Quackwatch has a good page about ear coning (AKA ear candling), which involves inserting a cone-shaped candle into your ear and lighting the wick. The idea is that the candle creates a partial vacuum, which sucks the gunk out of your ear canal. This page debunks the practice.
One exhibition was doing ear candling for $30. The people selling this said that the suction created by the candle "cleared your mind and sinuses." I questioned them enough to establish that they meant this literally and believed the ear was an opening from the brain and sinuses. The woman running the booth stated, "It cleans the whole head, brains and all – they're all connected you know." The candling was performed on a table at the front of the booth, so the curious sight of a person lying there with a burning candle sticking out of his ear drew many spectators. During the procedure, a gray mixture of soot and wax drippings collected on a pie plate under the candle. It did not look like melted candle wax, but was quite foul in appearance. Customers were told that these were the "impurities" of which they had been cleansed, and many went around proudly showing them off, comparing their debris to that of others, and making knowing comments. The vendor also peddled "psychic readings."
More earwax removal coverage on Boing Boing: Ototek Loop, scope that lets you gaze into your own ear canal, how (not) to clean your ear with a bobby pin, video of earwax picking, joy of earwax picking in Japan.
