Ear candling is not recommended
and may cause more harm than good
Experiencing earwax problems or hearing issues?
Our clinicians at Squeaky Ears provide safe, evidence-based ear care and professional advice.
What is ear candling and why is it not recommended?
Ear candling is an alternative practice that involves placing a hollow candle near or into the ear canal with the intention of removing earwax.
Despite its popularity in some settings, there is no reliable clinical evidence to support its effectiveness. In addition, it carries potential risks, including burns, ear canal injury, blockage from candle debris, and damage to the eardrum.
For these reasons, ear candling is not recommended in clinical practice.
What is the classical way of candling?
Ear candling is an alternative practice that involves placing a hollow candle near or into the ear canal with the intention of removing earwax.
Despite its popularity in some settings, there is no reliable clinical evidence to support its effectiveness. In addition, it carries potential risks, including burns, ear canal injury, blockage from candle debris, and damage to the eardrum.
For these reasons, ear candling is not recommended in clinical practice.
How ear candling is described
Descriptions of how ear candling is performed are widely available online. However, this practice is not advised due to the associated risks and lack of proven benefit.
Attempting ear candling can lead to complications requiring medical treatment.
Safe and effective alternatives
At Squeaky Ears, we use clinically approved, evidence-based methods for earwax removal, including:
• Microsuction – a precise and safe technique performed under direct visualisation
These approaches are widely recommended in clinical practice and provide safe, effective results without the risks associated with ear candling.
If you do have issues with earwax, book an earwax removal appointment
FAQ's
Whilst we advocate homeopathic remedies and recommend using olive oil to soften the impacted earwax before the earwax removal treatment, we can’t rely on ear candles as safe and evidence-based treatments.
You will be amazed to see images with ear candles carrying earwax on Google. Even the ear candle makers claim they can remove wax and treat sinus, tinnitus, and other ear and nose issues. But research doesn’t support these claims.
In fact, researchers are afraid of candle wax deposition into the ear during this process. Moreover, they have not found any evidence of such suction or earwax removal.
In simple words, ear candles can put your ears and face at risk of injury. Although Ireland and UK have no restrictions on using ear candles, the FDA has serious concerns about it. Therefore, FDA and their Canadian counterparts have taken all the measures to stop the manufacturing of ear candles. The main reason behind this restriction is that manufacturers have not provided evidence for their effectiveness.
Common complaints of using ear candles are:
- Burns to ear and face
- Ear blockage due to candle wax
- Attachment of hot ear wax to the eardrum, leading to permanent damage.
We believe in not putting anything smaller than your elbow into your ears unless a professional is doing so. However, if you want to remove the earwax at home, see our advice for safe cleaning of your ears at home.