Allergic to AirPod Pro eartips

I had 1st gen APPs with no issues. 2nd gen destroyed my ears after the first few times i wore them. I let my ears heal for 2 weeks and put the tips from my old ones onto the new ones. Only used a few short times but no issues so far. Suspect this test will support it being the tips not the APPs themselves.

To confirm again, yes I used my original AirPod Pro for roughly a year without any issue, then they physically broke and I got a brand new pair which led to immediate issues. Thus my uneducated guess is that the eartips are done in different manufacturing batches. Thus the immediate better result with the replacement tips.

Yes the struggle with the replacement tips is that they only come in one size whereas the original package contained all three S/M/L. I solved this by just checking which I had last used (M in my case) and ordering solely these. It was just a test for me anyways with so far (knock on wood) a good result.

It's slowly crystallizing that it's more likely due to newer AirPod Pro. There was apparently a change in the production process (replacement due to noise knocking) a few months ago. I had the problem after the replacement starting in November. Severe itching, oozing in the ear, dander in the ear canal. Woke up at night several times.

By chance, while searching the web, I got the idea that it could be due to the APP and found it here.

Previously, I had tolerated the AirPods Pro from March until they were replaced. The new AirPod Pro had a strong odor in the charging case (sweetish smell) which occurred again and again when charging. Since also in the Apple forum many others have tried foam plugs and various and the reaction is recurring it is rather the AirPod Pro itself or the escaping vapors!? I have since sold them.

Annoyed a bit not to have reported it to support. Have not been able to wear them since mid-December and have partly now in February still scaly skin and itching in the ear.

Professionally, I have to talk a lot on the phone and now have concerns that now a permanent intolerance to headsets, etc. has arisen.

By the way. I tried the old original tips on the replacement APP itself, and it was the same. I think they changed something on production process. This odorous of the APP in the charging case after charging can’t be healthy.

I couldn't believe it but the Airpod Pros are causing my ears to leak fluid as well! I couldn't figure it out! I had no other ear infection symptoms nor did I have a cold, runny nose, or sinus issues. Besides the leak, I was in good health otherwise. I have been using my Airpod Pros for a couple months now but usually for conference calls and typically no more than an hour. But, recently when I couldn't sleep at night, I started using my Airpod Pros with my phone to watch movies. Then after a few days, my ears started to get really itchy inside the canal and then they started to leak fluid. I thought it was an ear infection so after a week, I set up an appt to see my Dr. I didn't get in until about 5 days later and by that time, which was almost 2 weeks after it started, the issue had just cleared up. She said she could see no sign of an ear infection at all. I asked if it were an allergic reaction or something and she said maybe but couldn't figure out what it could be from and I didn't connect it to using the Airpod Pros at the time. I was just happy it was gone. But, I started wondering about the Airpod Pros so I started to use my plug in pods to watch movies for several days with no issue with my ears. I decided to try using my left Airpod one evening. I fell asleep and in the middle of the night I pulled it out and shortly after my left ear started draining fluid again. My right ear remained fine for several days. To further prove my point, I decided to try using my right Airpod a few days later after it remained to be ok to be sure it wasn't an ear infection. After about an hour, I took them out. All seemed fine. But then a few hours later, my right ear started to leak fluid. This is an unusual coincidence but I am concerned at what is causing this reaction after using the Airpod Pros. I am going to the Dr to explore this theory and see what is going on. I am bummed b/c I loved the Airpod Pros. Was amazed at the noise cancelling effect. But sadly, they will be put down. I won't even think about handing them down to one of our kids, as we usually give them our hand me downs, but I am worried about what is causing this problem. Sad to say that these posts are from a year ago and am disappointed as it seems like there has been no progress on this problem.

This may be super late and long. But I am a nurse. I have faithfully wore my AirPod pros for the most part. I developed a very bad ear infection that I thought was bacterial but was actually fungal. I had the same symptoms, ringing in the ears and discharge as well. The ear buds are going directly into your ear canal and that traps in moisture and it is a dark and moist environment for fungi to grow in. Trust me when I say I have learned my lesson and I will never use any kind of ear buds again. If you are going to use them be safe . Hopefully this helped someone. It may be fungal and not bacterial.

I am having really bad irritation and inflammation.... I really want to make the AirPods Pro work for me. I have upped my ear hygiene and do my best to always keep them dry without over working them, as well as keeping my air pods clean. After letting my ears heal (1 month) I started using my AirPods and immediately went back to square one (I WAKE UP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT FROM THE PAIN) and I am going to try one more time to let my ears heal and purchase 3rd party tips. Wish me luck, because if not I wasted a whole bunch of money -_-

You could read back through the thread, but I think you'd find most of us did not have any ear problems prior to APP and a good many of us had used other similar products for years without a problem.

Replacement tips did not work for me. It took over 6 months for my ears to get back to normal. I've been able to use Galaxy Buds+ since then without issues.

