Sven asked
I saw a new product that states to help remove earwax, which I have excess of. The product is Earwax MD. Does Earwax MD work?
Answer
In general, earwax does not need to be removed unless there is excess buildup that causes certain complications such as impaction, pain, itching and hearing loss. However, a build-up a visible earwax does of course have a negative aesthetic look and it is very common for people to self treat and remove what they can.
Earwax MD is a new product created by Eosera, a company based in Fort Worth Texas. According to the company, the product works by essentially dissolving earwax buildup. The product is a proprietary formula that includes a formulation of lycolic acid and bicarbonate. It solubilizes the different components that makeup earwax (e.g. lipids, wax) and also disrupts skin cell shedding that add to the overall constitution of earwax.
The claim to fame of the product, what differentiates it from other products, is that it does MORE than just soften earwax. Earwax MD DISSOLVES it. In addition, most over the counter products currently available take multiple doses per day to be effective. EarWax MD claims to be effective in just one dose.
In terms of effectiveness, we have two studies that are referenced on the manufacturer website.
The first study, found here, is titled "Evaluation of a Novel Product for the Removal of Impacted Cerumen" showed promising results. The study found that after just one treatment of Earwasx MD, 53% of ear canals were completely clear of earwax (cerumen). After 2 treatments, more than 85% of all ear canals were totally cleared of earwax. Symptoms of excess earwax were improved as well as can be seen in the charts below.
A second study, found here, tested Earwax MD against two other commonly used over the counter products, Debrox and Murine Earwax removal system, which both contain Carbamide peroxide 6.5%.
The results were very positive for Earwax MD. According to the study, the breakdown of earwax was significantly greater with Earwax MD when compared to the two other products. In fact, disintegration of earwax occurred in 91% (39/43) of the samples within 5 minutes. The other products showed nearly NO disintegration. Remember that all other commercially available products only soften earwax so the results of the study shouldn't surprise.
The study graded earwax disintegration of a 0-4 scale where 0 signified no disintegration and 4 was complete disintegration. The chart below, which was sourced from the referenced study, shows how well Earwax MD worked (note that 'EOS-002' is the name for Earwax MD).
The results of the two studies clearly show that Earwax MD does in fact disintegrate earwax much more effectively than carbamide peroxide, one of the more common ingredients available over the counter and works very quickly, typically within 5 minutes.
