Most people use cotton buds to clean their ears. The earbuds may seem harmless but they have been found to pose risks to one's health and thus should be avoided.
Here are three reasons why you shouldn't clean your ears with cotton buds.
1. Earwax is quite important
It is worth noting that the wax produced in the ear serves to protect the ear from infections as well as the growth of fungi and bacteria. The inner ear cleans itself and the accumulated wax will eventually fall off on its own, thus it is important not to insert anything in your ear.
2. Can cause damage to the eardrum
Using foreign objects to clean your ear could result in a risk of damaging the ear canal and the eardrum which are so essential to your hearing ability. Cotton buds mostly do not remove the wax in your ear but push it more inside the ear canal which results in discomfort and pain once the wax is deposited on the eardrum.
3. Increases risks of infections
Cleaning your ears almost every day gets rid of all the earwax produced. This, in turn, makes you experience an itchy feeling when cleaning the ears and also exposes your ears to the risk of contracting infections since the wax stops foreign materials from reaching your ear canal.