Earwax is completely normal,

but it can become troublesome.

And that's when you might want to consider

a procedure like this one.

I am Catherine Schuster-Bruce,

a journalist and doctor working for Insider,

and I'm going to watch some earwax-removal videos.

Yeah, I think that is quite a big overreaction

to how much pain or

how uncomfortable that actually is.

Doctor: Ready?

So, you can see here,

they've got a speculum,

and that is something that they use

to keep the ear open

so they can see the earwax as best as possible.

So, earwax is completely normal,

and you should really only be having a procedure

to remove it if it's causing you problems,

like hearing loss, ear ringing,

a funny sensation in your ear,

if you're feeling like the world is spinning,

or if it's stopping things

like you getting a hearing aid fitted, for example.

Producer: This one is so gooey.

Ew!

So, the tool to remove the earwax

depends on where in the ear the earwax is,

how hard it is or how soft it is,

and how big it is.

So here you have a hook-shaped instrument,

and that can be used

to scrape the earwax off the ear canal,

a bit like sticky toffee or fudge.

God! [gasps]

Oh! [gasps]

So, there's two types of earwax.

The oily one, which is softer and easier to get out,

and the dry one, which is harder.

If you've got the hard type of earwax,

it might be worthwhile

using some olive oil on your ear

to soften the wax

and then come back for the procedure.

So, this Hoover-like device is the microsuction,

and that is used to remove the earwax.

And you can use different tips on the end.

So you can use a smaller one

to actually get the wax off the eardrum.

So, you're more likely to get earwax

if you're older or if you've got a small ear canal.

But there's also things that make it worse,

like using Q-tips or earbuds.

This looks so crazy.

Oh! Ooh, sorry. Doctor: You're OK.

As with any medical procedure,

there are some risks to be aware of.

So, if you're getting this done,

you should stay still

and let the person doing it know

if you get any pain or changes in comfort.

So, earwax is completely normal.

It protects and it lines the ear canal,

and it also has some mild antibacterial properties

because it's slightly acidic.

So it's made from dead cells,

some substances that come from the glands in the air,

and also some dirt and some dust.

So, the person doing this procedure

doesn't need to be a doctor,

but they should have the relevant qualifications.

So have a look before you get it done.

Having this procedure done does remove the earwax,

but it can come back

if you continue to use things like Q-tips.