What is earwax — and should you get rid of it? - Henry C. Ou

翻译人员: Alison Huang 校对人员: suya f.

Investigating a nearly 5,000-year-old Sumerian burial site,

考古学家在调查

一个拥有近 5000 年历史的

苏美尔人墓地时发现了

archaeologists came across intriguing sets of artifacts.

一系列很有意思的文物

他们认为它们是 洗漱用品套装

They judged them to be toiletry kits

comprising pointed tools, tweezers, and ear scoops.

包括尖头工具、镊子和耳挖勺

In fact, grooming paraphernalia, including earwax removal tools,

实际上，在许多不同的考古遗址中

都挖掘出了包括 采耳工具在内的美容用具

have popped up in many different archaeological sites—

and earwax evacuation remains a popular hygienic habit today.

而其中挖耳屎工具仍然是

当今流行的卫生习惯

But what is earwax?

但是什么是耳垢？

And are the efforts to eliminate it actually good for us?

我们拼力挖耳屎 真的对我们有好处吗？

Well, to start, we’re not alone in our waxy ways.

好吧，首先 我们并不是独一份

Other mammals also produce earwax.

其他哺乳动物也会产生耳垢

A 12-year-old blue whale was discovered with an earwax earplug

一只 12 岁的蓝鲸被发现

耳朵里有 25 厘米长的耳屎

that was 25 centimeters long.

Earwax— technically called cerumen— forms in our outer ear canals.

耳屎（学名耳垢）会在 我们的外耳道中形成

There, skin cells slough off and mix with other substances, including sweat.

在那里，皮肤细胞会脱落并 与其他物质混合，包括汗水

But the sweat inside our ears doesn’t function to cool us off

但是我们耳朵里的汗水

并不能像我们身体的 内分泌腺流出的那种汗水

like the kind that comes out of the eccrine glands dotting our bodies.

那样起到降温的作用

Instead, it comes from apocrine glands, like those in our armpits, and is oilier.

取而代之的是 它来自顶泌汗腺（或大汗腺）

就像我们腋下的腺体一样 而且更油腻

Dead skin and oily sweat mix with sebum—

死皮和油性汗液与皮脂 （也存在于脸部和头皮上的脂肪油）

the fatty oil that’s also found on our faces and scalps—

混合在一起

and voila: it’s earwax.

瞅瞅，这就是耳屎

But earwax ranges in odor, color, and consistency.

但是耳垢的气味、 颜色和粘稠度各不相同

Some is flaky and dry; other kinds are sticky and gooey.

有些是片状的和干的 有些则是粘稠的

A change in a single nucleotide on one gene

在基因中 一个单个核苷酸的变化

determines which type you have

通过影响耳朵顶泌汗腺 分泌的脂肪量

by affecting how much fat your ear’s apocrine sweat glands secrete.

来决定你拥有哪种类型的耳屎

And the kind someone has may track with their ancestry.

而某些特定人群可以通过 他们的祖先来确定耳屎的类型

For example, drier earwax is common among people with East Asian heritage,

例如，在具有东亚血统的人群中 较干燥的耳垢很常见

while people of African and European descent more often have wetter earwax.

而非洲和欧洲血统的人 更经常使用湿润的耳垢

Just to get this out of the way, no human earwax— wet or dry—

为了解决这个问题 任何人类耳垢

无论是湿的还是干的

would make a good candle.

都没办法做成一个好用的蜡烛

Okay, but why have earwax at all?

好吧，但是为什么要有耳垢？

Well, it seems these secretions actually help keep our ears healthy.

这些分泌物实际上 可以让我们的耳朵保持健康

Earwax can act as a lubricator that prevents ear dryness and itchiness;

耳垢可以起到润滑剂的作用 防止耳朵干燥和发痒

it traps debris and microbes and forms a physical barrier

它可以让碎渣渣和微生物困在耳道中

that protects the ear canal’s skin.

形成保护耳道皮肤的物理屏障

And it’s an active line of defense:

而且它是一道积极的身体防线

researchers have identified several proteins in earwax

研究人员已经在耳垢中发现了

that combat bacterial infections.

几种对抗细菌感染的蛋白质

Generally, the ear also has its own way of getting rid of earwax.

通常，耳朵也有自己的 去除耳垢的方法

As new skin cells form and grow at the center of the eardrum,

当新的皮肤细胞 在鼓膜中央形成和生长时

they push the older ones toward the opening of the ear canal,

它们会将较旧的皮肤细胞 推向耳道的外面

forming a conveyor belt where dead skin cells mix with those oily secretions.

从而形成一条传送带

死皮细胞与这些油性分泌物混合在一起。

Every day, the skin within the ear canal migrates outwards about 100 micrometers.

每天，耳道内的皮肤向外 迁移约 100 微米。

Eventually, this process should push the wax out of your ear.

最终，这个过程会 把耳垢从你的耳朵里排出来。

Meanwhile, sticking items in your ears to extract earwax yourself

同时，把东西塞进耳朵里清耳屎

can make things worse.

反而会使情况变得更糟。

Even if swabbing removes a little earwax,

即使这种擦拭可以 去除少量耳垢

it may push more back in.

也可能会将更多耳垢推进去。

And it can leave scratches in the ear canal’s skin,

而且它可能会 在耳道皮肤上留下划痕

disrupting its natural barrier against infections.

破坏其抵抗感染的 天然屏障。

Deep cleaning also runs the risk of perforating your eardrum,

过度清洁还存在 鼓膜穿孔的风险

which can cause permanent damage and hearing loss.

这可能会导致 永久性损伤和听力损失。

Some services promise to clear earwax— but should be avoided.

有些采耳服务承诺可以清除耳垢

但请你尽量不要这么去做

Ear candling or coning involves a hollow candle lit on fire

耳烛或锥形蜡烛 是指在把空心蜡烛点燃

and placed over the ear canal.

然后放在耳道上方。

It’s claimed that this generates enough air current to pull earwax out.

据称，这会产生 足够的气流将耳垢排出

However, researchers have found that the amount of suction generated is minimal

但是，研究人员发现 产生的吸力微乎其微

and that what’s visible at the end is likely debris from the candle itself—

最后很可能你看到的是 蜡烛本身的碎屑

not extracted earwax.

而不是你真正的耳屎

In reality, the practice can lead to injuries and leave debris in the ears.

实际上，这种做法可能会

导致耳朵受伤并在耳朵中留下碎屑

But some folks are more prone to earwax buildup,

但是随着年龄的增长 有些人更容易长耳屎

and may find it becomes more of an issue with age.

可能会发现耳垢 越来越成问题

Earwax accumulation can be uncomfortable and affect your hearing,

太多耳屎会让人感到不舒服

and there are definitely times when intervention is needed.

并影响听力 有时肯定需要干预。

But there are safer ways to go about it.

但是有更安全的方法 可以解决这个问题

Over-the-counter eardrops help soften earwax

非处方耳药水 有助于软化耳垢

so it can make its way out on its own.

使其可以自行排出

And health care providers have tried-and-true methods

医生也会有靠谱的方法

of gently clearing blockages.

可以将耳屎清理出来

Otherwise, to prevent earwax buildup,

除此之外，为防止积攒太多耳屎

doctors recommend gently cleaning the outside of the ear canal with a damp cloth

医生建议用湿布轻轻 擦拭耳道外部

and giving your ears a break from earplugs and earbuds when possible.

尽可能减少使用

入耳式耳机或者耳塞式耳机的次数。

In the absence of earwax obstructions, however,

但是，在没有 积攒太多耳屎的情况下

it’s generally best not to mess with the ways of the wax.

最好不要乱清洁你的耳朵。