What is the waxy substance produced in the ear called?

The waxy substance produced in the ear is called earwax, or cerumen. It forms mainly in the outer ear canal, where it helps lubricate the skin and trap dust, debris, and microorganisms before they can travel farther inward.

Earwax is not simply a single secretion. It combines material from sebaceous glands and modified apocrine sweat glands with shed skin cells and hairs. Its chemical mixture includes fatty acids, cholesterol, squalene, alcohols, and keratin. These ingredients give it its characteristic waxy texture and contribute to its protective and mildly antimicrobial properties.

People inherit different earwax types. Wet earwax is usually sticky and yellow or brown, whereas dry earwax is often gray, flaky, and more common in many East Asian populations. A variation in the ABCC11 gene is strongly associated with this difference.

The ear canal normally cleans itself through the gradual outward movement of skin and wax, helped by jaw movement. Cotton swabs can push wax deeper and may injure the canal or eardrum. Excess wax can cause blockage, discomfort, ringing, or temporary hearing loss and may need professional removal.