What consistency should earwax be?

For most, the earwax you see is an amber orange to light brown and is a wet and sticky consistency . The color of earwax is usually related to its age; the lighter in color the newer the earwax. This is also true with the texture; the dryer the earwax, the older it is.

What ethnicity has dry vs wet earwax?

Dry earwax, typical in East Asians and Native Americans, is light-colored and flaky, while earwax found in Caucasian and African groups is darker, wetter and, a new study shows, smellier .

Is it good to remove ear wax?

Some people under a doctor's care may require regular cleanings, but this is not the case for everyone. More damage can be created by trying to clean or remove ear wax versus just leaving it alone . “The skin in the ear is very thin and even slight trauma from such a device can cause injury,” Brant noted.

What ethnicity has wet or dry earwax?

East Asians usually have dry earwax, while other populations tend to have the wet type . Researchers discovered that a specific genetic variation in the ABCC11 gene determines which kind of earwax a person has.

What does unhealthy ear wax look like?

Dark brown or black colored earwax is typically older, so its color comes from the dirt and bacteria it has trapped. Adults tend to have darker, harder earwax. Dark brown earwax that is tinged with red may signal a bleeding injury. Light brown, orange or yellow earwax is healthy and normal.

How do you know if your ear is full of earwax?

Signs and symptoms of earwax blockage may include: Earache. Feeling of fullness in the ear. Ringing or noises in the ear (tinnitus) Hearing loss. Dizziness. Cough. Itchiness in the ear. Odor or discharge in the ear. More items...

How rare is wet earwax?

Wet earwax: People with the dominant variant typically have wet earwax. This is most common among people of European and African descent . Dry earwax: People with the recessive variant usually have dry, flaky earwax. This is most common among people of East Asian descent.

Does wet earwax mean body odor?

And yes, the genetics tells us that humans with wet earwax will sweat more from their armpits . Now the annual US market for deodorants and anti-perspirants is worth about $2 billion, while the UK market runs to over half-a-billion pounds sterling.

What is the purpose of ear wax?

Healthy ears contain wax, which is produced by a special lining in the ear canal. Wax protects the tissues, and helps prevent infection by trapping micro-organisms, dirt and other irritants . Wax is constantly travelling towards the outer ear where it can drop out.

Why did a big clump of earwax fall out?

Chewing, talking and regular bathing is often enough to move earwax up and out of the ear. Usually, earwax gets rinsed away in the shower without you knowing it's happening. But it's possible – and totally normal – for earwax to come out in balls, clumps or lumps. The bigger problem is when earwax stays in your ears .

What is abnormal ear wax?

The wax helps protect your canal from water, infection, injury, and foreign objects. But too much wax buildup can cause problems. This buildup is called impacted earwax . Special glands in your ear make secretions that combine with dead skin cells to form earwax.

Why is my earwax wet and smelly?

Smelly earwax may occur if you have an infection, something stuck in your ear, or a medical condition . Treatment can depend on the underlying cause of the odor. Earwax is a normal and an important part of keeping your ears healthy and clean. However, smelly earwax can indicate a problem.

Is Your Earwax Wet or Dry? (2024)

Do you have dry, flaky earwax or the gooey, stinky type? The answer is partly in your heritage.

A new study reveals that the gene responsible for the drier type originated in an ancient northeastern Asian population.

Today, 80 to 95 percent of East Asians have dry earwax, whereas the wet variety is abundant in people of African and European ancestry (97 to 100 percent).

Populations in Southern Asia, the Pacific Islands, Central Asia, Asia Minor, and Native North Americans and Inuit of Asian ancestry, fall in the middle with dry wax frequencies ranging from 30 to 50 percent.

Researchers identified a gene that alters the shape of a channel that controls the flow of molecules that directly affect earwax type. They found that many East Asians have a mutation in this gene that prevents cerumen, the molecule that makes earwax wet, from entering the mix.

Scientists believe that the mutation reached high frequencies in Northeast Eurasia and, following a population increase, expanded over the rest of the continent. Today distribution of the gene is highest in North China and Korea.