Allergic to AirPod Pro eartips

after much reading here I was sitting find someone with the EXACT same scenario (except my original set of APP were left at a hotel, not at your parents home 😂)

I purchased my original set when they were initially released. After months of use, I had lost them (or so I thought) and purchased a new set. Within a week I began to experience the issues we are all familiar with. My original set was found and returned to me but I put them away not yet realizing the connection between the APP and my symptoms. Like many here, I have tried several aftermarket tips made from different materials but after just a few minutes of use, I notice the irritation returning.

I theorized that the 2 sets may have been manufactured by different facilities or from different materials due to the gap in time between purchases. I began using the original set just this past weekend WITH NO ISSUES!

Apple, I’m sure you’re monitoring this. Reply to my support ticket. This is a significant issue.

If I use the APP without the tips, I don't see the issue. Clearly, this isn't ideal, but it demonstrates the problem is in the material not in the APP (e.g., RF / radiation concerns).

I believe the material in the APP tips leads to a skin reaction that takes a long time to clear, even after the inflammation has gone away - until it's fully healed, it seems easy to re-irritate the skin regardless of the type of eartip.

I've been using soft silicone in-ear tips for decades without issue (e.g., call center headsets, 2-way radios), and I didn't have an issue until after using APP for a few months (despite generally not having allergies).

I also feel like it's pretty easy to debunk the idea of the cause being "aseptic practice." A pretty common first stage we've all been through is wiping down our AirPods with alcohol and cleaning out our ears. Many of us went to doctors and were prescribed antibiotics/steroids for what seemed like ear infections. Those treatments likely appeared to resolve the issue, when it was really stopping use of the APPs that fixed things. This was proven by users returning to their APPs and the issue recurring—surely most people cleaned their APPs before going back to them?

I posted a video on this issue on my social media accounts. I received lots of responses from people having the same exact issue. Some of them suspected it was the APP, so they stopped using it. Their ears were relieved. Lots of them didn't think of relating the earphone to the drainage. Now that they know, they can take action.

I wonder if Apple knows about this issue, and is going to fix it in the next version of the APP without mentioning the issue. I don't think I will ever buy them again if they don't explicitly confirm that they had an issue with the current APPs and that they have fixed it.

Same thing allergy three separate times with at least a week or two in between of nothing in the ear. First two doctor visit for ear infection meds. So I decided to see another specialty to see an ENT said my ears look good after 2nd primary doctor visit. Third time wore them again for an hour then both ears throbbing felt my heartbeat in my ears, then clear discharge like 2 hrs later. Called my doctor friend who took care of me on the second visit they stated it was an allergy. I took Benadryl and Pepcid as prescribed for allergic reaction and allergy went away one hour later. I’ve had replaced the original silicon tips with aftermarket Amazon memory foam ones too and it didn’t matter. So I believe it’s metal or something in the AirPods Pro 2. Too late to return to store maybe someone else in my family can use them without an allergy. Very disappointed. I have Bose soundsports and Plantronics Bluetooth with no ear problems.

I've tried many different brands of IEM over the last 10 years with various brand tips (inc Comply foam) and all have caused irritation that finally took years to clear after stopping all IEM use. I then tried AirPod Pros hoping Apple might have done something different but I have the same symptoms within a few weeks of use.

Beware certain prescription only ear drops can cause deafness with prolonged use and physicians will only prescribe a limited amount of times, so this is not a way to manage IEM use.

FWIW AirPods were fine. I will try bone conduction types for sports now.

Two minutes later .... actually wearing the APPs with discharged power wouldn’t disprove the RF theory at all. The best you could hope for is that the dead APPs did nothing to your ears. It would be the equivalent of wearing just the tips and not getting a reaction - which I’ve already done. To disprove the RF theory you would need to adopt xenion’s approach of wearing the APPs without any tips whilst powered up and not have a reaction. If you did have a reaction then it could still be either RF or heated chemical off gassing, or something we haven’t thought of - maybe sweat mixing with a metal in one of the components - but these things are supposed to be IPX 4 rated. Either way - tip-less powered up APPs is the next step for investigation. 😳

I switched to the Samsung Galaxy buds live. They don’t quite go into the ear canal and are more akin to the regular AirPods. They have noise cancellation, but calling it that is being way to friendly. They sound decent. Are sweat proof and do not cause me irritation whatsoever.

