Ear Hair Removal - The Complete Guide
If you experience high levels of ear hair, you might find yourself feeling embarrassed or self-conscious about the amount of ear hair you have, and might be interested in ear hair removal. You might also find yourself wondering if everyone has to deal with the amount of hair that you have.
If you find yourself thinking about your ear hair too much, or feel uncomfortable with the amount of ear hair you have, you may have also found yourself looking for the best ear hair removal methods or the best ways to get rid of ear hair.
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If you’ve gone down a rabbit hole to try and find the best way to remove ear hair, the first step in your journey is to accept that ear hair is normal and a natural part of your body. There’s no shame in having hair growth!
However, if you feel like your ear hair is getting out of hand, or just think you’ll be more comfortable with keeping your ear hair a little more managed, there are many options and methods available to you to keep everything managed and groomed. There’s no better way to discover the best way to remove ear hair than by thoroughly researching the benefits and drawbacks of each of the most common ear hair removal methods.
READ MORE: Painless Hair Removal with Waxing: The Complete Guide
Why do Ears Have Hair?
Before jumping right into the various strategies and methods used to remove ear hair, it’s good to know what the purpose of ear hair is, why we have it, and why some people have more ear hair than others. So before you dive straight into the removal process, let’s get to the root of ear hair and it’s purpose.
A lot of people assume that the purpose of all body hair is either to insulate or keep our bodies warm, or to filter out dirt or protect us from dust when it grows more internally.
Conversely, the purpose of ear hair is to keep our ear canals free of dust, dirt, or debris, and to protect our eardrums from anything that shouldn’t get in there. However, for a lot of people, ear hair can often be more of a hindrance or annoyance than a help, especially when ear hair growth is in excess.
What Causes Ear Hair Growth?
So now that we know why we have ear hair, you might be wondering why some people have more of it than others.
The amount of ear hair of individuals can vary for a variety of reasons, but it usually comes down to the following factors:
Differences in hormone levels (and especially in testosterone levels) can impact ear hair growth in a lot of ways, and is the reason why men have more ear hair than other genders.
Certain medications might also impact your hormone levels and cause an increase in ear hair growth. If you think your medication is influencing your ear hair growth, talk to your doctor.
While it’s not explicitly known why ear hair growth increases with age, there is a general belief nonetheless that older people experience more ear hair growth. Men also tend to grow more ear hair as they age.
Internal imbalances or disorders, including those of the metabolism, skin, or endocrine system, can also cause excessive ear hair growth in a variety of individuals. If you’re wondering how genetics impact your ear hair growth, talk to your doctor to learn more.
Bad nutrition or poor diet has also been linked to increased ear hair growth, though it is not considered to be a main cause.
No matter what sort of ear hair growth you experience, or how much ear hair you have, understanding the underlying causes of ear hair and what your options are for ear hair removal are the key to removing your ear hair safely and to your standards.
If you think your ear hair growth is rooted in a bodily disorder or medication, talk to your doctor to see if you could curb your ear hair growth at the source, or use a combined approach.
READ MORE: Nose Hair Removal for Best Results
Ear Hair Removal Options
Now that we’ve established what the cause of your ear hair might be, we now have to determine how to remove ear hair.
There’s no one correct way to remove ear hair - the best technique differs from person to person, and also depends on how much hair you might have.
That being said, if you’re wondering how to get rid of ear hair, we’ve come up with some methods and removal options that might just be right for you.
How to Remove Ear Hair
Before removing your ear hair, make sure to make any necessary preparations before embarking on any of these treatments. Take into account any costs or time commitments involved in any ear hair removal methods or technique.
At the end of the day, don’t use any method that you haven’t done research on or are uncomfortable with. Do what’s right for you and your ear hair!
Ear Hair Removal Techniques
So what’s the best way to remove ear hair? Can you remove ear hair permanently? Before you embark on a treatment, make sure to do your research to see what’s right for you depending on your ear hair type and amount. Hair removal usually isn’t a one-and-done process, so make sure you know what you’re getting into.
Plucking Ear Hair
One of the oldest ear hair removal methods is the plucking technique. Ear hair plucking involves using tweezers to remove each ear hair one by one. Though this may be a widely used technique, it comes with several drawbacks.
Cons of Plucking Ear Hair
The most notable downsides of plucking ear hair come in the form of possible injury and pain level.
By putting tweezers down your ear canal, you can easily risk damaging your eardrum or hurting yourself or your sensitive ear canal. Additionally, plucking your ear hairs out one by one can be extremely painful and uncomfortable.
Pros of Plucking Ear Hair
On the plus side, however, the benefits of plucking your ear hair can include giving you a good amount of accuracy, and can allow you to get a good amount removed at once.
It is also very cost effective - you can tackle a lot of ear hair at once (and virtually for free!). Plus, if you’re looking for an affordable way to remove ear hair, tweezers are incredibly low-cost and are available almost at any grocery store or beauty supply.
