Credits: Social Media
Expert warns against viral ear gadget that could lead to hearing loss
People on TikTok are obsessed with a viral tool that helps clean your ears, but an expert has warned against it.
The ear-cleaning gadget could actually do more harm than good, and even lead to hearing loss with improper use.
Ear-cleaning tool goes viral
The tool is a small pen-sized device that has a camera on one end. You stick it in your ear and connect it up to your smartphone via Bluetooth, so you can see the inside of your ear canal on the screen.
It also has a swab-like attachment next to the camera which allows you to clean off wax and other debris inside the ear while navigating to the correct place with the camera.
They’re available on eBay, Amazon, TikTok Shop and loads of other online retailers for as little as $5, and have been grabbing social media users for a few years now.
“I can’t believe I didn’t get one of these sooner. I loved cleaning my ears with cotton buds but then I found out they’re just pushing the wax further in,” one person said on TikTok. “It’s so cool but also so gross to see how much wax came out of my ears.”
Expert warns against ear gadget
However, Audiologist Ashish Shah warns against using the viral ear tool because it could potentially damage the eardrum.
“Just because you can see into your ear, does not mean that you know what you are looking at,” he said. “Ear canals come in a variety of shapes and sizes, with twists and turns, so whilst most are between 25 – 30mm long you can quickly end up very close to the eardrum without realising.”
“Damage to the eardrum such as perforation (a hole or tear in the eardrum) is very painful and can cause hearing loss and scarring. Abrasions are another possibility, which can lead to infections if bacteria find their way into the cuts,” Shah added.
The audiologist also explained that there are lots of nerves and blood vessels that run around the ear canal, which can get very irritated when anything is put into the ear, and said that any home ear camera is a “bad idea”.
No need to clean your ears
He said there is actually no need to clean your ears at all as they are self-cleaning and will naturally move wax and dead skin out of the ear canal. Plus, it’s good to have some wax in the ears as it acts as a barrier to stop bacteria and foreign bodies from getting to the eardrum and damaging it.
However, sometimes we will get a larger build-up of wax which our ears struggle to get rid of. In that instance, it’s best to seek medical help, but the only thing Shah recommends putting in your ear at home is medicated olive oil.
Olive oil softens the earwax, allowing it to leave the ear more easily, a report in the National Library of Medicine explains. You can then use a soft washcloth or facial tissue to remove earwax that has come out of the ear canal.
To use it efficiently, follow these steps:
- Tilt your head to the side and drop 2-3 drops into the ear, making sure to avoid touching your ear with the end of the dropper to avoid contamination.
- Keep your head tilted, leaving the medicated oil to work for a few minutes, before wiping any excess oil away with a clean tissue.
- Repeat on the other ear.
- Repeat these steps up to a couple of times a day until hardened earwax appears to have softened.
If you have persistent wax build up, consult your GP or seek professional wax removal.
