You don’t say? Earwax: Stay or go?

You don’t need to clean the inside of your ears. They can do it all by themselves, thanks to earwax.

Earwax (also called cerumen) consists of an oily fluid produced by glands in the outer part of the ear canal. It forms a thin film on the surface of the skin lining the canal, where it mixes with sloughed-off skin, bits of hair, and other debris.

Earwax helps shield the canal from water, infection, and injury. It also traps particles like dust and helps eliminate bacteria that could damage the canal or the delicate eardrum.

Usually, earwax migrates from inside the canal to the outer ear and then washes out or dries up and falls out. Most of the time, it doesn’t need any help.

Even so, people often insert a cotton swab into their ears to remove wax. But this can be harmful. The swab can push the wax farther into the ear canal, where it accumulates and hardens, especially if you have a narrow or hairy canal. Some people also naturally produce a lot of wax, leading to buildup.

Hardened earwax can cause discomfort, hearing loss, and ringing in the ears (tinnitus). It sometimes makes hearing aids malfunction. You can try home remedies, but see your doctor if you have ear pain, as this could indicate an infection or perforated eardrum.

For home flushing, choices include over-the-counter earwax removers, hydrogen peroxide, or warmed (not hot) baby oil or mineral oil. (Note: If you use hydrogen peroxide, follow with a rubbing alcohol rinse to dry up any leftover liquid.)

Otherwise, just clean your outer ears with a washcloth, but leave wax removal to your ear’s own self-cleaning devices.

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