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Cotton Buds Face the Axe

Nationwide Ban

The UK Government has hinted at plans to impose a nationwide ban on certain plastics. The news comes from the houses of parliament, as the prime minister, Theresa May, stated that plastic waste was “one of the greatest environmental challenges facing the world”.

It is estimated that 8.5 billion non-recyclable plastic straws and cotton buds are thrown away in the UK every single year.

This is part of a movement from multiple nations, which Theresa May stated the UK would be leading. Negotiations will start later in 2018, and a ban could be enforced as early as next year.

The Dangers of Cotton Buds

Cotton buds are made for general cosmetic use, be it make-up or hygiene. The fact remains many people use cotton buds exclusively for one thing; ear wax removal.

We’ve lost count of the articles we’ve published advising people against the use of cotton buds for ear wax removal, but are always keen to further raise awareness.

When people use cotton buds in their ears, they’re satisfied by the visual wax which comes out afterwards; little do they know the consequences.

Firstly, the cotton buds are obviously made of cotton, which easily sticks to the surface of your ear canal once inserted. It’s not unusual for clients to have the remnants of cotton in their ears when they come to see us. This cotton can either irritate the ear canal itself or can promote the build-up of thicker wax which the ear’s self-cleaning process is unable to dispose of.

Secondly, the ear only produces wax halfway down the ear canal, which is then pushed out the ear slowly over time. Ear wax is a natural antiseptic, making it one of the ear’s main defenses from bacteria.

When someone pushes a cotton bud into their ear, they often push the wax past the “point of no return”. When wax is pushed beyond this point, it will essentially stay there until a professional removes the wax using either manual tools, irrigation or microsuction.

Inserting anything into your ear is always a bad idea. For this reason, the cotton bud ban can’t come soon enough!

If you’d like more information on Wax Removal: Click Here!

If you believe yourself, or anyone you know, needs ear wax removal, please don’t hesitate to call us on 01223 360700

Alternatively, you can Request an Appointment Online.