Why do my ears produce differently colored wax?

June 10, 2010 7:36 AM

What is a possible explanation as to why the ear wax from my left ear is consistently a different color than the ear wax from my right ear (light yellow vs. dark brown)? Neither ear physically bothers me, this is more of a curiosity that I've noticed over the last few years. Thanks!
posted by franc.o.bolos to Health & Fitness (6 answers total)

The first thing that comes to mind is that one ear just drains more effectively.
posted by Eicats at 7:41 AM on June 10, 2010

Do you sleep on one side and not the other?
posted by adipocere at 7:52 AM on June 10, 2010

Best answer: Ear wax colour is determined by the balance of cerumen and sebum in the wax. The darker wax contains more cerumen, secreted by the ceruminous glands in the other part of the ear canal. You may just have more ceruminous glands in one of your ears.
posted by le morte de bea arthur at 7:55 AM on June 10, 2010

Dirt from sitting with that side next to your open car window?
posted by pseudostrabismus at 8:42 AM on June 10, 2010

Response by poster: I sleep equally on both sides, and I don't have a car, so it's probably not a differential dirt issue...

So far, looks like I may just have unbalanced ceruminous glands. I assume this is no cause for concern?

Thanks!
posted by franc.o.bolos at 9:03 AM on June 10, 2010

I doubt it's any cause for concern.

I only suggested one possibility. There are probably a dozen reasons why one ear might produce darker earwax. Perhaps your ears have a slightly different balance of bacteria and fungi. Perhaps one ear is prone to dryer skin.
posted by le morte de bea arthur at 2:53 PM on June 10, 2010