Is ear candling safe, and is it effective?

No, and no again.

Ear candling involves placing a cone-shaped device into the ear, and lighting it. This can be made from linen or cotton, which is soaked in wax or paraffin and allowed to harden.

The burning “candle” is supposed to create a low-level vacuum which draws the ear wax out of the ear. Lisa Roazen wrote an excellent article here, which describes the procedure in much more detail, including why it cannot work, and also the risks involved.

But suffice to say, it’s dangerous, and ineffective. Please avoid!