Edwin Ashley Author

Level 2

170 points

Allergic to AirPod Pro eartips

I am having ear drainage when using my new AirPods pro.has anyone else experienced this problem?

[Re-Titled by Moderator]

Posted on Nov 27, 2019 3:31 PM

Top-ranking reply

AlterDuo

Level 1

29 points

Posted on Oct 18, 2020 6:04 AM

Bought the APP recently and used them about 7-8 hours in total. Here is my current status.

Status Today:

Ears itchy and moist with swelling.
left Ear Canal Skin broken.
can hear Blood pumping in my left Ear.
Hearing generally muffled.
Tissue is worst where the Tips touched it.

General Facts:

used Sennheiser and Bose with Silicone for years, NO problems.
regular Apple Pods, NO problems.
IT Consultant and Diver with constant plastic/rubber/silicone/electronic device contact. NO problems in 20 years.
NO Allergies.

First Assumptions:

on closer inspection noticed strong chemical Stench coming from the Tips.
assuming chemical contamination.
primarily a material issue not a medical one as Silicone Allergies are extremely rare.

Seeking Confirmation:

called friend (Material Scientist).
due to smell she assumed Evaporation of (maybe) toxic compound.
speculated maybe Solvent or Plasticizer.
instructed me on doing a Smell Test for Evaporation.

Smell Test:

prepared four Ziploc Bags. (unused and aired-out, neutral smell).
detach Tips from the Pods and put each part in its own Ziploc Bag. Bags not too big and not too small.
let parts rest for two hours (longer is better) so whatever evaporates can accumulate in the Bags.
(prepared an extra fifth bag for the unused Small and Large Tips).
after two hours gently opened Bags one after the other and immediately but carefully Smell-Tested the Air inside. best to be in a well aired room and take generous breaks between the Tests so the nose can "recalibrate".
extra Test Bags with Bose/Sennheiser Tips.

Results:

Bag with the unused Small/Large Tips contained a shocking amount of chemical Stench!
very similar to Industrial Grade Solvent or and Acidic Cleaning Solution. Smell subsided quickly but still noticeable when in close proximity to nostrils.
Medium Tips no better, after three days of usage noticeable chemical Stench.
Pods themselves only very mild (but similar) chemical Stench which vanished very quickly.
immediately stopped using the Tips and now keep them in a Ziploc Bag.
Test Bags with Bose/Sennheiser FREE OF STENCH.

Conclusions:

there is some kind of highly toxic chemical compound evaporating from the APP Silicone Tips.
Tips are contaminating the Pods inside their charging case. Would explain why more sensitive users react to the whole Pod Assembly with reactions outside of the ear canal.
Primary Health Issues after using the APP are most likely NOT an Allergy/Infection but something similar to A CHEMICAL BURN! Ears are desperately trying to drain out out the toxic compound. Poisoned skin is drying out and dying. Infections are probably second in the chain since the skin is damaged and ready for bacterial invasion.
would explain the long healing process and why Antibiotics barely help.
GENTLY&REGULARLY CLEAN THE AFFECTED AREA WITH A Q-TIP SOAKED IN A SALINE SOLUTION TO WASH OUT THE TOXIC MOLECULES AS BEST AS POSSIBLE.
selling Millions of Pods with few complaints matters nothing since the reaction might only show in people sensitive to this specific compound.
if you lack sensitivity the compound used will STILL accumulate and might cause massive health problems long term.
DO NOT USE SMELLING SILICONE TIPS!
(checked long term APP owners. pre 2020 production batch seem to be mostly free of these issues as well as the Stench.)

What`s next:

Stored all the Tips airtight and leave the Pods themselves outside so they can air-out. Will do more Ziploc Smell Tests on the Pods to check on contamination.
IF Pods have no more noticeable chemical stench I will try third party Tips and run another Test. Results in the thread were mixed maybe due to Pod contamination.
Will clean affected areas with generous amounts of Saline Solution as mentioned. Two washes today already brought down Itching/Swelling considerably.
Will Chat with Apple Europe on Monday escalating the Issue.
Will contact local Labs and Universities for a proper chemical/material analysis. Essential to find out what is used in these Tips to cause such violent reactions.

I will update the post as it develops.

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Similar questions

2,091 replies

Feb 4, 2020 1:37 PM in response to Edwin Ashley

My daughter has this issue as well. When she wears the Airpod Pros her ears produce more wax than normal. We just had her ears flushed, she wore her Beats for a week with no issues. Wore her AirPod Pros last night and her ears are draining today. Going to test it again in a few days...

Feb 6, 2020 5:47 PM in response to Edwin Ashley

I immediately noticed itching after having the air pods pro in for maybe 20 minutes.

I have tried memory foam tips instead and unfortunately they won’t stay in my ears. I am trying the small size ear tips instead of the medium.

Maybe if a bit of air gets through, it won’t make my ears so itchy.

If I stumble upon a miracle for dealing with this, I will report back :)

jaydles

Level 1

4 points

Feb 26, 2020 1:16 PM in response to Edwin Ashley

Same exact thing as everyone else - this thread is a lifesaver in confirming the cause.

Given that many folks here seem to have had no issue with OTHER silicon tips in the past, I'm trying some of the third party silicon ones like these to see if it's some other component or the type of silicon that's in the Apple ones. I'll post if I have any success.

