# Wet and dry earwax **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 29, 2006, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wet-and-dry-earwax/342124 "2006-01-29T22:46:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2006, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wet-and-dry-earwax/342124/1 "2006-01-29T22:46:23Z")
[This article](http://www.nytimes.com/2006/01/29/science/29cnd-ear.html?_r=1) talks about the gene for determining “wet” vs. “dry” earwax being discovered. It’s an interesting example of human diversity. But that’s not my question. My question is - how do you know if you have “wet” or “dry” earwax? I’ve never compared my earwax to anyone else’s, and since the husband is asleep I don’t want to go digging in his ears because it occurs to me that waking up to an ear excavation in progress would be more than somewhat alarming. The other problem is that between the Asian in my background and the North American Native in his we really could have either version so I’m not sure a comparison would work. Anybody got more info? ---
**Author:** ![inkleberry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/f17d59/32.png) [@inkleberry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/inkleberry)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2006, 5:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wet-and-dry-earwax/342124/2 "2006-01-30T05:52:04Z")
Memories from 9th grade biology suggest that “dry” wax is crumbly, whereas the “Wet” kind is sticky or tacky and wettish. I suppose you could ask your doctor next time you visit, he may be able to diagnose. What this info could possibly be good for is beyond me, but whatever lets you sleep at night. ---
**Author:** ![inkleberry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/f17d59/32.png) [@inkleberry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/inkleberry)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2006, 6:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wet-and-dry-earwax/342124/3 "2006-01-30T06:00:51Z")
Wikipedia has a description: > **[Earwax](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ear_wax)** > > Earwax, also known by the medical term cerumen, is a brown, orange, red, yellowish or gray waxy substance secreted in the ear canal of humans and other mammals. It protects the skin of the human ear canal, assists in cleaning and lubrication, and provides protection against bacteria, fungi, and water. > Earwax consists of dead skin cells, hair, and the secretions of cerumen by the ceruminous and sebaceous glands of the outer ear canal. Major components of earwax are long chain fatty acids, both... Here are some medical studies about the issue: [http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/dispomim.cgi?id=117800](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/dispomim.cgi?id=117800) Sadly, I am unable to find pictures. ---
**Author:** ![Hokkaido\_Brit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/d26b3c/32.png) [@Hokkaido\_Brit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hokkaido_Brit)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2006, 1:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wet-and-dry-earwax/342124/4 "2006-01-30T13:11:06Z")
Here, more than you ever wanted to see! [http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://eac.hawkelibrary.com/albums/Cerumen/20\_Right.jpg&imgrefurl=http://eac.hawkelibrary.com/Cerumen/20\_Right&h=702&w=1124&sz=66&tbnid=Ev0glV72\_QmStM:&tbnh=93&tbnw=150&hl=en&start=88&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dcerumen%26start%3D80%26svnum%3D10%26hl%3Den%26lr%3D%26c2coff%3D1%26sa%3DN](http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://eac.hawkelibrary.com/albums/Cerumen/20_Right.jpg&imgrefurl=http://eac.hawkelibrary.com/Cerumen/20_Right&h=702&w=1124&sz=66&tbnid=Ev0glV72_QmStM:&tbnh=93&tbnw=150&hl=en&start=88&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dcerumen%26start%3D80%26svnum%3D10%26hl%3Den%26lr%3D%26c2coff%3D1%26sa%3DN) ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2006, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wet-and-dry-earwax/342124/5 "2006-01-31T01:11:38Z")
Fascinating (I guess) but it doesn’t really answer the OP question, does it? I mean, is that a big ol’ pile of “wet” earwax or “dry” earwax? ---
**Author:** ![yBeayf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/e274bd/32.png) [@yBeayf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yBeayf)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2006, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wet-and-dry-earwax/342124/6 "2006-01-31T02:10:26Z")
From the same site as the aforelinked wax cast: [A picture of dry earwax](http://eac.hawkelibrary.com/Cerumen/26_Right) [A picture of wet earwax, inside the ear canal](http://eac.hawkelibrary.com/Cerumen/21_G) ---
**Author:** ![xbuckeye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9e8a1a/32.png) [@xbuckeye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xbuckeye)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2006, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wet-and-dry-earwax/342124/7 "2006-01-31T02:20:03Z")
If it soaks into the Q-tip it is wet, it it sits on the Q-tip it is dry. Does anyone else think the Craftsman Wet-Dry Vac ad might be a little excessive for ear wax?