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by fractalcat 3802 days ago
The article is referring to ear candling[0], an alternative-medicine practice espoused by naturopaths and other such quacks. It's sadly quite common.

[0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ear_candling

2 comments

I've seen one of those things recently, and have been wondering about the mechanism of function. How it sucks the earwax (which really has the consistency of viscous oil to hardened wax) out of the ear canal. I feel dismayed if you're telling me it doesn't?
It doesn't. It's one of those things that sounds good enough in theory that people tried it and of course someone is willing to sell the materials/service if there's money to be made. But yeah, it's along the lines of those "cleanse" drinks that make you crap out what they say is "toxins" that had built up in your intestines but is really just the congealed fiber in the drink (which is mostly just a laxative). In this case, it's candle waxes on the cloth that people claim are ear wax that's been somehow drawn out.
They don't do anything. The "earwax" is literally candle wax.
What?? I can't believe this is really happening, it's the funniest thing I've read this week.