Earwax is a build-up of cerumen, sebum, dead cells, sweat, hair and foreign material - eg, dust. Cerumen has antibacterial and antifungal properties.2 Earwax is a normal physiological substance that protects the ear canal. Earwax produced varies greatly between individuals. Earwax may be either wet or dry. Wet wax is either soft (more common in children) or hard (more common in the elderly and more likely to become impacted and thereby cause symptoms). Dry wax is dry, flaky and golden yellow and is common in people from Asia.
This is a companion discussion topic for the original article at https://patient.info/doctor/ear-nose-throat/earwax-pro