, do not assume it is old age. A plug of earwax may be the culprit and removing it safely can restore hearing instantly.
So, when should earwax be removed? Only when it is causing trouble: hearing loss, pain, fullness, ringing or when it prevents a healthcare professional from seeing the eardrum. Softening drops or gentle irrigation may help, but some people should avoid flushing the ear, particularly if they have a perforated eardrum, chronic ear disease, or previous ear surgery. In those cases, removal by a healthcare professional is the safest approach.
This column offers opinions on health and wellness, not personal medical advice.
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