Japan's Ear-Cleaning Parlors

I'm curious how the comments here will differ from the one article about the ear picking parlor in Vietnam.

Are they located next door to candle manufacturers?

Unless you have some serious impacted wax issues, the skin inside your ear canal is constantly replenishing itself, growing outwards in a twisting motion, pushing your ear wax along with it. On other words, ear wax makes its way out naturally all on its own. Best to just leave it alone. Using cotton buds or yes, even the ear picks used by these people gives the appearance of removing wax as you get a bit of wax on the tip, but in reality it tends to push far more wax further down into the ear canal, making it more difficult for it to come out on its own.

"Five years ago, when the Japanese government announced that ear cleaning would no longer be considered a medical procedure, thus making medical licenses unnecessary for ear cleaners..."

Say no more. The number 1 cause for suing an audiologist who IS qualified to remove ear wax is injury from a wax removal procedure. This is impacted wax, an outer ear infection, and a perforated ear drum, just WAITING to happen.

"The healthiest ears I've ever seen have belonged to Asian ladies," Sceats says, "because they have this tradition of looking after their ears."

Wax free does not necessarily = healthy. Wax, as long as it is not excessive to the point that it is impacting is normal.

When I was in Japan I saw a place that would do it for 2700 Y, ~$35. They also sell little curved sticks you can use to scrape and scoop out the wax yourself.

Jessss, there are actually differences in the texture of earwax in different populations. The stuff is a bit harder in Asian populations, and might require active removal.

Sounds like a Ferengi's greatest dream.

What about ear hair plucking? Really. You notice how many old dudes have tufts growing out of the sides of their heads?
And those same guys are likely to have caterpillars above their eyes too.
If guys expect women to be hair free, they need to get a clue that we would appreciate specific area reciprocation when you hit 50+.

@rootchick -- you't think so, but there's no oo-mox at these places.