Why do we Have Earwax?

No Judging: At one point you've probably put a finger in your ear and dug out some rather unsightly ear wax, but why does your body produce this yellowy substance in the first place?

Hosted by: Michael Aranda
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Sources:

[Umbreona]

The wax drives me nuts because it itches.

[zack]

don't tell me not to use a Q tip! it feels soooo good

[SGRODmaster]

I used an earwax removal kit before. All the earwax in my ear ended up running down to the eardrum and solidifying there. Couldn't hear anything from that ear and had to have it removed by a doctor. So yeah, be careful with those too.

[Tyrannosaurus_Wrexx]

Nah, I'll keep my Q-tip eargasms

[summerhowry]

When I use a q tip I use a scooping motion along the walls of my ear canal and it works great

[shukenten]

I did sound engineering for 2 years and my wise old tutor told me never EVER stick anything in your ear. I had a build up of wax from (what I was told) wearing headphones for music production and DJ-ing, and by FAR the best thing was ear drops for getting rid :]

[sor]

I had a giant ball of wax about the size of a standard marble fall out of my ear once. It's still a mystery to this day how something that big rolls out of my ear.

[Master_Therion]

When deciding whether to use a Q-Tip... I just play it by ear.

[xav]

I wish the video went into the differences of hard and soft earwax, last I remember it was a genetic trait. But I heard that a long time ago, so treat it as hundredth hand information.

[pilesofkittens]

When I was little i had a ear infection once I cried all the time it hurt so bad i went to the doctor my ear was hurting because I had to much ear wax I had to get it out with water

[LoadingMex]

how are you supposed to not use a Q-tip and use in-ear Headphones ?

[Generalth]

I love Scishow! It's definitely become _big channel over a million subs!_

[anthonyschannel]

I have always been using a q-tip ever since I was a little kid and I have never once had an ear infection, so I really don't need to put any kind of liquid solution inside my ear because that will probably make the infection, so I'm good on those instructions

[sebbes]

If you are using a Q-tip, try to keep it in the middle of the eardrum while pushing it in, and go REALLY slowly near the end, and then scrub the "ear-walls" from inside and move outwards, for example in a spiral pattern.

[_JKelly]

Coincidentally BuzzFeed just uploaded a video on BeesWax too

[GingerCaddy]

I remember when Mythbusters made a candle out of earwax and Tori and Grant were gagging at the smell. It was hilarious.

[Zazwyn]

"dont use q-tip.."
me : proceed anyway

[psyched.shelby]

Dude I use q tips to clean my ears every day. IT JUST FEELS TOO GOOD

[samwyz]

Even after cleaning my ears, the ent doctor looked into my ear when I was required to go before getting hearing aids, and said there is nothing wrong with my ears thatHe said he doesn’t understand why I was there. He said my ears were just “dirty”. I was so embarrassed and from then on, before I ever allowed anyone to look into my ears, I made sure they were squeaky clean. I hate it when a doctor says he sees earwax even after I tried hard to clean them. I felt so dirty. Doctors, don’t humiliate your patients for having ear wax in their ears. If it’s a lot, clean them yourselves!

[watchnatnow]

I read this in my subscription's feed while my pinky finger was an inch deep inside my right ear. It was mad itchy.