In wet-type cerumen, these lipids include cholesterol, squalene, and many long-chain fatty acids and alcohols. The high lipid content of the sebum produced by the sebaceous glands causes the cerumen to work like lubrication. The lubrication provided by cerumen prevents drying of the skin within the ear canal. Removing earwax is in the scope of practice for audiologists and otorhinolaryngologists (ear, nose, and throat doctors.) Jaw movement dislodges debris from the walls of the ear canal to assist in this process. The cerumen in the ear canal is also carried outwards, taking with it particulate matter that may have gathered in the canal. From the umbo, cells formed in the center of the tympanic membrane move to the walls of the ear canal, and then towards the entrance of the ear canal. CleaningĬleaning of the ear canal occurs as a result of the "conveyor belt" process of epithelial migration, aided by jaw movement. Wet-type earwax is associated with armpit odor, which is increased by sweat production. Wet earwax is light brown or dark brown and has a viscous and sticky consistency, and is about 50% lipid. It has a smaller concentration of lipid and pigment granules than wet earwax. ĭry cerumen is gray or tan and brittle, and is about 20% lipid. 30-50% of South Asians, Central Asians and Pacific Islanders have the dry type of cerumen. Some East Asians (including Yamato Japanese), Southeast Asians and Native Americans (including Inuit ) are more likely to have the dry type of earwax (gray and flaky), while Africans, Europeans, and other East Asians (including Ainu ) are more likely to have wet type earwax (honey-brown, dark orange to dark-brown and moist). Dry-type individuals are homozygous for adenine (AA) whereas wet-type requires at least one guanine (AG or GG). This distinction is caused by a single base change in the " ATP-binding cassette C11 gene". There are two genetically-determined types of earwax: the wet type, which is dominant, and the dry type, which is recessive. The primary components of both wet and dry earwax are shed layers of skin, with, on average, 60% of the earwax consisting of keratin, 12–20% saturated and unsaturated long-chain fatty acids, alcohols, squalene and 6–9% cholesterol. It is a mixture of secretions from sebaceous glands and less-viscous ones from modified apocrine sweat glands. The proportion of A alleles (dry-type earwax) in each population is represented by the white area in each circle.Ĭerumen is produced in the cartilaginous outer third portion of the ear canal. World map of the distribution of the A allele of the single nucleotide polymorphism rs17822931 in the ABCC11 gene associated with dry-type earwax. Įxcess or compacted cerumen is the buildup of ear wax causing a blockage in the ear canal and it can press against the eardrum or block the outside ear canal or hearing aids, potentially causing hearing loss. Earwax also contains dead skin cells and hair. The chemical composition of earwax includes long chain fatty acids, both saturated and unsaturated, alcohols, squalene, and cholesterol. Both components made by glands located in the outer ear canal. Major components of earwax include cerumen, produced by a type of modified sweat gland, and sebum, an oily substance. Earwax protects the skin of the human ear canal, assists in cleaning and lubrication, and provides protection against bacteria, fungi, particulate matter, and water. Earwax can be many colors, including brown, orange, red, yellowish, and gray. Earwax, also known by the medical term cerumen, is a waxy substance secreted in the ear canal of humans and other mammals.
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