Allergic to AirPod Pro eartips

It’s possible for people to have similar reactions for different reasons. I just had a medical procedure where I was asked to disclose if I was allergic to nickel. I’ve never been diagnosed with an allergic reaction to nickel and I didn’t have any negative reactions at all what-so-ever to the medical procedure which gives me a reason to doubt I’m personally having a reaction to nickel in the AirPods. I Do have a history of allergy to mold & pollen including allergy desensitization shots in the past. This doesn’t feel like a typical allergy to me though I think I had overlapping symptoms with seasonal allergy this past spring. The initial feeling of itching, heat and swelling in the outer ear canal is similar to what people describe with shellfish allergy but it’s never progressed beyond the ear canal to cause a systemic reaction. It doesn’t even cause itching in my inner ear like a typical allergy does. My reaction to the AirPods Pro is unique in that I’ve never had this type of reaction ever, to anything in my past.

Everyone’s results may vary. I had the same reaction with the new Bose QC Earbuds. Reached out to their customer support over Twitter to ask them the difference in the silicone of the Soundsport Wireless and the new buds, since the old tips are semi-translucent and don’t cause a reaction. They told me they were 100% the same, did not care whatsoever about the allergic reaction.

I have just been told by Apple support that I can replace my Airpod Pros and the new ones I get will not cause issues as they have "changed the design".

Can anyone else verify this being true as I have not found anything online backing this claim?

This...sounds like something a support person just says to pacify a customer.

Unless they can speak to what specifically was changed for what reason (Did they change the tip material? If so, why wouldn’t they just send new tips? Did they physically change the design? If so, wouldn’t that be reported on an Apple-related blog or something? Did they change something internally? If so, what was it and how was it causing some customers’ ears to react and not others?) I wouldn’t believe it.

They could be telling the truth, but unless they can answer the “how” and “why” then I wouldn’t be too hopeful that they actually changed anything.

For what it’s worth, I’m still friends with some people in Apple Support who are aware of my issue, and if there was any news in the support chain about a “fix” they probably would have reached out to tell me. That, and I would think someone else in this thread would have been told the same thing by support and could corroborate.

All that said, you don’t have too much to lose, obviously besides a reaction, which I’ve gone through five or six times at this point experimenting, but I get not wanting to go through it again. But if you document their conversation with you, them telling you the design has changed so the reaction won’t happen again, and it does...what does Apple do then?

I had the same issue with the QC earbuds. To be honest, they burned slightly as soon as I put them in my ear, which went away after a few minutes when I switched the smaller size ear tip. I used them for around an hour total over the course of the day, and twelve hours later my ears crusted and leaked like they did with the APPs. Reached out to Bose, they didn’t care at all. I’m back on my soundsport wireless now without any issues.

I'll be curious to hear what happens, Cnlmanders. I started the same process early last week and was asked the same questions and asked to send pictures of the device. The next day they called back to ask a few more questions and to see if I would send them pictures of my ears. I agreed to send the pictures but explained that my ears weren't currently inflamed since I had stopped using them several days before. The person I spoke to said that it was okay if the pictures didn't show any irritation. I received a case number and was pleased that they seemed to be taking this seriously. However, it's been over a week and I haven't heard anything else from them.

I can also attest to having extreme itching. I've been using my EarPods for about a month now but for only short intervals. I began using them for longer periods this week and my ears have starting itching and burning feeling two days ago and it has not gotten any better. I haven't worn them since the itching started. They itch where the silicon comes in contact with my ear. I've tried Hydrogen Peroxide to clean my ear, but the itching and burning feeling has not stopped. It really is sad, because I love my APPs. I hope that Apple will look into the materials they use and come out with a set that doesn't cause this reaction. I hope someone posts an update when they do.

I cannot recall if anyone has tried the tips alone. But several have tried using third-party tip replacements and have had the same reaction. The group has not isolated the cause to just the tips. There are multiple materials or combinations that could cause the reactions.

Being an engineer I understand your approach to fault finding, but its a bit like saying "has anyone just tried eating peanuts instead of peanut butter?" ;0)

An alternative and equally plausible appraoch would be to remove the tips and just wear the airpods for a bit - hypothetically that should also prove the same point.

I've just ordered some 3rd party silicon tips on Amazon Prime so they should be here within 24 hrs - I'll try them when they arrive and if I still get the same reaction then I'll sacrifice my ears to science and try the pods without any tips. I'll report back when I have a result.

Here is a clear as mud response for you. I put the small silicone tip in my right ear, snug but not so much I wouldn’t be able to get it out. At the same time I put my AirPods Pro, all silicone removed, in my left ear. I left both in for about an hour. At the moment I have no noticeable reaction at all. That could still change. Sometimes the reaction became intense hours after I wore an AirPods Pro with the silicone on (either a silicone cover or just the silicone tip).

Someone had mentioned this reaction is similar to “swimmers ear”. I didn’t really know what that was as I’ve never experienced it before so I looked it up on the Mayo Clinic website. The symptoms people are reporting are pretty much identical. I personally have not experienced the pain others keep mentioning, only the itching, swelling & discharge.

I can’t speak for anyone else. At the moment the AirPods Pro is only option I have while working. My new iPhone doesn’t have an option to use my older wired set. I find it curious that I seem to have 2 different reactions to the AirPods Pro. A very severe reaction to the silicone and a milder reaction if I take that off. I’ll replace these eventually but I haven’t decided what I want to replace them with yet and whether or not I want to switch to a different phone.

OmG I am so happy to find this thread. I have been going crazy. I bought the AirPods Pro, I love them but every since I bought them I have been suffering With bilateral otitis externa. I have been on many courses of antibiotics and nothing helps. I am at a point if some Sever ear issue. I only use them at night to listen to my podcast to go sleep, but will have to quit. I am upset as I spend to ton of money on them. I will contact Apple to see if I can get my money back. But like other I would like to know what is causing this. I used all the other Apple earbuds and no issues thill the pros. I used Bose earbuds for 7 years and never had a single issue. This is very upsetting. They should tell us what is the issues.

I have Severe itching and draining from my both ear after and while using mine. I have been on many course of antibiotics and ear drops since I bought my AirPods Pro. I am convince it’s the AirPods Pro. I never had ear issues and infections in my life prior to these! Ever. I am 42 years old. I will need answers from Apple. At this point I seem to have a chronic problem.

Disinfecting may help for some. But we have many who have done extensive personal testing, me included, with cleaning the APPs and the case. It did not solve the issue.

I am happy it worked for you, however. Perhaps it will with others too.

No clinical testing has been done. It is impossible to know the exact cause for any one of us. We only know that the symptoms are quite similar for many.