Why you should never use cotton buds to clean ear wax

Using cotton buds as an effective way of cleaning ears is a common misconception
and you should think twice before doing so! Although initially designed for this exact purpose
in the 1920s, it has been widely recognised for many years that cotton buds can
cause significant damage to the ears and compromise our hearing health. In this blog we
highlight reasons why you should never use cotton buds to clean ear wax, we also
​suggest alternative methods for maintaining ear hygiene and removing ear wax safely.

What is earwax and what is its purpose?

Earwax, also known as cerumen, is a naturally occurring substance produced by glands in
the ear canal. Its main function is to protect and lubricate the ears. Normally, earwax
migrates from the ear canal to the ear opening, where it either dries up and
naturally falls out or gets washed away, because of this, usually for most people there
​isn’t a need to clean your ears. Earwax can also help prevent the entry of dust,
​debris, and foreign particles into the ear and it has antimicrobial properties, which
means it can stop the growth of bad bacteria within the ear. Ear wax is much more
​functional than you may think!

What are the risks when using cotton buds?

Push wax deeper into the ear canal:
Using cotton buds may inadvertently push earwax deeper into the ear canal, potentially causing
the wax to become compacted and result in more complicated issues.
Damage the ear canal:
Inserting cotton buds into the ear poses a risk of scratches or damage to the
delicate skin of the ear canal, increasing the likelihood of infections.
Stimulate earwax production:
Cleaning the ear canal with cotton buds can trigger an increase in earwax production, creating
an unnatural cycle of cleaning and wax build-up.
Perforated eardrum:
Pushing cotton buds too deeply or with excessive force into the ear carries the risk
of perforating the eardrum, a serious and painful injury requiring the attention of a GP or
ENT (ear, nose & throat) specialist.
Loss of protective wax layer:
Earwax serves as a protective barrier, trapping dust, debris, and bacteria to prevent them from reaching the delicate structures of the inner ear. Excessive wax removal using cotton buds can compromise this protective layer and its benefits.

Should we clean our ears?

Typically most ears self-regulate and usually do not need regular cleaning. Because earwax
is naturally produced by the body, we need our ear wax to stay healthy. It
is important to understand all of the reasons to avoid the insertion of objects into
the ear canal. Should you encounter earwax-related issues, we would only advise to follow
NHS guidance, using ear drops recommended by a healthcare professional or take advantage of
​our ear wax removal service, a safe an affordable way to remove ear wax.

How should you clean your ears?

If necessary there are ways to help with wax build-up, the following advice is directly from the NHS.
​
Earwax usually falls out on its own. If it does not, and builds up and blocks your ear, you can try to remove it.

​To remove earwax build-up:

1. Lie on your side with the affected ear facing up.
2. Put 2 to 3 drops of olive or almond oil in your ear – do not use almond oil if you're allergic to almonds.
3. Continue to lie on your side for 5 to 10 minutes after putting in the oil.
4. Repeat 3 to 4 times a day, for 3 to 5 days.

Over about 2 weeks, lumps of earwax should fall out of your ear and your symptoms should improve.
There's no evidence that ear candles or ear vacuums get rid of earwax.
​Important: Do not use your fingers or any objects like cotton buds to remove earwax.
​This will push it in and make it worse.

Important: Ear candles are not effective
Expanding on the above NHS guidance, there is strong evidence indicating that 'ear candles' are
not effective for removing ear wax. Instead, what appears to be wax removed is often
just melted wax from the paper itself. This method is misleading and potentially quite dangerous, there have been cases of lit paper falling into the ear canal and causing burns.

You may find the following research paper useful: 
Ear Candling PubMedCentral
​

Wax removal with K & M Hearing Solutions

Get in touch today if you are experiencing any hearing or ear wax related issues,
we are clinically trained in all aspects of ear wax removal, including:

​Micro-suction  |  Ear Syringing or Irrigation  |  Manual Extraction

This ensures we can use the correct procedure to suit your personal requirements. Book your
wax removal appointment online here or contact us.  Our video otoscopy allows you to see
inside your ears before and after your procedure, to find out exactly what is involved in
​wax removal click the button below.

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