To summarize long articles into a simple one, doctors advise that cotton buds were never invented to clean ear canals, but to clean superficial items or just surface wounds and to apply medicine. Small pieces or particles on the cotton bud tend to remain in the ear canal and that gives opportunity for bacteria to breed and by using a cotton bud, the dirt in the ear is actually being thrust further into the ear canal, hindering its self-clearing process. Some people tend to thrust the cotton bud very deep into the ear and this may result in the damage of the ear drum and a operation may be needed to correct the problem.

Doctors advise to use olive oil, just one or two drops into the ear once a month and the ear will actually cleanse itself, thereafter to use a tissue paper to clean just the outermost part of the ear.

Last but not least, as proof that this happens a lot not only globally, but also back home here in Malaysia, an abstract from a medical journal.

Therefore, today you have learned, just because you have an itch in your ear, or have some excuse for doing it,

This. Is. BAD.

Even if you get a lot of this.