Have you looked closely at your earbuds lately? I did, and I was horrified at how gross they were. My trusty Apple AirPods had become so mucky and caked in ear wax I was genuinely embarrassed, and almost reluctant to put something so nasty back in my ears.
But are my yellowing Airpods actually a risk to my health? I asked physician Jonathan Webster, from Doctify, who explained that while earwax is protective and part of the normal cleaning process of the ear, "problems arise because long-term use of the earbuds prevents the wax from naturally migrating outwards—and so it builds up, trapping moisture and making it prone to getting infected."
Earbuds can also push earwax deeper into the ear canal, leading to blockages and discomfort. There’s a reason your ENT surgeon likes the saying “Do not put anything smaller than your elbow in your ear.” Webster also explained that “there has definitely been a rise in problems associated with earbud use, including hearing loss, tinnitus and infections."
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