Rebecca’s reasonable request…This isn’t exactly a beauty question but I was wondering if you could tell us if ear candling really works or not? 
The Left Brain responds:
For those of you who might not be familiar with this pseudo scientific practice, ear candling is the process of cleaning out ear wax and other stuff by “sucking” it out using heat from a burning candle. A hollow candle is burned with one end in the ear canal to allegedly create negative pressure to draw cerumen (aka ear wax).
Ear whacks
According to sites like Earcandles.net it works like this: the smoke from the candle spirals down into the ear where its warmth gently dislodges foreign debris, softens old ear wax and helps evaporate excess moisture. Unfortunately, a search of peer reviewed literature on PubMed indicates that Ear, Nose and Throat doctors have evaluated this technique and found that it does not work. Worse than that, it can actually damage your ears!
Ear candling calamity
According to the references cited below, the efficacy and safety of ear candling were studied and results showed that contrary to popular believe, ear candles do not produce negative pressure that can draw out wax. (This part of the study was done by tympanometric measurements in an ear canal model.) In addition, a limited clinical trial on eight ears showed no removal of ear wax. In fact, in some cases, candle wax was actually deposited. Finally, a survey of 122 otolaryngologists revealed 21 ear injuries that resulted from ear candling. The conclusion of the authors was that ear candles have “no benefit in the management of cerumen and may result in serious injury.”
The Beauty Brains bottom line
Like Kinoki Detox Footpads and Kangen Water, ear candles are another scam that doesn’t work. But this one can actually harm you. Even if you’re a smiling 10 year old boy wearing a dress shirt and vest.
References:
Laryngoscope. 1996 Oct;106(10):1226-9. Ear candles–efficacy and safety. Seely DR, Quigley SM, Langman AW. Spokane Ear, Nose, and Throat Clinic, WA 99204, USA.
Why Ear Candling Is Not a Good Idea, Lisa Roazen, M.D.
{ 19 comments… read them below or add one }
My friend who’s an aromatherapist has always ear-candled her ears for years, and she’s even urged me to try it. Thank goodness I refused. Thanks for the info, Beauty Brains!
Great article! I always find myself unable to understand how people can sell products that have been proven to be harmful; it’s appalling.
Contrary to popular belief, not believe. Feel free to delete this comment
I am wildly in love with your blog and I’m glad I discovered it! I may have to post my own questions soon, for now I am happy following! Thanks for introducing some common sense and proper scientific attitude into this nook of the Internet! 
Oh, ear candling has some uses. Whenever I see a spa advertising it I know to stay FAR AWAY from that spa and never give them my money.
I tried ear candling years ago, and it did suck out some of the wax. However, I had so much hard, impacted wax that the ear candles did little for me. I ended up going to the doctor to get my ears flushed out.
Oh. I’ve actually been wanting to try this for a while. Thanks for quashing that potentially harmful wish. *shudders*
Thanks for the edit! Sometimes that Mid Brain doesn’t edit the writing well enough. We might need to get a new intern.
Ear candling had been existed for over 2599 years and used by greek, egyptian, monks, etc.
This is like space clearing, naprapath and feng shui tht medical doctors could not accpt.
ALl the bad things about ear candling is untrue.
Maxibomero Illinois School of Fengshui, Ear Candling and Space CLearing located at 3745 w. montrose,chicago, il 60618 had everything. They do teaching and also does individual services.
They are very reliable, experienced and knoweledgeable.
THeir phone no is 773-588-8776. If you want to be a feng shui practitioner, space clearer or be a ear candler, they do that.
don’t knock it ’till you try it. Ear candles work so well. And I have never ONCE heard of someone getting hurt or losing their hearing. Now THAT is total bogus. I’m glad websites like this didn’t freak me out enough to not try it, because i hear ten times better and when i had a cold and did this it relieved sinus pressure and helped with getting rid of that gross feeling in my nose.
