Best Way to Remove Ear Hair: Tips and Solutions

Are the hairs growing from your ears drawing unwanted attention? Or have the sudden spurts of ear hair caught you off guard? Ear hair is something many men experience, especially older gents. Luckily, there are simple ways of getting rid of these unruly tufts of hair. But you may wonder, what’s the best way to remove ear hair?

From trimming to laser hair removal, removing ear hair has never been this easy! See which method leaves your ears clean and fuzz-free.


Why Do We Grow Ear Hair?

Before diving into the nitty-gritty of ear hair removal, it pays to know more about ear hair itself. After all, if you don’t know what it’s doing, how can you decide on the best way to remove ear hair?

Ear hair has different functions, unlike other body hair that acts as an insulator. Its primary job is to keep bacteria and other debris from your ear canals. And this is crucial as your ear canals are a specialized part of the body. If too much builds inside them, it’ll affect your hearing.

Men tend to grow ear hair more than women due to testosterone. For this reason, you’ll see aging gentlemen have more fuzz than teenagers or young adults.


So, What Causes Ear Hair Growth?

As I mentioned earlier, testosterone is among the main culprits of ear hair growth among men. But besides this, there are also other natural conditions to watch out for. For instance, skin conditions and ear infections can cause you to grow more ear hair.

Additionally, experts revealed that inadequate nutrition might also cause ear hair. After all, a poor diet has been linked to unwanted hair growth, sprouting hair you don’t need!

Besides natural conditions, some medications have also been linked to ear hair growth. Mainly hormonal drugs and steroids, these two have been known to cause side effects, impacting hair growth. So, if you’re taking any of these, I suggest cutting them off to prevent further ear hair growth.

Still, it’s best to discuss this with a licensed medical professional first. After all, it’s better to have a bit more ear maintenance than to harm your health just to look good.

Regardless, it pays to know the root cause of ear hair growth. After all, burning through your trimmers won’t let you keep up with your issue. But identifying the source enables you to handle it directly, stopping further growth. So, start here. And when you’re confident your ear hair is at a natural level, check out the best ways to remove ear hair below.


What is the Best Way to Remove Ear Hair? 5 Proven Methods

You have the conventional trimming, plucking, or waxing techniques when dealing with ear hair. But you can also opt for ready-made products like hair removal cream or permanent solutions like laser hair removal. See which one works as the best way to remove ear hair for you:

Infographic image of ear hair removal tips

👂 Trimming

hair trimmers - best way to remove ear hair
Photo Courtesy of Emm Dee Singh

Trimming is the easiest, quickest, and safest way to remove ear hair. It’s an all-around technique that works with all types of ear hairs. From thin strands to coarse tufts, trimming is the way to go. So, when in doubt, get your trimmer—and get on trimming! 

But like most hair removal methods, trimming has its limits. So, before investing in a trimmer, be aware that it only offers short-lived results. After all, it only trims the outer parts of your ear hair. It would be best to go over each ear several times to get all the ear hairs out. 

But if you don’t mind sprucing your ears now and then with a hair trimmer, there are plenty of variations to explore. You can get a dedicated ear hair trimmer, but beard trimmers for short beards may also work. Either way, this manscaping tool makes the tedious process easy. 

Here’s the best way to remove ear hair using a hair trimmer:

  • Clean up. Before trimming your ear hair, clean your ears. I recommend using a clean cotton bud to eliminate earwax and dirt inside. 
  • Start trimming. Go to a well-lit room, grab your preferred hair trimmer, and begin cutting. Do it gently for the best results. 

Regardless if you use a trimmer or scissors, I recommend following circular motions. This way, you’ll be able to get through most of your ear hairs without harm. And make sure to do this daily to keep these nasty hairs out of sight!

👂 Waxing is the Best Way to Remove Ear Hair from the Deepest Ends

woman in yellow button up long sleeve shirt with wax
Photo Courtesy of Kate Hliznitsova

Although a bit painful, waxing is an efficient method of dealing with outer ear hair.

But as easy as it sounds, I don’t recommend doing it yourself. After all, there are plenty of risks, such as accidentally pouring hot wax into your ears. And you wouldn’t want to go to the ER because of this, do you?

