Why Some People Have More Earwax Than Others

Let’s talk about earwax, shall we?!?!

Sure, it’s not the most glamorous subject on the planet but the slimy stuff does play an important role in your health, so why not take the time to learn more about it?

First off, the color of earwax is different from person to person and ranges from dark brown to light brown to yellow to orange to off-white.

And the amount of earwax people have varies, too, and it depends on a number of factors.

First off, your family history can determine how much of the gunk you get in your ears. It’s just a genetic thing. And the older a person gets, the more earwax they tend to have. The outer part of the ear canal where the wax is made starts to get softer and sag, making the ear canal more narrow, and this leads to more build-up.

Earwax can either cause or be the result of ear infections, as well. People tend to produce more wax after they suffer from an infection like swimmer’s ear to restore the balance in their ear AND people who build up a lot of wax naturally are prone to blockage and ear infections. People with a lot of hair in their ear canals and who have narrow canals also produce more wax.

Photo Credit: Pexels

If you have a skin condition like eczema, a buildup of wax can also occur in your ears and it tends to not come out the right way.

One more thing: if you’re someone who does tend to produce a lot of earwax, the earbuds you wear could result in wax getting stuck in your ears, so keep that in mind…