Tammy_L

Level 1

4 points

Feb 27, 2020 6:44 PM in response to Edwin Ashley

I have this same problem. My husband purchased these for me and I didn’t wear them for over a month, then decided to wear them around the house and within 45 minutes, my ears felt like they were on fire. I took them out and my ears had swollen, because I could barely hear anything. After about a week my ears were not itching and burning anymore. I cleaned the tips with alcohol and let them air dry, tried to wear them again a month later and the same thing. This is ridiculous, spend $250 and they use a cheap material for the tips. Not happy with these, going back to my other earphones. If they come out with a fix, I may give these to my daughter. Hope they fix these soon.

brittier8

Level 4

1,966 points

Feb 27, 2020 7:27 PM in response to Boatchik

Good to know these are available as an alternative, thank you! I would definitely recommend anyone having this is issue with the AirPods or Pro to submit feedback. Apple has a dedicated team to review all feedback and getting it to the right department.

apple.com/feedback

Another or additional option is to contact Apple (may want to ask for a Senior Advisor/Manager) to request a complaint be submitted about a product. They will log the complaint for you to make sure it gets to the appropriate team.

Contact Apple for support and service

Chat with Apple

lgc1004

Level 1

9 points

Feb 27, 2020 7:27 PM in response to LJK825

Yeah I wore the regular airpods for over a year and never had a problem until I got the Airpod Pros. I had a strange irritation pattern from the Airpod pros that seemed to be wherever my skin was in contact with the body of the airpod itself. In this picture attached you can see where I had the allergic reaction in the area where the tip of the airpod arm sat on the side of my face; as well as just inside my ear. Sorry to disturb you all with this close up picture but has anyone else had this pattern of irritation as well?

Feb 28, 2020 12:44 PM in response to tracyfrombedford

Wow, 6 cases!!

Yes, a change in the tip composition would make a big difference. I’m currently using aftermarket silicone and they’re much better!

Re allergies: I’m 64. I’ve never had any allergies before. No contact issues with any substance, including silicone (or nickel, though I don’t see why nickel is relevant to this convo). There must be something else in there. And unless Apple lets us know what else is in there, seeing an allergist is sort of pointless.

Joseph_S.

Community Specialist

Mar 11, 2020 8:02 AM in response to Edwin Ashley

Thank you for participating in the Apple Support Communities.

I want to make sure you reach the right team for help with your AirPods Pro. I recommend that you contact Apple Support directly. Depending on your region, you may be able to [ schedule a callback / reach them by phone or chat ] here: https://getsupport.apple.com

Joseph_S.

Community Specialist

Mar 12, 2020 9:29 AM in response to Iclaudiuscom

Thank you for participating in the Apple Support Communities.

pdxtony

Level 1

4 points

Apr 5, 2020 1:22 PM in response to Edwin Ashley

Add me to the list. I'd been using the Airpod pros for a couple of months with no issue. Then one day the irritation was unbearable and I noticed the swelling, redness and drainage. It took a week or so before all this went away. I've used all kinds of earplug headphones for years without any issue like this. I've now gone back to my original Airpods and so far I can use them without the allergic type reaction

Apr 12, 2020 9:36 AM in response to Edwin Ashley

I’m having the same problem. I wore them occasionally in December and didn’t notice anything except maybe a “hot” very mild itching that was not persistent or associated with drainage. Couldn’t find them for a while. Once I wore them again recently, the first time the symptoms started I didn’t realize it was the AirPods. My ears were having problems with intense itching and redness inside, drainage and peeling for about a week. I wouldn’t have even tried to wear the pods with the irritation I was experiencing. Last night I popped them in to wash the dishes and do laundry and by bedtime my ears were driving me nuts again with intense itching and drainage. I was laying there unable to sleep and realized that it must be the AirPod Pros. Came here to find a bunch of other people with the same issue.

What a shame, it’s such a great product. I guess I may try to get a not from a doctor and stuff to get a refund but with COVID, I don’t know how that’s going to go.

Apr 12, 2020 5:08 PM in response to Edwin Ashley

This hursts my heart because I absolutely love my AirPod Pros! I am an ER nurse working full time and in school full time working on my MSN FNP. My hubby purchased them for me for Christmas so I could utilize the noise cancelling feature while trying to study and complete exams/homework.

It was love at first wear! Then I began having itching, redness, swelling, and crusting of my ears. I cleaned the AirPods (and my ears) several times with no improvement. When I stop wearing the AirPods all symptoms subside. It appears to be some kind of contact dermatitis to the entire AirPod structure (any part that touches the skin) I love Apple and am completely satisfied with the product, if I could use it. 🥺

Please fix this for us weird eared peeps by coming out with AirPods made of different materials. I will just have to give mine to my hubby. He will be so upset to have a new set! Hahahaha! If Apple comes out with a new edition made of different materials I will buy!

I love you Apple!

Joseph_S.

Community Specialist

Apr 14, 2020 7:14 AM in response to foxtail_77

Thank you for participating in the Apple Support Communities.

I want to make sure you reach the right team for help with your AirPods Pro. I recommend that you contact Apple Support directly. Depending on your region, you may be able to reach them here: Contact Apple Support

rose_10

Community Specialist

Apr 16, 2020 11:19 AM in response to bbgun2500

Thank you for participating in the Apple Support Communities.

Apr 19, 2020 11:03 AM in response to Rdml1111

I have now reported this to Apple and opened a case with them! They say currently they have not heard this before, I do find this very hard to believe.

If you haven't reported this apple already please do so. Contact Apple Support

I also brought memory foam tips, but I have not received them, once I do i'll let you guys know if they make any different.

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Allergic to AirPod Pro eartips