While it isn’t pleasing to the eye, ear wax is good for you for a number of reasons. There’s still a lot we don’t know about it, but one thing we do know is that it protects our ears from damage. Also known as cerumen, this natural substance is created by the cells in our outer ear.
Why Ear Wax Is Good for You
Ear wax builds up in your outer ear to protect your inner ear from dirt. Think of it as a shield. Because it’s sticky, it collects all debris from the air and prevents it from reaching the inside of your ear.
Another reason why ear wax is good for you is that it maintains the natural moisture of your ear. When your ear is dry, the skin can become flaky, and the whole outer ear gets irritated. To make matters worse, you’ll feel the need to scratch it, which could result in infections.
Do you fear that bugs might get inside your ear while you sleep at night? Fear not, because earwax is also designed to protect you from that. It has a distinct smell that keeps all insects away. What’s more, if they somehow get through, they’ll get stuck to the wax and won’t be able to move any further.
How to Clean Excess Ear Wax
While ear wax is good for you in many ways, your ears sometimes produce more of it than they really need. But they also have a way of ejecting the excess wax into the outer area of the ear. This is the wax you can see, and also the wax you should clean.
To clean ear wax from your outer ear, use a very soft cloth soaked in soap while you’re showering. Alternatively, you can use hydrogen peroxide for better results. If neither of these two seems to do the trick, go to your doctor for a routine wax cleanup.