Do it. and don’t pay attention to allopathic doctors. These things work like a charm. I speak from experience
I never heard of ear candling before. Thanks for the info! I’ll make sure never to try it
I agree with Erika. Ear Candling is not a scam. I learned tht it had been used for over 2500 b.c. Of course, medical profession is trying to discourage using it same as chiropactor, naprapath, space clearing and even feng shui. Now chiropractor is beeing acknoledged no. Next will be reflexiology and naprapath. I could not hear or barely hear then i hired ear candling and it helped me a lot improve my hearing problem as well as the equilibrium. If this had been long time ago, why noboy complain especially n the counties such as Egypt, china, Greece and some latin america. Go and try. Believe me it is working and do not believe on others. They are probably in the field of medical profession who is trying to discourage you.
I am a student of Illinois Chicago School of Fengshui, Space clearing and Ear Candling. It is a good job and I am earning sideline. I lived in California and I went all the way to Chicago to attend the trining workshop.
Oh my goodness! I have been having ear candling done for YEARS & I *LOVE* it! It’s amazing (SOOO nice, soothing, & relaxing) & I’ve never had any problems. By the way, they cut the candle open at the end to show you what they got out so, you can actually see for yourself that it works! Also, as soon as I have it done, I can actually breathe better & my face (around the sinuses) feels…”lighter”! I’ll continue to do it & think that people really need to open their minds & not be so critical. I would suggest actually having it done yourself so that you can make up your OWN mind! Thanks.
Dear friend :
This is George!
I am very glad to receive your request on our Ear Candles
Well our company is professional maker on these items and has been exporting to many countries for long-term business
We have different scents for our clients and all of these ear candles are made from natural beewax
No any harm to human boby
So also we can offer you OEM service if you need , CE available
Alright I just show you our price as follows:
0.59$/per pairs
Mini order:2000pairs
0.4$/per pairs base on 10,000pairs
Lead:7days by EMS
Period of validity:1 month after 7.30
Please note this price is for small quantity and we can offer you our discounted price if you order bigger quantity such as
50,000pcs
Samples are free for you if you want
Alright friend hope these information can meet your needs
Have a great day
Take care
George
7.30/09
I have done ear candling about 4 times my whole life. I’m going to stick with what i saw and say that it does in fact work. The last time I did ear candling was about 2 months ago and I was getting over an in my throat, nose, and my ear kept itching (I had about 2 days of it left of this) and when we used the ear candle on my right ear, the wax that it pulled out was like a seaweed green color. This was in fact the ear that was itching. We called a doctor whos name I would like to leave annonymous and he said it was more than likely due to a small infection in my ear that the wax came out a green color. We did the left side and it came out as normal. The first time I ever did ear candling was when i was about 8 years old, i did it again when i was about 12, once more when i was approximately 16 and then a couple months ago (im 23 now). Like i said, i’ll stick with what i saw and believe that it DOES work.
Ear Candling worked for me. If you create a good seal, you get no powdery residew. I actually saw a huge amount of dark wax in the candle. Then I did it to my husband and he had some powder and a wax ball as well, same dark color and consistency. I am a fan! They saw Asians have a different type of earwax and the drops don’t work – so this is a great alternative.
Ear candling is a great alternative. I have been doing for years now. I have been using the same brand since I first got it done. Wally’s Ear Candles, They have been around for many years and is a very trustworthy company. They are the only company that I have ever read that actually states that the candles do not suck wax out of your ears and that back that up with great detail. Not to mention their safety innovations. On the site they give proper ways to do the procedure and great explinations on the facts.
http://www.wallysnatural.com
Then riddle me this Batman . . . I have purchased these candles for about $3 each and poked them through paper plates. One is placed over a glass of water (candle not touching surface of water) and the other in a human. both are burned to the same point. The candle in the glass did not deposit any noticeable wax into the water and did not contain a mass of brown wax at the bottom tip. The candle in the human was full of a brownish waxy substance at the bottom tip. Now I’m no Abby and i do not own a mass spectrometer, but it sure looked like the stuff on the end of Q-tips. If the earwax candle did not draw the wax into the ear, what is this stuff and why does it not show up in the candle over the glass???? Try it yourself. I have done this several times with similar results.
Ear candles work wonders! I’ve been using them for atleast 10years and no problems have ever happened. I just used one tonight and it helped out alot. I would strongly recomend, only people that are saying there not good are probably doctors that would rather you pay a hundred dollars so they can suck it out rather than spend 10 dollars.
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