It’s best to leave the waxing to the professionals as they can do quick work. Not to mention, they’re less likely to pour hot wax down your ears. Also, having it done by a professional might not be as bad as painful if you try it yourself. After all, there’s less hair on your ears than other body parts. 

But keep in mind that not all ears respond well to waxing. So, I suggest consulting with your doctor if it’s a viable option beforehand. And if not, you always have other ear hair removal methods. 

Either way, waxing is the best option for men who grow hair too fast. It can also work for gentlemen who prefer professional grooming. 

👂 Use Hair Removal Cream For Outer Ear Hairs

person holding cream and putting on hand
Photo Courtesy of Nati Melnychuk

Using hair removal or depilatory cream is among the best remedies for outer ear hairs. It’s fast, painless, and lasts for a long time! You can have your ears fuzz-free for a long time with a bit of cream. Just be careful when applying it.

You wouldn’t want to get hair removal cream in your ears as it can cause chemical burns. So, it’s best to apply the depilatory cream while wearing earplugs. This way, you can use it on most of your outer ear without the risk of getting some into your ear canals.

Also, remember to keep wearing the earplugs until you get rid of all of your outer ear hairs!

Either way, since hair removal cream is pretty strong, it isn’t for everyone. So, before you commit to it, please test a small dollop on your skin to see how it reacts. I suggest leaving it on for at least an hour to see how it really impacts your skin. And if you see no redness or inflammation, this can be a pretty reliable way to remove ear hair. 

👂 Plucking

Person Holding Tweezers
Photo Courtesy of Nataliya Vaitkevich

If you don’t mind the pain, plucking out ear hairs is one of the best methods. It’s a viable technique that can tackle most ear hairs. You can use it for outer and inner hair without harming your ear canals. But remember only to pluck those that are sticking out! Still, even if this works, it can be a tedious process. 

Since your inner ear has some of the most sensitive skin on your body, you can imagine how painful this will be. Your inner ears can detect changes in pressure so that you may feel even the slightest movements. And in worse-case scenarios, plucking ear hairs out from your inner hair may lead to bleeding. 

That can impact your hearing while making your inner ears itchy and swollen. So, unless you have an extreme case of ear hair growth, avoid plucking out hairs from your inner ear altogether.

On the other hand, plucking out hair from your outer ears shouldn’t be as bad. So, as long as you don’t have thick and coarse tufts sticking out, plucking them out shouldn’t be an issue. This should be an excellent, low-cost method if you can handle the pain!

It’s worth noting to rub ice cubes or apply astringent solutions to your ears after tweezing. This way, you can ease the pain and prevent further swelling. Finally, always sanitize your tweezers with alcohol before and after use to avoid infection.

👂 Have your Ear Hair Professionally Removed via Laser Hair Removal 

Woman Giving Laser Treatment Stock - best way to remove ear hair
Photo Courtesy of Orhun Rüzgar ÖZ

If you’re looking to deal with your ear hairs permanently, hair laser removal is your best bet. And though it’s more expensive than the other methods, it’s the one with lasting results. But be warned, it’s not for everyone! 

Some mixes of skin and color can lead the laser to malfunction, stumping them. But this is only for now, and technology is ever-evolving, so you likely don’t have to wait long. If you are an eligible candidate, it’ll probably take several sessions. It all depends on the color of your hair, its thickness, and coarseness. 

Still, the results are worth the time and money as it’ll likely remove all of your ear hair for good. With this, you’ll be able to rid of trimmers, waxes, creams, or tweezers forever, well, for your ears anyway. 

Aside from that, hair laser removal is also one of the safest methods available. You should be good if you have it performed by a licensed cosmetician or other similar professionals. 

Moreover, make sure to set some time aside from the treatments. After all, laser removal works in conjunction with your hair growth cycle. As a result, you need to stick to a set schedule of sessions for maximum efficiency. Generally, I recommend making some time for at least 4 to 6 sessions.

Each one will likely be held at least a month apart, which is the standard for most patients. But despite this, the actual sessions should only last for a couple of minutes as ear hair covers a small area at most.


