Allergic to AirPod Pro eartips

And to accompany the Apple support reminder, below is a rundown of symptoms reported in this group with the AirPods Pro over the past 10 months.

Common Symptoms

• Itching (Very common)
• Pain (Very common)
• Crusting around outside of ear (Very common)
• Fluid drainage (Very common)
• Ear pressure
• Headaches
• Ringing of the ears (later stages for some)
• Partial hearing loss/distortion (later stages for some)

Remedies

• Stop wearing them (best solution)
• Prescription medicine from doctor in some cases
• Time (weeks to months to fully recover)
• Very mixed, often temporary success with coverings or new tips (stop wearing them is best method)

Advocating

• Contact Apple Support directly and report this allergy shared by many of their APP users. Tell the support agent, "I want to raise a Safety Escalation." And relate your story and the stories here.

And to accompany the Apple support reminder, below is a rundown of symptoms/remedies reported in this group with the AirPods Pro over the past 11 months.

Common Symptoms

• Itching (Very common)
• Pain (Very common)
• Crusting around outside of ear (Very common)
• Fluid drainage (Very common)
• Ear pressure
• Headaches
• Ringing of the ears (later stages for some)
• Partial hearing loss/distortion (later stages for some)

Remedies

• Stop wearing them (best and recommended solution)
• Prescription medicine from doctor in some cases (take this issue seriously, it's your hearing)
• Time (weeks to months to fully recover)
• Very few have had any sustained success with coverings or new tips (stop wearing them is recommended)

Advocating

• Contact Apple Support directly and report this allergy shared by many of their APP users. Tell the support agent, "I want to raise a Safety Escalation." And relate your story and the stories here.

Final input from me (I hope), one 5.5mile run later wearing my Airpod Pros all the way whilst listening to music bluetoothed from my iPhone - absolutely no problem. Good fit (better than my Beats Pro), no itch, no weeping ...all good. I would say that I have no doubt that its the silicon tips/buds that were the problem for me. The replacement ones are great, and after months of abandoning my Airpod Pros they are now back with a vengeance! Link to the 3rd party buds on Amazon above (no I'm not getting a kick-back just happy to share a product that fixed my problem). Final thought, the Apple silicon tips have a faint chemical smell to them - potentially off-gasing something that could be the problem. The new tips have no smell at all and neither do my Beats Pros.

Good luck to everyone who visits this group - hopefully you will have the same success I've had.

And to accompany the contact Apple Support post, below is a rundown of symptoms/remedies reported in this group with the AirPods Pro over the past 12 months. Also, advocate if you can!

Common Symptoms

• Itching (Very common)
• Pain (Very common)
• Crusting around outside of ear (Very common)
• Fluid drainage (Very common)
• Ear pressure
• Headaches
• Ringing of the ears (later stages for some)
• Partial hearing loss/distortion (later stages for some)
• Apple's list of materials that may cause sensitivity: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT211158

Remedies

• Stop wearing them (best and recommended solution)
• Prescription medicine from doctor in some cases (take this issue seriously, it's your hearing). Keeping medical records can help with an Apple refund request too.
• Time (weeks to months to fully recover)
• Very few have had any sustained success with coverings or new tips (stop wearing them is recommended); the tips may not be the only cause.

Advocating

• Contact Apple Support directly and report this allergy shared by many of their APP users. Tell the support agent, "I want to raise a Safety Escalation." And relate your story and the stories of fellow sufferers here.

After trying two different sets of the original silicone tips that came with my APP, both with the same results (itchy, crusty, inner ears with clear fluid discharge) I am happy to report that I have found a solution (for me at least).

I ordered aftermarket memory foam tips for APP -

CharJenPro Form Fit: Memory Foam Ear Tips for AirPods Pro. Next Gen. Tips 2.0 as seen Kickstarter. No Silicone Ear tip Pain. Ultra Comfortable Replacement Ear Tips. (2 Sizes: S/M and M/L, Black) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08D7WGHPP/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_fabc_kxAYFbT5FYVHP?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

I have been wearing these for several days straight now, several hours per day, with absolutely NO ill affects. I highly recommend switching your silicone tips to memory foam tips NOW if you are experiencing symptoms described above. Don’t wait until it’s too late!

Whatever chemicals are in the silicone tips that Apple is providing with the APP is hazardous to the health of some of us that are experiencing extreme inner ear allergic reactions. Be alert, be aware, be precautionary and be safe!

