Allergic to AirPod Pro eartips

I just had same problem this week. I use them for 5 hours a day and after one week both my ears are itchy, hurt, red, and scaly. I need to return them. Never had any issues with any other in ear sets before.

I honestly think it’s something in the silicon that’s causing this, something that they have used to treat the silicone with.

I am currently awaiting Apple answer, I’ve also answered lots of questions and sent various photo’s to them.

The actual AirPod is not the problem for it’s the silicone, this I am sure of.

I can you the Bose headphones with no problems.

I also would prefer for Apple to find a solution as I love my AirPods. I can’t go back to my first gen pods as I lost them which was why I brought the new ones.

my reactions did not start straight away, it started about 2 months after buying them.

I am not what you call a heavy user, normal for me is 1-2hours maybe twice to four times a month.

I agree with you, and it is weird because I bought them back in early January and wore them to workout. Had no issues. Started using them for meetings over the computer, wearing them for an hour at the most. Noticed my left ear itching right where you insert them. Have a little bit of an itch on the right, but the left is certainly more. I think there is something in or on the silicon tips that is the issue, because my other silicon ear buds never bothered me. It will be interesting to see if they say anything.

I have the same issue, ear draining and itching and inflammation, I gave my AirPods a break for 10 days then re used them half an hour and it came straight back

have used Bose wireled noise cancelling earphones and Sony and never had this issue, I prefer the Apple ones due to the compact size but I can not use until I find different ear tips

Interesting. I agree, if they want the original tips to examine, I’d gladly send them back. The foam tips I purchased also work well with the noise canceling as they said they would. I don’t want to give mine up, they are great, aside from the issue with the tips.

Count me in. As much as it sucks, I am finally glad to know what’s causing my ear issues. Never had a problem like this before. I hope there’s enough of an outcry to get Apple to change the composition of the eartips and maybe even replace them for us somehow. Probably wishful thinking but has anyone actually contacted them to ask?

I can report the same problem: itching, irritation, pain and fluids leakage after wearing the AirPods Pro. I saw a doctor and went through the 10-day regimen. It got better. I wore again, and I had same issue the very same day.

It is interesting to me that everyone assume it is an allergy. My personal impression, having worn these types of devices forever with no issue, is that it was the sound cancelling or isolation feature, perhaps something about the nature of the vibrations created that irritates my ear. I may be off, but that is the only thing different from these and the other devices I have used. I do use over the ear headphones with similar features and without an issue; they are not in the ear canal though.

This is all just a theory. I am encouraged to learn others are trying alternative materials with some success perhaps. I am personally afraid to mess with my ears anymore on this product...they are kind of critical to me.

I think it’s either a feature and or the materials, because this thread has shown that some people are using different tips and now using them with no problem.

When this started happening I was convinced that it was the silicon they were using because I never had this issue when I used my original AirPods (gen 1). But when I changed the tips and had the same reaction, I started to think it was the noise cancelling feature instead. But I do not have my olds to test this as I lost them a while ago.

I contacted Apple and they asked me to send to Ireland for testing, but they are on there way to America for extensive testing.

If you haven’t reported your issue please do because the more reports they get, the more they will look into this.

I am getting a refund for my AirPods today.

^^^ This 100% for me too. I have worn original AirPods and Apple EarBuds for long periods of time for years, but after having the same symptoms everyone here did from the Pros (and recovering), I now can't put ANY in-ear headphones in without triggering a similar reaction. The Pros reaction seem pretty clearly to have made my system no longer tolerate any thing sitting in my ears without a severe reaction.

Thank you for participating in the Apple Support Communities.

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

So when I talk about noise cancelling feature I am talking about the fact its a frequency and fact that it uses silicon tip to make seal. I am not saying its defiantly the reason, but I also tried memory form, the reaction took longer to start but it did start, these were used in noise cancelling feature too.

Unlike others on here, I only got itching, drainage & crust when it dried. Some of the others reported redness around the ear and where the stem touched, I had none of this.

I would welcome any other theories, as mine is just a theory.

Very interesting. And you see the published date is May 8th so they are well aware of the reaction that the airpods are having for some people. But as some said before the sample size here is just not large enough yet. Basically what that warning says is that they are not changing anything, which is very unfortunate for us in this thread.

I have the same problem with my ears and the AirPods Pros. I spoke with Apple and answered all the questions and sent pictures so they can gather data about this problem. As part of the investigation they asked for me to send them the airpods Pros but didn't guarantee any kind of refund or how long it would take to determine what they would do. I bought them through Amazon and was a few days after the return deadline but the Amazon person immediately sent me a return label. I hope to try the Airpod generation 2 from Amazon as I know I can just try and see if they are better. I have never had a problem before with any product in my ears so it was very helpful to read all of these notes. I also think based on what I have read here that the problem is likely unique to this model.

Thank you for participating in the Apple Support Communities.

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

I’ve been following the discussion for a while and a few weeks back I contacted Apple support when I removed my rift AirPod pro and I was bleeding. Have had to respond to a lot of questions and the last notice was that I’m going to have send them to Ireland in a recovery kit for them to investigate/test (don’t know what exactly). I’ve tried third party silicon tips and react the same way on a slower increase in itchiness but end up the same way eventually. Tried ordering foam tips but one pair got lost and the other set I cancelled when I was told that I may have to send them in. Will be interesting to see what the outcome is. As for being allergic to silicone - not that I know of, I’ve used silicone ear hooks and the like with my prior AirPods with no ill effect, but they aren’t inside the ear.