Dr Shireen, an NHS GP who often shares educational videos on social media, advised against the common practice
Amber O’Connor Money and Lifestyle reporter U35s
12:52, 24 May 2025
The doctor shared advice for people who make the mistake (stock photo)(Image: Getty)
Everyone has their own shower routine based on what’s best for them. From haircare to skincare, many people have preferences regarding which products they like to use and when. However, a doctor has warned against a tempting habit that could put your health at risk.
The NHS GP said cleaning your ears with a cotton bud after you shower is “so risky.” Posting on TikTok, Dr Shireen (@doctorshireen), a health expert who regularly shares educational videos, warned against the popular practice.
Sharing advice for people who use cotton buds, the GP said: “Putting this in your ear is so risky. It can cause so many issues.” She explained: “It can actually perforate your eardrum, like cause a hole in your eardrum, and you do not want that.”
“If you’re using this to clear out wax, this isn’t like a spoon,” she continued. “It’s not a scooper, it’s not a suction, it’s not a syringe. All this is going to do is push the wax closer and closer to your eardrum. You’re pushing it in rather than pulling it out.
“Yeah, when you take it out you might see a bit of wax on there, but you’ve pushed a lot of it in, and the thing with wax is as it gets pushed in it becomes more and more compact, and it can cause a blockage and then can cause problems with your hearing.”
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The GP said that earwax often gets a bad reputation. “Earwax is actually not bad for you. It only causes an issue when there is too much of it, and it can cause an ear blockage,” the expert explained. “The overall rule and what we always tell people is nothing smaller than your elbow should go in your ear.”
In the comment section of the video, commenters shared that they find it difficult to avoid the tempting habit. Someone commented: “I just don’t like the feeling of water in my ears after a shower.”
Dr Shireen replied: “I knowwww I feel you!!” Elsewhere, a viewer commented: “How do you clean your ears then?” and she answered: “They’re self cleaning!!”
The GP explained the risks associated with the tempting habit (stock photo)(Image: Getty)
The NHS website confirms that you should “not use your fingers or any objects like cotton buds to remove earwax.” However, a pharmacist can advise you on earwax build-up and the treatments available to you.
“They might recommend medicines to dissolve the earwax. The earwax should fall out on its own or dissolve after about a week. Do not use drops if you have a hole in your eardrum (a perforated eardrum),” the NHS explains.
Earwax build-up can cause hearing loss, earache, ringing in the ears, and vertigo. If your symptoms have not cleared up after five days or your ear is badly blocked and you cannot hear anything, you should see a nurse at your GP surgery. It’s always advised to speak to a healthcare professional about any health concerns.