The otolaryngologists (also known as ear, nose, and throat doctors) I spoke to agreed that earplugs are a great remedy for temporarily noisy environments, but they shouldn’t be used nightly. It has tiny hairs that point outward like spikes, as well as glands that produce the sticky wax you find on your cotton swab, explained McCaslin. As time passes, your skin grows outward, like a conveyor belt, said McCaslin, depositing the wax outside your ear. This gentle process, called epithelial migration, can be disrupted when you jam an earplug (or an AirPod or a cotton swab) into your ear canal. Your ENT doctor should be able to clear the impaction with irrigation or a suction tool, but still — no, thank you.

Source: New York Times February 12, 2026 04:35 UTC