The skin of the outer ear canal, and the ear drum, is very thin and delicate and easily damaged. Any small scratch, especially if a sharp needle is being used, will allow bacteria into the deeper tissues with the risk of infection. Even if the surface of the skin isn't broken, constant tickling with irritate and inflame the skin. A sharp needle, if long enough, could also pierce the ear drum, which is exquisitely painful and again risks infection and the potential for permanent hearing damage. Neither is it good to push wax around the ear a lot.
Ear wax is produced by special glands in the skin in the outer part of the ear canal.
It is then supposed to stay in this outer part to catch dirt, sand and other particles to stop then reaching the ear drum. Ear wax is not meant to be removed by you - your body does that for you. Neither is wax meant to be pushed deeper down into the ear canal. People who continually clean their ears with a bud risk pushing wax down onto the drum where it gets stuck, requiring ear drops and complicated treatments to remove it. Visit our extensive Ask the Doctor library of all previously asked questions and answers covering a wide range of topics.