Most patients describe microsuction as a slightly unusual sensation rather than a painful one — a bit like having a small vacuum near the ear. The procedure is performed under direct vision with magnification, so it's precise and controlled, and we stop and check throughout. If anything feels uncomfortable at any point, just say so and we'll pause.

Not always. Soft, moderate wax can usually be cleared without any preparation. If your wax is particularly hard or dry, we may suggest 2-3 days of olive oil drops before your appointment to soften it. We'll let you know at booking if we think drops would help.

Most appointments take 10-15 minutes from start to finish. Both ears can usually be done in a single visit. The initial clinical assessment takes around 5 minutes, then the microsuction itself takes 5-10 minutes depending on how much wax there is.

Yes — and it's one of the strongest reasons to choose microsuction. Hearing aids accumulate wax around them, which causes whistling, reduced sound quality and shortened device life. Regular microsuction keeps your aids working properly and extends their lifespan significantly.

In most cases yes — and microsuction is significantly safer than ear syringing for patients with perforations, grommets, or previous ear surgery. There's no liquid pressure on the eardrum and we can see directly into the ear canal as we work. Mohammed will examine your ear at the start of the appointment to confirm suitability for your specific case.

Microsuction isn't suitable while you have an active ear infection — suction on inflamed tissue is uncomfortable and the infection needs to be treated first. Book a consultation and Mohammed will assess. If we can't safely proceed, we won't charge you for the appointment and will refer you on if needed.

Syringing uses pressurised water to flush wax out — without seeing inside the ear canal. Microsuction uses a precise vacuum under bright magnification, so the clinician sees exactly what they're removing. It's safer, more comfortable, and works on harder, more impacted wax that syringing routinely fails on.

The NHS has largely moved away from offering syringing because of the safety profile, which is why your GP may not be able to help directly.

Very occasionally, wax is so impacted that one visit isn't enough. If that happens, we'll send you home with olive oil drops to use for 5-7 days, then book you back in at no extra charge. Most cases clear easily, but we'd rather take two visits than rush a difficult one and risk discomfort.

Most patients walk out feeling completely normal. Your ear canal may feel slightly more 'open' for a few hours — that's just the wax being gone. Avoid swimming, putting cotton buds in your ears, or using earphones for 48 hours. If you experience any persistent discomfort, discharge, or sudden hearing change, give us a call.

No. We're a GPhC-registered pharmacy and you can book directly with us — online, by phone, or as a walk-in. Mohammed assesses every patient at the start of the appointment to confirm microsuction is suitable. If it's not, we'll refer you on to the right service and won't charge you for the visit.