If you do go the plucking route, try to stick to the outer ear area of your ear, where you don’t risk doing more harm than good.
This technique is also better used for those without a ton of hair. If you’re trying to pluck large amounts of hair, you’ll be there all day (and will probably be in pain). Brace yourself and pluck away - just stay safe while doing so.
Cutting Ear Hair
A technique that many would think of as a go-to for how to get rid of ear hair is just trimming your hair with a small pair of scissors. However, is cutting ear hair with scissors really the best or safest technique? Probably not. Even if you’re using a tiny pair of scissors, this method does not allow you to have the level of accuracy you might want, and can put you at risk for injury - better hold in that sneeze!
It is not recommended to put scissors anywhere near your ear, ear canal, or eardrum, and can cause you a lot of hurt if you cut or nip your ear - or even worse, damage your eardrum. It also has a low level of accuracy, and will not allow you to really clip your hair down to the root.
Trimming Ear Hair
Another go-to strategy for those looking for the best way to remove ear hair at home or at a low cost would be to use an electric trimmer specialized for ear hair removal. This is an easily accessible and pretty safe option, and can take care of your ear hair pretty quickly. It’s definitely a go-to for many people with easily maintained or low amounts of ear hair.
The downside to using an electric trimmer lies in its lack of long term results. Electric trimmers just cut the hair, instead of removing it at the root.
This leads to having to trim more often, since hair growth is not slowed, and can be a little uncomfortable afterwards since those prickly new hairs come back pretty quickly.
Waxing Ear Hair
A common ear hair removal method for many is ear hair waxing. If you don’t know how to wax ear hair, you might be wondering what that even entails - do you really pour wax into your ear? Is that safe? Worry not, we have all the details for you.
When wondering how to wax ears, you might be curious as to how your esthetician applies wax to these sensitive areas while keeping it away from your ear drum or internal areas.
Your esthetician will apply wax to the outer parts of your ear (if you experience growth there), as well as to your inner lobe. Your esthetician will never apply wax to internal areas.
Though ear waxing is safe and effective, it’s important to get this done professionally, as having wax stuck in your ear at home isn’t especially something anyone wants to deal with. Ear hair waxing at home isn’t recommended.
This process should be done by a professional who can properly see where the wax is being applied to your ear fully. Since it should be done professionally, there is a cost involved with ear hair waxing - but the results are worth it.
The advantage to waxing ear hair lies in its long term results and quick application. You can make an appointment with a local esthetician and be in and out in a very timely manner, and since waxing takes all of your ear hair out by the root, you won’t have to visit again for a while - until your ear hair grows to around the size of a grain of rice (or ¼ inch).
This is also a great approach for people who experience a high volume of hair, as ear hair removal wax can remove all of your ear hair in one quick session and have long-term results.
Waxing is done best when applied professionally and with a high-quality wax. Some of the best ways to remove ear hair with wax is by visiting an esthetician who uses only the most high quality hard waxes or soft waxes.
READ MORE: How to Use Hard Wax Like a Pro
Laser Ear Hair Removal
For the most permanent results, ear hair laser hair removal treatment might not be the first thing that comes to mind, since it's not commonly associated with the removal of hair in such hard to reach areas. Laser hair removal is usually the most permanent form of hair removal, however, but does come with some pros and cons.
The biggest drawback to using laser hair removal or ear hair is the cost - this is a notably expensive option that requires multiple treatments to achieve the results you’re interested in.
Furthermore, not all hair and skin types are compatible with laser treatment, so make sure to do a test or consultation with a professional before undergoing treatment.
Though not the most accessible approach, laser hair removal does offer long-term results that will allow you to completely remove the outer hair from your ears almost permanently after a few sessions. If you can afford it and want permanent ear hair removal (and have a compatible skin type), this might be a good option for you.
READ MORE: Permanent Hair Removal: Your 2022 Guide
Final Thoughts
So now that we’ve gone through the benefits and drawbacks of ear hair removal and the different ways to remove ear hair, you might find yourself a little overwhelmed at all of the options out there. You might even still be wondering what the best way to remove ear hair for you is!
At the end of the day, it’s different for everyone. Besides laser treatment, there isn’t any one solution to stop hair growth entirely, but there are good options out there to keep your ear hair at bay.
If you are looking for the best middle of the road option for ear hair growth, waxing might be a good way to go. When done professionally, waxing can provide lasting results with minimal pain or discomfort, and comes at a much lower cost than laser hair removal.
When researching how to get rid of ear hair or what the best way to remove ear hair is, it’s very easy to get overwhelmed with the different options you have. What’s most important is to properly assess your hair removal growth levels, how much you’d like to remove, skin type and sensitivity, budget, and how long you’d like your results to last for.
Once you’ve assessed all of these factors and have narrowed down your options, make sure you go with the option you think will safely bring you the best results - this is about you, after all!
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