What happens if you remove ear wax too often?

Ear wax ( cerumen ) , protects the skin of the ear canal, assists in cleaning and lubrication and also provides some protection against bacteria, fungi, insects and water.

Cerumen has been found to have bactericidal effect on some strains of bacteria like H. infleunzae, S. aurens and many variants of E. coli. The growth of two fungi commonly present in otomycosis was also significantly inhibited by human cerumen.

These anti microbial properties are due principally to the presence of saturated fatty acids, lysosomes and to the slight acidity ( pH 6.1 ) of cerumen.

Too much ear wax removal can cause a number of potential problems. It can throw off the natural balance between the production and removal of ear wax, resulting in either too much or too little. It can also irritate the ear canal over time, causing swelling, itching, or infection. Finally, too much ear wax removal can push wax deeper into the canal, potentially creating blockages or impactions that could impair hearing or necessitate medical attention to remove.