What is earwax — and should you get rid of it? - Henry C. Ou

Summary

Archaeologists discovered 5,000-year-old Sumerian toiletry kits, including earwax removal tools, highlighting the ancient practice of ear hygiene. Earwax, or cerumen, serves as a natural defense mechanism with antibacterial properties, lubricating the ear canal and trapping debris. It varies by individual and ancestry, with East Asians typically having drier wax. Self-cleaning can be harmful, potentially causing infections or eardrum damage. Instead, over-the-counter eardrops or professional cleaning is recommended, along with gentle external ear cleaning.

Takeaways

• 🧐 Earwax, or cerumen, is a mixture of dead skin cells, oily sweat from apocrine glands, and sebum found in the ear canal.
• 🐳 Other mammals also produce earwax; a blue whale was found with a 25 cm long earwax earplug.
• 🧬 A single gene variation determines the type of earwax a person has, which can be linked to ancestry.
• 🌏 Drier earwax is common in East Asians, while wetter earwax is more common in Africans and Europeans.
• 🕯️ Human earwax is not suitable for making candles, contrary to any old wives' tales.
• 🛡️ Earwax serves as a natural defense mechanism by lubricating the ear canal, trapping debris, and protecting against infections.
• 🔄 The ear has a self-cleaning process where skin cells migrate outwards about 100 micrometers per day, pushing earwax out.
• 🚫 Inserting items into the ear to remove earwax can be harmful, potentially pushing wax further in or causing injury.
• 🔥 Ear candling is not effective and can lead to injury or leaving debris in the ear.
• 💊 Over-the-counter eardrops can help soften earwax for easier removal, and healthcare providers have safe methods for clearing blockages.
• 🧹 Doctors recommend cleaning the outer ear with a damp cloth and taking breaks from earplugs and earbuds to prevent earwax buildup.

Q & A

What were the intriguing sets of artifacts found at the Sumerian burial site?

The intriguing sets of artifacts found at the Sumerian burial site were judged to be toiletry kits, which comprised pointed tools, tweezers, and ear scoops.

What is earwax technically called?

Earwax is technically called cerumen.

Where does earwax form in the human body?

Earwax forms in the outer ear canals of humans.

What is the function of the oily sweat inside our ears?

The oily sweat inside our ears does not function to cool us off. Instead, it comes from apocrine glands and is oilier, contributing to the formation of earwax.

How does earwax vary among individuals?

Earwax varies in odor, color, and consistency among individuals. A change in a single nucleotide on one gene affects how much fat the ear's apocrine sweat glands secrete, determining the type of earwax.

Is there a correlation between earwax type and ancestry?

Yes, the type of earwax someone has may track with their ancestry. For example, drier earwax is common among people with East Asian heritage, while people of African and European descent more often have wetter earwax.

What is the primary function of earwax in the ear?

Earwax acts as a lubricator to prevent ear dryness and itchiness, traps debris and microbes, and forms a physical barrier that protects the ear canal's skin.

How does the ear naturally get rid of earwax?

The ear naturally gets rid of earwax through a process where new skin cells form and grow at the center of the eardrum, pushing older ones toward the opening of the ear canal, eventually pushing the wax out.

What are the risks associated with inserting items into the ear to extract earwax?

Inserting items into the ear to extract earwax can push more wax back in, leave scratches in the ear canal's skin, disrupt its natural barrier against infections, and even perforate the eardrum, causing permanent damage and hearing loss.

What is ear candling and why is it not recommended?

Ear candling, or coning, involves a hollow candle lit on fire and placed over the ear canal, claimed to generate enough air current to pull earwax out. However, it's not recommended because researchers have found that the suction generated is minimal and what's visible at the end is likely debris from the candle itself, not extracted earwax. The practice can lead to injuries and leave debris in the ears.

What are safer methods to manage earwax buildup?

Safer methods to manage earwax buildup include using over-the-counter eardrops to help soften earwax so it can make its way out on its own, and health care providers have tried-and-true methods of gently clearing blockages.

What preventive measures can be taken to avoid earwax buildup?

To prevent earwax buildup, doctors recommend gently cleaning the outside of the ear canal with a damp cloth and giving your ears a break from earplugs and earbuds when possible.