Is it Dangerous to Remove Ear Hair? 4 Techniques to Avoid

When done correctly, ear hair removal is pretty safe. But the best way to remove ear hair depends on each person’s hair thickness, coarseness, and color. And there’s no single method that’s best suited for all situations. But there are some techniques that you should never practice as they can harm your ear canals.

Here are four hair removal techniques to avoid and why:

🚫 Never Use Scissors

Unless you don’t have other tools for trimming, never use scissors to cut ear hair. Remember, ear canals are extremely sensitive, and the sharp blades can easily make them bleed. And in the worst-case scenario, they might leave irreversible damage. 

Also, never use nail scissors or clippers to remove ear hair as they’re very sharp and hard to control. This scissor variation can also be extremely dangerous if you’re not careful. It may lead to swelling or, worse, trigger an infection. 

Besides being very dangerous, take into account that using scissors to trim ear hair takes a long time. It’s incredibly time-consuming, making it hard to squeeze into your daily grooming routine. 

But if you do need to use a pair of scissors, opt for something smaller. Plus, trim your ear hair gently in a well-lit room! 

🚫 Tweezing, though the Best Way to Remove Ear Hair All-Around can be Dangerous

If you don’t have any experience plucking out ear hair with tweezers, don’t. It may cause irreversible damage to your ear canals. After all, it involves tweezing hair from your inner ears. Some complications include swelling, lessons, and infection. 

Not to mention, this hair removal method is excruciating and time-consuming! So, unless you have experience in tweezing and don’t mind adding this to your everyday grooming routine, avoid tweezing altogether. 

🚫 Don’t Wax Your Inner Ears

Although waxing is an excellent way to get rid of outer ear hair, it’s not ideal for your inner ears. After all, it involves using hot wax to eliminate the hair. And even one drop of this into your ear canals can lead to irreversible damage! So, never wax your ear hair by yourself. 

If needed, it’s best to work with a professional. They’re more experienced and know how to handle hair removal wax. 

🚫 Avoid Hair Removal Creams for Inner Ear Hair 

Although hair removal creams are excellent for dealing with outer ear hair, it’s not the same for your inner ears. Their strong chemicals can cause permanent damage to your ear canals and your eyes and nose. Even a tiny drop of these depilatory creams can be dangerous. 

So, if you’re looking to remove inner ear hairs, try a different method instead. And even if you’re only doing this for your outer ears, it can be tricky to work around as it easily gets onto your skin.


Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Why do my ears get hairy?

A: Like nose hair, our ears grow hair to prevent bacteria and other debris from getting inside. They protect your inner ears from potential damage. So, don’t worry if your ears get a little hairy, as it’s completely normal. But there are some cases where people grow more hair than needed, and in that instance, you can remove some of them. I don’t recommend removing all your ear hairs, making you vulnerable to infections. 

Q: What’s the best way to remove ear hair permanently?

A: Getting rid of ear hair for good is possible with laser treatments. They’re safe and painless, for the most part, performed by licensed cosmeticians. You can also have it done on other parts of your body other than the ears. Depending on how severe your ear hair is, you may need several treatment sessions. 

Q: Is it safe to remove my inner ear hair?

A: Although it’s possible to remove ear hair, getting rid of your inner ear hair isn’t the best choice. After all, it’s responsible for keeping germs and debris out of your ears. Not to mention, no amount of plucking or waxing is safe for your inner ear. But if you want to remove your inner ear hair, professional laser hair removal is ideal.

Q: Is plucking better than waxing ear hair?

A: Plucking ear hair with tweezers is safer than waxing the hairs inside your ear canals. So, no matter how large your ear hair gets, never wax it. And for tweezing, make sure only to get the ones that stick out of your inner ears. Never plunge a tweezer into your ear canals. 

Q: Should I trim my ear hair?

A: Since trimming doesn’t reach the root of your hair, it’ll likely grow back after a few days. So, you’ll need to trim more often than plucking or waxing. But it is less painful and easier to do. So, if you only need to clean up for a bit, trimming your ear hair is your best bet. 


Final Words

Minimizing unwanted ear hair growth has become the norm for most gentlemen who like staying fuzz-free. Try any of the listed techniques to see which is the best way to remove ear hair for you. Either way, each one should help you safely and efficiently get rid of these unruly tufts of ear hair in no time. 

Anthony Barone

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