Doctors are now telling what grandparents have known for - don't stick smaller than your elbow into your ears. An organization of ear in the USA, the American Academy of Otolaryngology, has said cleaning your ears with cotton buds ( Q-tips) can cause long-lasting to your eardrums and . Dr Jennifer Caudle told Yahoo Beauty that cotton buds seem harmless but can cause significant damage. She said: "I know people want to stick things in their ears and they think it’s the thing to do, but [cotton buds] can cause holes in the , irritation in the canal, and can predispose you to getting infections."
The Academy has also recommended that people change their of earwax and think of it as an essential to keep our ears healthy. Dr Seth Schwartz said: "There is an for people to want to clean their ears because they believe earwax is an indication of uncleanliness. This misinformation leads to ear health habits." Doctors say our produces earwax for a good . It does an essential job of cleaning out the ears, stopping them from drying out, and helping them to sweat . It also protects the inner ears against bacteria, , dirt and dust. Using cotton buds can push further inside the ear and cause blockages, which can undo all the good of earwax.