And to accompany the contact Apple Support post, below is a rundown of symptoms/remedies reported in this group with the AirPods Pro (APP) over the past 13 months. Also, advocate if you can!

Common Symptoms

• Itching (Very common)
• Pain (Very common)
• Crusting around outside of ear (Very common)
• Fluid drainage (Very common)
• Ear pressure
• Headaches
• Ringing of the ears (later stages for some)
• Partial hearing loss/distortion (later stages for some)
• Apple's list of materials that may cause sensitivity: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT211158

Remedies

• Stop wearing them (best and recommended solution)
• See a doctor and don't self medicate. Prescription medicine is needed in some cases (take this issue seriously; it's your hearing). Pictures and keeping medical records can help with an Apple refund request too.
• Time (weeks to months to fully recover)
• Very few have had sustained success with coverings or new tips (stop wearing them is recommended); the tips may not be the only cause for some.
• Consider alternatives to in-ear headphones (some wearers report long-term sensitivity after the APP reaction) , such as over-the-ear or even bone conduction headphones. None of these go in the ear canal and are less likely to trigger an allergic response.

Advocating

• Contact Apple Support directly and report this allergy shared by many of their APP users. Tell the support agent, "I want to raise a Safety Escalation." And relate your story and the stories of fellow sufferers here.

I'm here to report the exact same problem and my experience with Apple Support. Got my APP as a gift last christmas and used them for 6 moths with no problem. In the summer noticed slight itching and extra wax in ears after APP use. For a week I had awful pain in outer ears which luckily healed on its own. During the autumn the symptoms worsened but I didn't connect them to my APP yet: outer ear itching, clear fluid discharge (especially at night), crusting, pain. Finally went to a doctor and got diagnosed with outer ear inflammation and eczema. Was prescribed antibiotic+cortisone ear drops for 10 days which eased the symptoms. Also advised not to clean with q-tips and told that in-ear headphones could worsen the symptoms. Took a break from useing APP and switched to my old over-ear Beats, remained symptom free.

Tried my APP for running a couple of times and noticed the itching and fluid came back, still thought my ears just hadn't healed from my self-caused irritation with q-tips. Took a longer break from APP to wait until my ears are completely healed. Also cleaned APP with alcohol disinfectant. Last week I put them on and immediately felt this tingling itching. Still used them for an hour (mistake). When I removed APP from my ears they were wet, as my ear canal had started draining clear fluid again. The itching, warm feeling and fluid discharge has continued for three days now. The fluid forms a crust when it dries. Applying hydrocortison cream on the outer part of ear canal has helped.

After reading this thread I decided to contact Apple Support to report the issue. For backround I live in an EU country. The support person asked if I got any injury from the headphones (i.e. burns) and I told them no, only weakened hearing when the inflammation was really bad but nothing permanent. They proceeded to inform me that I am probably allergic to the silicone tips. Told them I have used multiple headphones with silicone without any problems. Also mentioned reading this forum and almost no one got help from changing the tips. Then they said it could be the nickel or acrylates that I am allergic to. They told me that if they transferred my case to the engineering department, they would only say that I should consult a doctor (which I told I had already done) as the product is not faulty. So I wasn't even given an option to continue resolving this with Apple. My APP were purchased from a 3rd party store chain and for that reason the support person told me they can't do anything further and cannot issue a return. If they were purchased directly from Apple they could see if the 14-day return period could be extended (but only a little, they mentioned 6m would be too long). They told me to contact the store I bought these from for a return. The support person was polite and said he would report my issue as feedback so Apple knows if these reactions are common and can use the information in product developement.

Next step for me I guess is going to the store my APP were bought from. I doubt they will issue a return since it's been over a year from purchase. Not sure if I want to risk my health by trying 3rd party tips after reading this forum. This allergic reaction really sucks because the APP are expensive and so easy to use with my iPhone. Never had any allergic reactions to materials before this. I also noticed the chemical/solvent-like odour coming from my APP case when opening it. Thank you for everyone in this thread for your experiments and information.

I ended up talking to my IM doctor and he suggested bone conduction headphones...they doing have the best sound quality but for zoom and working out they are great. I had the same reaction to PowerBeats Pro. Reaction to the whatever the tips are made of and also the over the ear piece. I switched to a bone conduction headphone to avoid anything in my ears, a little weird with a lot of bass. Brand is Aftershokz(I have no connection to company), these are the headphones my IM doctor suggested. Not the best sound quality but work for ZOOM and outdoor activities fine.

