Why cotton buds make ear wax worse

Cotton buds make ear wax worse because they push most of it further in. The tip picks up a little wax from the entrance and packs the rest down the canal, where it hardens and can no longer work its way out. They can also scratch the thin skin inside, which leads to itching and infection. Your ears clean themselves, so all the outside needs is a wipe with a flannel.

Are cotton buds bad for your ears?

Used inside the ear canal, yes. The NHS is clear on this: don't use your fingers or objects like cotton buds to remove ear wax, because they push it in and make it worse. Most cotton bud packs carry a warning not to put them in the ear canal, though few people read it.

Used on the folds of the outer ear, the part you can see, they are harmless. The trouble starts once the tip goes into the opening of the canal. Everyone who does it feels they are being gentle, and most feel they are only going in a little way. It doesn't take much.

Part of the pull is habit, and part of it is the satisfying sight of wax on the tip. Many of us were also taught as children that wax is dirt and clean ears are empty ones. In fact wax keeps the canal skin moist, traps dust and helps keep water out, so a little of it is exactly what a healthy ear should have.

How cotton buds push wax deeper

An adult ear canal is about 2.5cm long and gently S-shaped, with the eardrum at the end. Wax is only made in the outer third, where the skin has glands. From there, the canal skin grows slowly outwards and carries the wax with it, a little like a conveyor belt, helped along by jaw movements as you talk and chew.

A cotton bud tip takes up a good part of the canal's width. When it goes in, it works like a plunger: the wax at the very front sticks to the cotton, and the wax just behind is pushed deeper. Do that every day or two and you build a firm plug in the inner, bony part of the canal, where no wax is made and the natural conveyor can't reach it. Wax packed against the eardrum has usually been pushed there, by a cotton bud, a hearing aid or an earplug. What happens next is covered in impacted ear wax: causes, signs and treatment.

Other ways cotton buds can hurt your ears

Pushing wax in is the most common problem, but not the only one. The skin of the inner canal is very thin, sits straight on bone and has little padding.

An outer ear infection usually starts as itching and becomes painful, sometimes with swelling and a discharge. It is normally treated with prescription ear drops. The NHS page on ear infections describes the symptoms. Eardrum injuries are much rarer, and most small tears heal on their own, but they are painful and can affect your hearing while they heal.

Why your ears itch, and what helps

An itchy ear is often what sends people reaching for a cotton bud. The trouble is that it tends to be a cycle. You clean to stop an itch, which strips away wax and rubs the skin, which leaves it drier and more irritated, which makes it itch again.

Common causes of itchy ear canals include dry skin, eczema, psoriasis, reactions to shampoo or hair products, and water left in the ear after swimming. Hearing aids and earbuds can play a part too. Breaking the habit is the first step. After that:

• keep shampoo and soap out of your ears where you can
• dry the outer ear after a shower, and tilt your head to let water drain
• clean hearing aid domes and earbud tips regularly (see earphones and ear wax)
• ask a pharmacist if the itch doesn't settle within a couple of weeks, as a skin condition or fungal infection may need treating

How to clean your ears safely

For most people, ear cleaning means a quick wipe with a flannel. Nothing needs to go inside the ear.

If you want to know more about the gadgets sold for home ear cleaning, our guide to home ear wax kits and camera tools goes through each one.

What to do if you think a cotton bud has hurt your ear

A bit of soreness after a vigorous clean usually settles within a day or two if you leave the ear alone and keep it dry. Paracetamol or ibuprofen can help with the soreness, if they are suitable for you.

If the cotton tip has come off inside the ear, don't try to fish it out, as you are likely to push it further in. A GP practice, a minor injuries unit or an urgent treatment centre can remove it safely.

If wax is already blocking your ear

Stop using cotton buds and start softening the wax. Olive or almond oil, 2 or 3 drops a few times a day for 3 to 5 days, is the usual first step, and our guide on how to use ear drops shows the technique that gets them where they need to go.

A blockage made worse by cotton buds often shows itself suddenly, typically after a shower or a swim, when water makes the packed wax swell. Hearing in one ear goes dull and the ear feels full or stuffy. Our guide to the signs of ear wax build-up goes through the other symptoms and the ones that point somewhere else.

If your ear is still blocked after a course of drops, have it looked at. A clinician will usually remove packed wax with microsuction, lifting it out under magnification without water. Tell them if you have been using cotton buds, so they know to look for scratches.

Once your ears are clear, the best way to keep them that way is to leave them alone. To understand why wax is worth keeping, read what ear wax is and why it builds up. Our ear wax removal FAQs answer other everyday questions.