Understanding Earwax
What is Earwax?
Earwax, also known as cerumen is a natural and important substance which our ears make. Earwax protects the ear and traps things like dirt and dust as well as protecting the skin inside of the ear.
Everyone’s earwax is different. The colour, type and amount of earwax produced varies. Earwax is healthy and natural, we all have it in our ears.
Wax can be dry and flaky or crumbly, honey coloured or dark brown and very hard when it may become quite firmly attached to the underlying skin.
What causes a build up of earwax?
Age
Older people may have a build up of drier wax.
We recommend a regular check up at Puri Pharmacy.
Dust
If you work in an area where there is lots of dust or dirt in the air, it can get trapped with the wax in your ear.
Cotton Buds
Cotton buds can cause wax being pushed deeper into the ear canal, and often wax becomes harder and stuck.
Hearing aid moulds
These can cause a build up of skin and wax inside the ear canal.
Should I get my earwax removed?
Ours ears, clean themselves! They’re very clever and in most cases, there’s no need to remove wax. However, sometimes you may need to visit us to get it safely removed.
We offer a private earwax removal service at our Southall and Hillingdon branches.
If you have too much earwax, it can lead to some discomfort, pain and other issues. A build up of wax can lead to earache, difficulty hearing and sometimes a condition called tinnitus.
How often should I get my earwax removed?
It varies from person to person. Everyone is different and you may produce more or less wax than someone else. There are many factors that affect earwax production, if you would like to find out more about how often you should clean your ears then contact us or visit us.
How can I look after my ears if I have wax?
If you have excess wax, do not worry! It is natural and healthy, but if your ear canal is completely blocked, you should never attempt to clear out the wax on your own as this could cause more damage.
Instead, book an appointment with our experts at Puri Pharmacy in Southall or Hillingdon and we can assess your ears.
Earwax removal at Puri Pharmacy
We offer a private earwax removal service at Puri Pharmacy in Southall and Hillingdon.
We use a technique called Microsuction.
This is the process of gently removing wax from your ears by using a small suction tube and probe to gently remove any excess wax in the ear.
You can learn more about our Earwax removal services here.