Outlines

00:00

🧐 Earwax: Ancient Grooming and Modern Hygiene

Archaeologists discovered 5,000-year-old Sumerian toiletry kits, including earwax removal tools, indicating the historical importance of ear hygiene. Earwax, or cerumen, is a mixture of dead skin cells, oily sweat from apocrine glands, and sebum. It varies in consistency and odor, influenced by a gene that affects the fat content in apocrine sweat. Drier earwax is common in East Asians, while wetter earwax is prevalent in Africans and Europeans. Despite its unappealing nature, earwax serves a protective role by lubricating the ear canal, trapping debris, and fighting infections with its proteins. The ear naturally expels earwax, and inserting items can cause more harm than good by pushing wax deeper or scratching the canal. Ear candling, a popular but ineffective method, can also lead to injury.

05:01

💊 Safe Earwax Management

While earwax is beneficial, some individuals may experience discomfort or hearing issues due to excessive buildup. Over-the-counter eardrops can soften earwax, facilitating its natural expulsion. Healthcare providers recommend against self-cleaning with items inserted into the ear and suggest using gentle methods to clear blockages. To prevent buildup, it's advised to clean the outer ear with a damp cloth and reduce the use of earplugs and earbuds. In general, it's best to let earwax perform its natural functions without interference.

Keywords

💡Sumerian burial site

A Sumerian burial site refers to an archaeological location where the remains of ancient Sumerians are interred. Sumerians were one of the earliest civilizations in the historical region of southern Mesopotamia. In the context of the video, this term is used to introduce the discovery of toiletry kits, which included tools for grooming and personal care, indicating that the practice of hygiene has a long history.

💡Toiletry kits

Toiletry kits are collections of personal care items such as tools, creams, and accessories used for grooming and hygiene. The video mentions that archaeologists found such kits in a Sumerian burial site, suggesting that the practice of personal grooming was prevalent even 5,000 years ago.

💡Earwax

Earwax, medically known as cerumen, is a waxy substance produced in the ear canal of mammals, including humans. The video explains that earwax is a mixture of dead skin cells, sweat, and sebum, and it plays a crucial role in maintaining ear health by acting as a lubricant and a barrier against foreign particles and microbes.

💡Cerumen

Cerumen is the medical term for earwax. The video discusses how cerumen is formed in the outer ear canal and serves various protective functions. It also touches upon the fact that cerumen varies in consistency and odor, which can be influenced by genetic factors.

💡Apocrine glands

Apocrine glands are a type of sweat gland found in areas such as the armpits and genital region. Unlike eccrine glands that are distributed all over the body, apocrine glands produce a more oily sweat. The video explains that the oily sweat from apocrine glands mixes with dead skin cells and sebum to form earwax.

💡Sebum

Sebum is an oily substance produced by sebaceous glands in the skin, which helps to keep the skin and hair moisturized. In the context of the video, sebum is mentioned as one of the components that combine with dead skin cells and sweat to create earwax.

💡Ear candling

Ear candling, also known as coning, is an alternative practice where a hollow candle is lit and placed over the ear canal, with the claim that it can draw out earwax. The video debunks this claim, stating that the suction generated is minimal and that any residue is likely from the candle itself, not earwax.

💡Eardrum

The eardrum, or tympanic membrane, is a thin membrane that separates the outer ear from the middle ear. The video warns against practices that might perforate the eardrum, such as deep cleaning with objects, which can lead to permanent hearing loss.

💡Over-the-counter eardrops

Over-the-counter eardrops are a type of medication that can be purchased without a prescription and are used to soften and help remove earwax. The video suggests these as a safer alternative to self-cleaning the ears, as they assist in the natural process of earwax expulsion.

💡Earplugs and earbuds

Earplugs and earbuds are devices worn in the ear to block out noise or to listen to audio. The video recommends giving ears a break from these devices to prevent earwax buildup, as they might trap earwax and hinder its natural migration out of the ear canal.

💡Earwax blockages

Earwax blockages occur when excessive earwax accumulates and hardens, potentially causing discomfort and affecting hearing. The video acknowledges that while earwax is generally beneficial, there are instances where it can become problematic and require medical intervention.

Highlights

Archaeologists found toiletry kits including earwax removal tools in a 5,000-year-old Sumerian burial site.

Earwax removal tools have been discovered in various archaeological sites.

Earwax, or cerumen, is a mixture of dead skin cells, oily sweat from apocrine glands, and sebum.

A blue whale was found with a 25 cm long earwax earplug.

Earwax varies in odor, color, and consistency due to a single nucleotide change in a gene.

Drier earwax is common among people with East Asian heritage.

Wetter earwax is more common among people of African and European descent.

