Ear wax

Ear wax (cerumen) is a brown or yellow waxy substance secreted in the ear canal of humans and many other mammals. It protects the skin in the ear canal, and acts as a lubricant, cleaner, insecticide, fungicide and anti-bacterial. If an excess builds up or dries out, it can press against the eardrum or block the external ear canal and impair hearing

Ear wax is made from shed skin and the secretions of oil and sweat glands. Asians and native North Americans tend to have a dry type of wax which looks grey and flaky. Caucasians and Africans are more likely to have moist honey to dark brown coloured wax

Sufficient ear wax is necessary to clean the ear canal. It slowly works its way outwards, aided by movement of the jaw. As it moves outwards, it sweeps out dirt which sticks to it

Do not use cotton swabs for cleaning out ear wax, as they can actually push the ear wax back in. There is also a risk of damaging the eardrum. Ear picks are more effective, having a scoop and a safety stop to prevent deep insertion. Ear picks are more commonly used by Asians who tend to have the dry ear wax that is easily removed by light scraping. The dry ear wax simply falls out in large pieces or dry flakes

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