Are there different types of earwax?

Asked by: Ralph Talbot, Chichester

Just two. The most common, wet earwax, evolved as a way to remove dead skin cells from your ear canal. Earwax is 60 per cent skin, with various different oils binding it together in a brown lump.

But there is a recessive gene mutation that results in a different mix of oils, giving grey and flaky earwax. This dry earwax is common among the Japanese and Native Americans. Coincidentally, having dry earwax also means you produce less armpit odour.

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