Ear Wax

Just as the skin sloughs off on areas that you can see, it also sheds inside the ear. For people with ichthyosis, who shed more than the normal amount of skin, the skin shed inside the ear canal can combine with wax and form a solid material. This solid material may itch or smell and may cause a reduction in hearing. Never attempt to remove this solid material yourself. Have your, or your child’s, hearing checked regularly, and discuss ways to keep the ear free from build-up from the shedding skin. Your physician may recommend an earwax remover that is sold over the counter. Never stick anything in your or your child’s ears; this can puncture the eardrum and cause hearing loss.

Some of our members have found products and strategies that work for them. Please check with your doctor before using any of these products:
 

  • Bausch & Lomb Ear Wax Remover Kit. Carbamide Peroxide solution to soften earwax and a bulb syringe to irrigate the ear canal. Available in local pharmacies and drug stores.
  • Liquid Colace, a mild stool softener, can be as effective as earwax remover products. Reference: Ceruminolytic effects of docusate sodium: A randomized, controlled clinical trial. Singer, AJ, Sauris, E., and Viccellio, AW. Annals of Emergency Medicine 2000; 36:228-32. Please contact Moureen in the national office for a copy of this research study to share with your physician.
  • Debrox Drops, Ear Wax Removal Aid. 6.5% Carbamide Peroxide drops. Available in local pharmacies and drug stores.
  • Ear- Wiz®. A flexible plastic loop with a safety stop that allows you to remove excess wax with the loop without touching the eardrum. Available in local pharmacies or drug stores.
  • Ototek Loop. A flexible plastic loop, designed by an ear surgeon, with an ear guard to prevent the tip from hitting the ear drum. (This device has a narrower tip than the Ear-Wiz.) Call toll free, 1.877.874.3929, or www.ototekloop.com.

Neither the Foundation, its Board of Directors, nor its Medical & Scientific Advisory Board endorse any of the above products. Please consult with your physician before using any new product.

Download a pdf of this page


« Back to Previous Page