Choo Sung-hoon, a former martial artist, was seen digging in his ears with a toothpick.
Recently, a video titled ‘Happy New Year with Blowfish (ft. The Best Winter Health Food)’ was posted on Choo Sung-hoon’s YouTube channel. In the video, he suddenly took out a toothpick during a meal and started digging in his ears. He said, “When I eat something hot suddenly, my ears get itchy.” To this, the production team replied, “We can’t relate at all.”
Earlier, Choo Sung-hoon drew attention for his earwax last August. “I’m digging in my ears for the first time in 49 years,” and a large amount of hard earwax was found in his ear.
Toothpicks·Should refrain from digging ears with cotton swabs
Digging in the ears with a toothpick is dangerous. The skin of the ear canal is thin and has many nerves and blood vessels. It can easily get injured from small stimuli and lead to bacterial infections. In particular, toothpicks are hard and sharp at the ends, posing a risk of causing minor damage or perforation to the eardrum. This can lead to temporary hearing loss, tinnitus, and more.
Not only toothpicks but also blunt-ended cotton swabs should be used with caution. Earwax is not just a simple contaminant but a protective barrier for the ears. It has antibacterial properties, protecting the ear canal from infections.
Earwax prevents dust, bacteria, mites, and other foreign substances from entering deep into the ear. Therefore, there is no need to remove earwax like waste. In fact, the habit of frequently digging in the ears can irritate the ears and lead to various ear diseases such as otitis externa. Even without removing it with cotton swabs, earwax naturally gets removed when it accumulates beyond a certain amount in the ear.
Moist earwax, need to pay attention to ear care
However, just as skin types vary between dry and oily, earwax types do too. Most Koreans have dry earwax without moisture, but some people have moist earwax. Genetically determined moist earwax is stickier and clumps together more than dry earwax. It also tends to have a stronger odor than dry earwax.
People with moist earwax need to take proper care of their ears. If moist earwax clumps together tightly, it can easily go deeper. Moist earwax needs to be dried properly. If there is moisture in the ear, it is best to dry the ear thoroughly with a cool breeze from a handheld fan or hairdryer.
People with moist earwax should visit an otolaryngologist every 6 months to a year to check the condition of their ears and clean them. If there is a feeling of blockage, hearing loss, itching, pus, or severe pain, they should visit a hospital immediately. There may be a large accumulation of earwax inside the ear canal.
