Naked Science Forum

Life Sciences => Physiology & Medicine => Topic started by: sphumelele on 28/05/2008 16:31:44

Title: Do dusty environments increase ear-wax production?
Post by: sphumelele on 28/05/2008 16:31:44: sphumelele asked the Naked Scientists:

Is it true that in a year we can produce enough wax to make 2 candles if everytime we get wax we remove it to store?

And if we live in dusty or noisy areas the body will make more wax, to absorb the dust or noise, rather like a mattress - where the bigger the fall the bigger the mattress needed to cushion it?

What do you think?
Title: Do dusty environments increase ear-wax production?
Post by: Karen W. on 29/08/2008 14:22:18: Well I am no scientist so this is only my opinion.. but I live in a very dusty place in the summer.. and I have very little earwax.. Never have produced much..

What I do produce is light in color and looks like a very delicate piece of flaky croissant or something way tiny and very thin like a flake off the croissant.. I get one of these about 3 times a year... so tiny..and dry in my case.. My doctor says I have exceptionally good ears and to be glad they are not thick waxy dark wax.. like my husband who produces mass amounts of earwax all year long!

The dust does not seem to increase or decrease my wax production... I avoid noisy loud places as I don't like them so I wouldn't know.. But I have heard the same thing as you as far as how much ear wax a human produces... but I believe it varies with the individual human!

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Title: Do dusty environments increase ear-wax production?
Post by: Don_1 on 29/08/2008 14:22:52: Pardon?

[;D] [;D] [;D]
Title: Do dusty environments increase ear-wax production?
Post by: Karen W. on 29/08/2008 14:25:55: Thats OK.. DID YOU BURP?
Title: Do dusty environments increase ear-wax production?
Post by: Don_1 on 29/08/2008 14:27:08: I drive a lot, often with the window open, but I don't seem to produce any more wax in my right ear than my left. I do find that a noisy environment makes my ears produce more wax than usual.
Title: Do dusty environments increase ear-wax production?
Post by: Karen W. on 29/08/2008 14:51:23: Do you drive on dusty roads?
Title: Do dusty environments increase ear-wax production?
Post by: Don_1 on 29/08/2008 17:25:28: The state of the side of my face at the end of a day's driving, you would be forgiven for thinking so, but actually, no.

Come to think of it, the state of my face at the beginning of the day............... But that's a different matter entirely (https://www.thenakedscientists.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.freesmileys.org%2Fsmileys%2Frolleyes003.gif&hash=630a268c46cf4f815497b221250c7ccd) (http://www.freesmileys.org)
Title: Do dusty environments increase ear-wax production?
Post by: Karen W. on 30/08/2008 08:05:27: Are you a truck driver? My Husband is and he comes home looking like he was in the dust bowl! LOL He used to drive semi's across the united states but know works locally driving off highway trucks and water trucks and dump trucks anything really but mainly works in the woods building roads for the log companies locally!

Let me say he has the worse ear wax problem I have ever seen.. its almost red in color burnt orange very dark very thick gooey and has tons of trouble with his ears becoming plugged by the wax..He is constantly exposed to very loud equipment and tons of dust..