I purchased mine in July and wore them daily for several hours whilst working out. I didn’t notice the irritation immediately it was several months later and gradual. Started with itching. Followed by draining and crusting of skin on the inside.

i completed stopped wearing them in early November. I still have slight irritation in my left ear and it seems the skin texture inside my ears is different.

I recently sent my back to apple for a refund that I’m still waiting for. The process of returning them for a refund took about a month.

I would advise that you completely stop wearing them and contact apple support and start the process of returning them. Let them know the their is an issue.

These painful, dangerous reactions to the APPs have been continuously inflicting people since the day they released them and with each new release. It doesn’t matter when you bought them to date. It can simply take time for your reactions to manifest; it isn’t immediate for most people, but it always grows worse over time once it starts. There have been multiple attempts to isolate the problem APPs to a defective batch; we now know it is is every batch. Stop wearing them is the best option for your personal health.

Saw my doctor today and he put me on antibiotic/steroid eardrops. I had actually developed a pretty bad infection in both ears with constant ringing, drainage and hearing loss. He said he has seen a significant increase in patients with with this who use the Apple AirPod pro.

At least I know the cause now. Just picked up a set of bone conducting earphones to give my ears a break.

Ive had them almost since the day they were released and didn't associate the issue with them until recently. and outside the return period

Ive had similar as well and put it down to a cold originally. However I keep off using the AirPods Pro (hard I know ) for 3 weeks and ears cleared up. Put them in today as had to have a Teams conference at Work and several in same room. Within an hour my ears are draining again so must be the tips. Have ordered some comply tips recommended by someone else but shouldn't have to do this.

With so many people complainig about the symptons apple really needs to address the issue and come up with some alternative tips that those of us who are having the allergy can use our AirPods Pro. After all we made the investment in good faith at £250 a time and expect better

And to accompany the contact Apple Support post, below is a rundown of symptoms/remedies reported in this group with the AirPods Pro (APP) over the past 15 months.

Common Symptoms

• Itching (Very common)
• Pain (Very common)
• Crusting, flaking around outside of ear (Very common)
• Fluid drainage (Very common)
• Swelling
• Ear pressure
• Headaches
• Ringing of the ears (later stages for some)
• Partial hearing loss/distortion (later stages for some)
• Apple's list of materials that may cause sensitivity: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT211158

Remedies

• Stop wearing them (best and recommended solution)
• See a doctor and don't self medicate. Prescription medicine is needed in some cases (take this issue seriously; it's your hearing). Pictures and keeping medical records can help with an Apple refund request too.
• Time (weeks to months to fully recover)
• Inconclusive, varied results with coverings or new tips still means not wearing them is the recommended remedy for most; the tips may not be the only or single cause for many of us. This forum thread has a mixed bag of outcomes listed with alternative tips if you wish to experiment on yourself.
• Consider alternatives to in-ear headphones (since many have reported long-term sensitivity after the initial APP reaction), such as over-the-ear or even bone conduction headphones. None of these go in the ear canal and are less likely to trigger an allergic response. Do note, however, that there have been a couple posts here that AirPods Max have led to reactions too.

Contacting Apple Support

• Frequently, you will be asked for evidence if you request a refund when reporting you symptoms. Documentation from a doctor and/or supporting pictures can help with this process.

I had success using the following:

DamonLight Airpods Earpods Covers Anti-Slip Silicone Soft Sport Covers from Amazon $9.99

https://www.amazon.com/Airpods-Earpods-Anti-Slip-Silicone-Accessories/dp/B07G26PY8N

In addition I tried using memory foam tips which were okay although it seemed like the sound quality wasn’t quite as good. Then I tried ordering a third silicone tips. I think there are many brands but I just happened to get these:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08531LC6Q/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Wow this was swift response.

I only tested the official Apple replacement Eartips as I looked at all the Amazon reviews of the linked/mentioned third-party tipps and the review are actually quite bad. Many people say they smell/itch. Which means they probably contain worse or more chemicals.

I just gave the Apple original Eartips a try because they where cheap and swift in delivery and worst-case I could have just returned them. I used them now without issues for 2-3 weeks, this includes daily wear for sadly too many Zoom calls of 6-8 hours with breaks and also intensive sweaty workouts. So far I only washed them once in between with some warm water. I have the original/stock ones still for reference of course and the crazy thing is, even when you wash them with hot water and soap as told by the Apple support they still smell like latex/condoms kind of. The new ones are absolutely neutral. I can only hope this applies to all badges but with the very nice return policy of Apple I can see no reason for anyone not to give it a shot? If it does not work, just return it for free.