What are the common misunderstandings about cleaning your ears?
This answer is a draft. It stays unpublished until legal review and source verification are complete.
In Japan, ear cleaning is an established habit, and the bamboo ear pick (耳かき, mimikaki) is an everyday household item. Ear, nose and throat (ENT) doctors, however, keep repeating that ear cleaning is basically unnecessary. Here is how earwax works, and what goes wrong (outer-ear infection, perforated eardrum).
Points to weigh
| Item | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Role of earwax | Protects the skin and keeps out bacteria and dust. Mildly acidic and antibacterial | Oto-Rhino-Laryngological Society of Japan |
| Natural clearance | Jaw movement (talking, eating) moves the skin of the ear canal outwards, carrying the wax with it | Same |
| How often to clean | Basically unnecessary. If you do: once or twice a month, no deeper than about 1 cm from the opening, gently with a soft cotton bud after a bath | Same |
| Types of earwax | Dry (about 70–80% of Japanese people) and wet (genetic). Wet wax builds up more easily and is better removed at an ENT clinic | Same |
| Problems | Cotton bud pushes wax deeper → impacted earwax (blockage); ear pick scratches the canal → outer-ear infection (otitis externa); child moves → perforated eardrum | Same; Consumer Affairs Agency |
| Removal at an ENT clinic | Covered by health insurance (earwax removal). A few minutes, painless | — |
| When to see a doctor | Muffled hearing, a blocked feeling, pain, itching that continues, discharge | — |
- The Consumer Affairs Agency warns that children's eardrums are being perforated during ear cleaning (the child moved, was bumped, or a sibling poked). Children move, so take them to an ENT clinic (耳鼻科, jibika).
- Ear-pick culture: the bamboo mimikaki with its fluffy bonten tuft is a Japanese household item, but ENT doctors advise "do not touch a place you cannot see with a hard tool." The skin of the ear canal is thin, and infection through a scratch (otitis externa) is common.
- People who wear earphones or hearing aids for long hours are more likely to push wax in, and humidity can lead to otitis externa. Keep them clean and take them out now and then.
[Verify] Check the society's advice (frequency, depth), the dry/wet proportions and the accident cases against materials from the Oto-Rhino-Laryngological Society of Japan and the Consumer Affairs Agency.
Misunderstanding 1｜Earwax is dirt, so remove it every day
It is a protective film and clears naturally. Basically unnecessary; if at all, once or twice a month.
Misunderstanding 2｜Cleaning deep with a cotton bud gets the ear clean
Cotton buds push wax deeper and cause blockages. No deeper than 1 cm from the opening.
Misunderstanding 3｜If the ear pick feels good, it must be right
The skin of the canal is thin, and scratches lead to inflammation. That "got some" feeling can be you scraping skin.
Misunderstanding 4｜Cleaning a child's ears is a parent's job
Children move, and eardrums get perforated. Take children to an ENT clinic (health insurance, a few minutes).
Misunderstanding 5｜If the ear feels blocked, dig it out yourself
Trying to remove impacted wax yourself pushes it deeper. Have it removed at an ENT clinic (insured). If muffled hearing continues, see a doctor.
---
Sources
- Oto-Rhino-Laryngological Society of Japan, *Earwax and ear cleaning* [耳あか（耳垢）と耳掃除]
https://www.jibika.or.jp/owned/hp/
- Consumer Affairs Agency, *Beware of accidents during ear cleaning (perforated eardrums in children)* [耳掃除中の事故に注意（子どもの鼓膜損傷）]
https://www.caa.go.jp/policies/policy/consumer_safety/child/
- Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, e-Health Net, *Ear health* [耳の健康]
https://www.e-healthnet.mhlw.go.jp/
⚠️ Editorial note: the source URLs above were identified by search. Our working environment cannot reach go.jp domains, so the contents have not been checked against the text. Verify every source before publication and record who checked it and when.
About this article
What we share here are ideas and everyday practices passed down among people living in Japan, together with general information drawn from public sources. They are not official recommendations, and they are not professional instruction. Practices vary between households and regions.
This is general information. Results vary from person to person and depend on your own conditions and surroundings.
Please decide for yourself, using your own judgement, whether any of this suits your situation. We cannot accept responsibility for any damage, loss or injury arising from following this article.
This article is not meant to diagnose or manage any specific medical condition. If you are worried about your health, see a doctor rather than relying on your own judgement.
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