A mother from Winsford, Cheshire, has warned others against using cotton buds to clean their ears after she was left virtually deaf for six years. Skye van Rensburg, 21, first damaged her hearing when she accidentally perforated her left eardrum with a cotton bud. Years later, she suffered further damage to her right ear in a similar incident, leaving her with almost no hearing at all.
Ms van Rensburg said she experienced severe earache and tinnitus, which she described as sounding like metal gates crashing. The pain spread down her face and neck, prompting multiple calls to NHS 111. Despite being advised to have excess wax removed by a specialist, she initially declined due to fear of pain.
Over time, her hearing loss began to affect daily life. She struggled to hear her toddler crying at night and missed knocks at her door. Her balance was also affected. After eventually visiting an audiologist for microsuction treatment, she discovered her perforated eardrum had healed, and her hearing returned fully.
Ms van Rensburg now urges others to avoid using cotton buds in their ears. 'You think you're cleaning your ears but you're just pushing the wax in,' she said. 'Just throw the cotton buds away – it's not worth it.' A video of her wax removal procedure has gained widespread attention on social media.
