You can prevent ear infections by keeping your ears dry, and avoiding the use of cotton swabs.

Swimmer’s ear or ear infections are common for most of us. Water in the ear canal also increases germ growth, but the use of cotton swabs can cause tiny microscopic cuts through which germs can enter and cause a painful infection.

Earwax holds back bacterial and fungal growth. It’s also hydrophobic and drives water away from the skin. Earwax contains natural antibiotics and protects the skin from pathogens. By removing the protective earwax you can cause abrasions in the thin ear canal skin. This exposes the deeper tissues to invasion by germs.

Cotton swabs can push earwax further in and makes things much worse. The skin of the ear canal grows outward and periodically drops or pushes wax outside.