Cleaning out your ears certainly isn’t an easy or fun task, but if you’ve ever done it, you likely know what a difference it makes in reducing ear pain and infections, as well as in the quality of hearing. You may have heard of ear candling on TikTok recently (with nearly 200 million video views on the app), which is a technique used for earwax removal that involves inserting a lit candle inside the ear.
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But even if you’re somewhat familiar with the concept of ear candling, you may be wondering: Is it safe? Here, an ear, nose and throat specialist breaks it down.
What is ear candling?
According to Nicole Aaronson, MD, a board-certified otolaryngologist and clinical associate professor of otolaryngology and pediatrics at Thomas Jefferson University Sidney Kimmel School of Medicine, ear candling entails placing a hollow candle inside the ear and then lighting it.
“This reportedly creates a low-level vacuum that draws wax out of the ear, though there is no high-quality research that shows this is an effective earwax removal technique, " she says.
Is ear candling safe?
Ear candling is not considered safe by most medical practitioners, Dr. Aaronson says. In fact, the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery advises against trying this practice.
“There have been reports of facial burns, candle wax lodging in the ear canal, tympanic membrane (eardrum) perforation, and hearing loss associated with ear candling,” Dr. Aaronson explains.
Do you even need to clean your ears?
While ear wax buildup can be a nuisance, it’s important to remember that ear wax in itself is not a bad thing, Dr. Aaronson says.
“[Ear wax] keeps the skin of the ear canal healthy and helps maintain the normal flora that prevents outer ear infections,” she says. “However, it should be removed if it is causing pain or affecting hearing.”
How to safely clean your ears
Health experts have long cautioned against using any foreign options such as Q-tips and bobby pins to clean your ears. These items might sound effective in theory, but not when you consider what could happen with one wrong move.
“The old adage not to put anything smaller than your elbow in your ear still holds,” Dr. Aaronson says. “In addition to often pushing wax in further, these objects can easily scrape the delicate skin of the ear canal or, if placed in too far, can injure the eardrum or hearing bones.” Ouch, right?
According to Dr. Aaronson, some safe methods for cleaning your ears include using hydrogen peroxide or wax removal drops such as Debrox Ear Wax Removal Drops. Don’t use either of these methods if you have ruptured eardrums or ear tubes, however – talk to your doctor if this is the case, or if you have healthy ears and these aforementioned methods haven’t been effective.
Other methods include using saline or water irrigation kits to flush out earwax.
“These are also considered safe although they can potentially cause temporary dizziness, pain, or damage to the eardrum,” Dr. Aaronson says. “I have seen cases where aggressive irrigation leads to an outer ear infection (i.e. swimmer's ear).”
Finally, there are also natural remedies you can try to use to soften ear wax, such as almond oil and vinegar.
“No softening agent has ever been shown to be superior to any other agent, and with an intact eardrum, any of these can be trialed at home,” Dr. Aaronson says. “If symptoms of pain or muffled hearing do not resolve with use, following up with a physician would be [advised].”