I have been to 4 different doctors who all diagnosed me with a fungal infection and started me on a course of steroid ear drops or ointment. Each time the symptoms improved but then returned immediately after I used the AirPod pros again. The last time, the symptoms never went away and now I have been having an ear infection for approx 8 months non stop. AirPods were sterilised each time and I waited until I had no symptoms before using again.

As expected the condition comes back with Comply tips. I also tried them with no tips, the sound was terrible as expected. I was surprised to find all the symptoms return. Even though they appear to be made of all the same materials as the original AirPods which I can wear all day, there appears to be something with the AirPod Pro body that causes the issue for me.

There was a post a while ago that suspected the audio as a source of the issue I'm starting to lean to myself. One of the first things I noted with the Pro is it's ability for the bass to "vibrate' similar to a good subwoofer on a home theatre. I'm thinking this sub frequency may irritate the inner ear making it "think" there is a problem and kicks in it's defence mechanisms full time. I am by no means any ear expert or work in the medical profession. If I have the nerve to try again, I may stick them in my ears with no trips and not turn them on.

I may pull out an old set of Sure in-ear monitors I have to test as well. I normally do no prefer the in-ear monitors as I have small ear canals and they normally don't fit very well. It's been some time since I have used the Sures but I don't recall having any issues with them. Sadly the Pros were the first that really fit well for me.

Mine were returned in December and they just sent out a refund. I was told there was a backlog. I switched to the older version AirPods without the silicone tips as I believe these will work for me. At least I’m fairly certain I’m not reacting to the acrylic. I found the wired set that came with my phone and I’m able to wear those for work with no reaction. Time will tell.

Wow.. I'm glad I found this thread. My ears started itching, flaking, and draining a while ago. I finally figured out it was my airpods pro. I've never had a reaction to other earbuds either. Last week I picked up a set of Jabra Elite Active 75t. I've been wearing them for several days and my ears seem ok. So strange.

I have purchased the Apple AirPod Pros twice now, first time round I used them for a short period before I noticed both ears where red itchy and leaking clear fluid, contacted Doc, and got a spray (OTOMIZE) made by Teva. I stopped using the earbuds, applied the spray as advised. after that I tried the buds again...same symptoms returned. This has to be either an allergy to silicone or some chemicals included during the manufacturing. I haven’t contacted Apple yet, my first purchase went to my 17 yo daughter, who has no problems.

I have purchased again half in the hope that chemicals changed during processing, or different materials sourced.

The problem is back, so I will be back to the Doc, and looking for some alternative buds which are compatible with Air Pods pro.

So not a very good experience, I hope Apple investigation this issue and provide a solution for customer’s experiencing these issues.

Same here. So what they ask even if you’re ears have cleared up. I sent my APP back in late December and was notified today that my refund check is on its way and should be expected within the next 15 days. Patience is certainly needed in this process. Good luck!!

Add myself to the list of users with this issue. It is super disappointing, I really love my AirPods Pro.

I've used them nearly everyday from the release, October 2019. No issues until about 4-5 months ago, until I started having the exact symptoms that people are having in this thread. Itching, flaking, fluid, worse at night. I completely discounted it being the AirPods at first, as I had used them for a year with zero issues. I was on antibiotics and cortisone, I stopped using the buds for a month to make sure my ears healed properly and then used the AirPods for 30 mins. Sure enough that night, all the symptoms came back again. I was using the Comply tips for about 3 months before it started for me. I actually switched back to the Apple tips and the same persists. To me it seems like it has to be something in the casing or internals. I bought a pair of Anker wireless earbuds to test and so far no issues.

I think at this point, I can only hope that the AirPods Pro 2 will be made of a different material or something.