Earwax, whether or not you think it’s yucky, is an important substance for the health of your ear. Not only does it lubricate the ear canal to keep it from getting dry and irritated, but it also traps debris and germs.
According to an article published in the National Library of Medicine, “Ear wax only becomes a problem if it causes a hearing impairment or other ear-related symptoms. The accumulation of wax occurs for many different reasons, including the over- or under-production of its constituent components, a failure to self-clear because of slow skin migration, or mechanical issues such as the use of cotton buds or hearing aids.”
Did you know that the color of your earwax can actually indicate the health of your ear? We review what the color of your earwax means below.
White, Flaky Earwax
If you have white, flaky earwax, this is perfectly healthy. Surprisingly, it also may be an indicator you lack a body-odor-producing chemical.
Yellow, Sticky Earwax
Yellow, sticky earwax is also healthy but indicates you likely do have the body-odor-producing chemical and probably need to wear deodorant.
Orange or Light Brown Earwax
Although it may look somewhat alarming, orange or light brown earwax is also healthy; this color earwax just indicates the wax is older (and darker in color because it has trapped more debris), and it’s probably what you find in your outer ear canal and your ear bowl.
Dark Brown or Red Earwax
If your earwax is dark brown or red-tinged, this could be a sign of an injury within the ear. This could range from a minor scratch in the ear canal to a ruptured eardrum.
Black Earwax
Black earwax indicates a buildup, or impaction, of earwax or a foreign object in the ears. You can try to soften the wax with eardrops from Ray’s Pharmacy in Alexandria, but if this doesn’t help, see an ear, nose and throat (ENT) physician to have it professionally removed.
Runny or Cloudy Earwax
Earwax that is runny or cloudy is a sign of some type of ear infection. It’s important to see an expert ENT physician at Red River ENT Associates promptly to prevent damage to your hearing caused by the infection. For more information or to schedule an appointment, call Red River ENT Associates today.
If you are experiencing a medical emergency, please call 911. To request an appointment or connect with our team, please complete the form below. Our team will contact you during our regular business hours.
FAQs
Yellow, orange, or brown is normal. Black, green, or red needs medical attention. Clean your ears at home with warm water, or put in a few drops of mineral oil first to soften the wax.
What does the color of your earwax mean? ›
Earwax is most often amber orange to light brown, wet, and sticky. For some people, it is drier and lighter in color, closer to off white or yellow. In general, the color has a bit to do with the age of the earwax. Newer earwax tends to be lighter in color, and it darkens as it ages and picks up more debris.
What does red wax mean in your ear? ›
Red earwax is usually a sign that there is blood present in the ear. As the ear canal contains many blood vessels, it could be just a scratch. However, it could also be a sign of an ear infection. If you have naturally dark earwax it can be hard to tell whether there's any blood present.
What color wax for ear infection? ›
Yellow to green:
If your earwax is runny and has a pus-like discharge, it could mean you have an ear infection.
What color is an ear infection? ›
If too much fluid or pressure builds up inside the middle ear, the eardrum can actually burst (shown here). If that happens, you may see yellow, brown, or white fluid draining from your child's ear.
What is the unhealthy looking earwax? ›
If there is blood in your earwax, this could be a sign of an injury to the ear or a ruptured eardrum. Gray or black earwax usually means there is a buildup of dust in the ear or impacted earwax. If you are experiencing hearing loss, this could be a sign of impacted earwax.
Why is my ear wax reddish brown? ›
Brown with red streaks.
This may indicate an injury inside your ear canal. If the discharge is runny, it might mean you have a ruptured eardrum.
Should I worry about red ear? ›
Red ears aren't necessarily a cause for concern. Seek medical care if the redness doesn't resolve on its own over a few days or is accompanied by other symptoms. Red ears can be caused by many different conditions, but they're often harmless.
Why is there red coming out of my ear? ›
Ear bleeding can occur as a result of infections, trauma and — in rare cases — ear cancer. In most instances, healthcare providers can treat common conditions that cause ear bleeding like infections or a ruptured eardrum. Bleeding from your ears is more serious if you've recently sustained a head injury.
How do I know if I ruptured my eardrum? ›
Signs and symptoms of a ruptured eardrum may include: Ear pain that may subside quickly. Mucuslike, pus-filled or bloody drainage from the ear. Hearing loss.
Bloody earwax is most commonly caused by minor injuries that create a few drops of blood that mix in with your normal earwax. Such cases may resolve on their own. But you may consider calling your doctor if you're experiencing signs of an infection, such as pain, fever, and drainage.
Why did a black ball come out of my ear? ›
Black earwax is rarely cause for concern. In many cases, black earwax is just a sign your ear has earwax buildup. It may also mean your ear doesn't naturally remove earwax as well as it should. Understanding the possible causes and risk factors that can lead to black earwax may help you identify possible treatments.
How do you know if your ear wax is infected? ›
Call a healthcare provider if you develop cerumen impaction symptoms such as ear pain, itchiness, tinnitus, dizziness, hearing loss or a feeling of fullness in your ears. You should seek medical care immediately if you have: Fever. An earache that doesn't go away.
What color is a fungal ear infection? ›
If your ear infection is caused by Aspergillus, grayish-black or yellow dots surrounded by cotton-like fungal spores will form in your ear canal. If it's caused by Candida, there won't be any visible fungi that forms. Instead, there will be a thick creamy white discharge.
How does ENT drain fluid from the ear? ›
A myringotomy is a procedure to create a hole in the ear drum to allow fluid that is trapped in the middle ear to drain out. The fluid may be blood, pus and/or water. In many cases, a small tube is inserted into the hole in the ear drum to help maintain drainage.
What does a badly infected ear look like? ›
The otoscope will allow the provider to look at the surface of the eardrum. A healthy eardrum looks pinkish-gray. An infection of the middle ear, or an ear with otitis media, looks red, bulging, and there may be clear, yellow, or even greenish hued drainage.
Is dark earwax OK? ›
If your earwax is dark brown or red-tinged, this could be a sign of an injury within the ear. This could range from a minor scratch in the ear canal to a ruptured eardrum.
Should you remove earwax? ›
According to the American Academy of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery Foundation, as long as the ears are functioning properly, people should not be trying to remove ear wax, and should leave it alone. For the vast majority, ear wax does not cause any problems and there isn't a need to remove it.
Is dry or wet earwax better? ›
The type of earwax you have doesn't really say anything about your ears. “Whether it's wet or dry and even the color...has no implication for the ear health of the person,” Nina Shapiro, M.D., otolaryngologist at UCLA Health, tells SELF. Instead, the type of earwax you have comes down in part to your skin type, Dr.