Earwax serves as a lubricant to prevent ear dryness and itchiness.

Earwax traps debris and microbes, forming a physical barrier to protect the ear canal's skin.

Proteins in earwax combat bacterial infections.

The ear naturally expels earwax through a process involving skin cell migration.

Using items to extract earwax can push it further in and cause skin scratches.

Deep ear cleaning can perforate the eardrum, causing permanent damage and hearing loss.

Ear candling is not effective and can lead to injuries and debris in the ears.

Some individuals are more prone to earwax buildup, especially with age.

Earwax accumulation can be uncomfortable and affect hearing.

Over-the-counter eardrops can help soften earwax for natural expulsion.

Healthcare providers have safe methods for gently clearing earwax blockages.

Doctors recommend cleaning the outside of the ear canal with a damp cloth and avoiding earplugs and earbuds when possible.

It's generally best not to interfere with the natural process of earwax unless there is an obstruction.

Transcripts

Investigating a nearly 5,000-year-old Sumerian burial site,

archaeologists came across intriguing sets of artifacts.

They judged them to be toiletry kits

comprising pointed tools, tweezers, and ear scoops.

In fact, grooming paraphernalia, including earwax removal tools,

have popped up in many different archaeological sites—

and earwax evacuation remains a popular hygienic habit today.

But what is earwax?

And are the efforts to eliminate it actually good for us?

Well, to start, we’re not alone in our waxy ways.

Other mammals also produce earwax.

A 12-year-old blue whale was discovered with an earwax earplug

that was 25 centimeters long.

Earwax— technically called cerumen— forms in our outer ear canals.

There, skin cells slough off and mix with other substances, including sweat.

But the sweat inside our ears doesn’t function to cool us off

like the kind that comes out of the eccrine glands dotting our bodies.

Instead, it comes from apocrine glands, like those in our armpits, and is oilier.

Dead skin and oily sweat mix with sebum—

the fatty oil that’s also found on our faces and scalps—

and voila: it’s earwax.

But earwax ranges in odor, color, and consistency.

Some is flaky and dry; other kinds are sticky and gooey.

A change in a single nucleotide on one gene

determines which type you have

by affecting how much fat your ear’s apocrine sweat glands secrete.

And the kind someone has may track with their ancestry.

For example, drier earwax is common among people with East Asian heritage,

while people of African and European descent more often have wetter earwax.

Just to get this out of the way, no human earwax— wet or dry—

would make a good candle.

Okay, but why have earwax at all?

Well, it seems these secretions actually help keep our ears healthy.

Earwax can act as a lubricator that prevents ear dryness and itchiness;

it traps debris and microbes and forms a physical barrier

that protects the ear canal’s skin.

And it’s an active line of defense:

researchers have identified several proteins in earwax

that combat bacterial infections.

Generally, the ear also has its own way of getting rid of earwax.

As new skin cells form and grow at the center of the eardrum,

they push the older ones toward the opening of the ear canal,

forming a conveyor belt where dead skin cells mix with those oily secretions.

Every day, the skin within the ear canal migrates outwards about 100 micrometers.

Eventually, this process should push the wax out of your ear.

Meanwhile, sticking items in your ears to extract earwax yourself

can make things worse.

Even if swabbing removes a little earwax,

it may push more back in.

And it can leave scratches in the ear canal’s skin,

disrupting its natural barrier against infections.

Deep cleaning also runs the risk of perforating your eardrum,

which can cause permanent damage and hearing loss.

Some services promise to clear earwax— but should be avoided.

Ear candling or coning involves a hollow candle lit on fire

and placed over the ear canal.

It’s claimed that this generates enough air current to pull earwax out.

However, researchers have found that the amount of suction generated is minimal

and that what’s visible at the end is likely debris from the candle itself—

not extracted earwax.

In reality, the practice can lead to injuries and leave debris in the ears.

But some folks are more prone to earwax buildup,

and may find it becomes more of an issue with age.

Earwax accumulation can be uncomfortable and affect your hearing,

and there are definitely times when intervention is needed.

But there are safer ways to go about it.

Over-the-counter eardrops help soften earwax

so it can make its way out on its own.

And health care providers have tried-and-true methods

of gently clearing blockages.

Otherwise, to prevent earwax buildup,

doctors recommend gently cleaning the outside of the ear canal with a damp cloth

and giving your ears a break from earplugs and earbuds when possible.

In the absence of earwax obstructions, however,

it’s generally best not to mess with the ways of the wax.