The only sure solution is to stop using the AirPod Pros.

I’m so glad I found this forum - add me to the list! I got the AirPods Pro for Christmas and have used them on and off since but just now put 2 and 2 together that they are the cause of my ear issues. I noticed I would sometimes get a watery discharge and flakiness in my ears but didn’t know what was causing it. Then last month it got much worse - all the symptoms mentioned here. Itchiness, fluid in ears, crustiness, redness, pressure in ears, changed hearing. Went to ENT and he cleaned them out and prescribed hydrocortisone and acetic acid drops which cleared it up. Not realizing it was the AirPods that was causing this, I used them yesterday for an hour for a work meeting and the second I took them out my ears started burning and itching and shortly after, the watery fluid and crust returned. Now I know for sure that’s what’s causing this. Luckily I still had the ear drops and just started using them again. ENT said perhaps it’s something in the materials we are all reacting to? I don’t know, but this is troublesome and I hope something gets done about this. Incredible that so many of us have had similar experiences and ears and hearing are not something to take lightly! Will be contacting Apple and hope we can get something to change.

I also am experiencing this issue. When it first happened, I suspected the AirPods Pro. Two doctors evaluated me, but it required a third, an ENT specialist, to diagnose a fungus. He treated the fungus and it resolved. I started to wonder if it was really the AirPods Pro, which I had given away. I bought another pair. Same problem with less than an hour of use. I am currently experiencing a clear-ish fluid coming out of both ears. Hearing is somewhat blocked in the left ear. Going to see if it improves over the next 24 hours. Contacting Apple Support now.

Me too on the ear canal symptoms from Air Pods Pro. I’ve been a Air Pods user since day one without symptoms, so we know the plastic used on the Air Pods works without a reaction.

While experimenting with ear tips for the Air Pods Pro, I bought and used the foam tips recommended in forums and for about two days it looked promising but then the symptoms showed up again. So I stopped using the Air Pods Pro.

So, I have gone back to using the AirPods and am symptom free again. It takes a couple weeks for the ear canal to heal.

I am curious whether there are tips available made of plastic (same hard plastic used for AirPods) for the Air Pods Pro?

I started having a problem with my ears 2 months ago. Been to the physician's office twice. First visit, doctor prescribed steroids and the problem was immediately fixed after starting the steroids, then immediately returned after stopping them. After a few days of itching, pain, and drainage, started another steroid regimen. Problem immediately stopped after starting then returned afterwards.

Went back to the doctor and they said my left ear drum had ruptured from the pressure that had built up in the inner ear, presumably due to allergies. Prescribed an antibiotic (that I am still on).

Last couple days the drainage from my ears has been so terrible that I decided to do yet another internet search.

This time, I found this thread. Reading about the shared experiences of hundreds of other Air Pods Pro users has confirmed what I had been suspecting the last few days. My APP's are causing ear irritations, inner ear pain, a ruptured ear drum, and excessive drainage.

I love the APP's, but there is no way I can put up with this constant pain and irritation. I wish Apple had provided some sort of notice (other than the tiny generic fine-print mention about "If you're sensitive to certain materials" a previous poster referenced).

So, after a few hundred dollars in doctor visits and prescriptions (soon to go up, because it is the weekend and I need relief from this pain and discomfort, and now I know what I need -- a steroid pack -- but have no way to get one without going to an urgent care clinic or an ER), needless to say I am pretty miffed about Apple's failure to make this issue more widely known. I've never been "sensitive to certain materials" before. I had zero reason to suspect that this was due to some heretofore unknown allergy to some unknown and undisclosed chemical Apple is using in their Air Pods Pros.

I know that this is an old thread and marked as solved however I wanted to share my experience. I too developed an allergy to the silicone earbuds that are sold with the AirPods. I was able to find some memory foam ones on Amazon that have completely solved my issue. For anyone with allergies to the silicone earbuds, try them out!

I am having the exact same issue but with different earbuds. My ears get really really itchy and drainy. Just went to see my doctor about it earlier because one ear was clogged for a week and I couldn't hear out of it. She suspects it's an allergic reaction. I've had the same reaction with a certain type of bandages from walgreen. This has not happened before with other earbuds so I'm looking into it to see what kind of rubber my tips are made of

I already have airpods 2 and have no issues whatsover. With APP i stopped using them for a month and my ears cleared up. I then swapped the tips for ones from suggested on big A mail order site and within an hour ears started leaking again. They cleared after a few days when I stopped using the APP and carried on using Airpods 2.

I cleaned the APP and passed them on to a friend to test (he cleaned them with antiseptic wipes and tissue. Within a day he had leaky ears to so we are both fairly certain its the material within the APP.

Im disappointed with apple on this one considering how many people seem to have the issue and the long winded way around you have to prove you have a problem which is not your fault.

It's looks like I've just joined a club.

I have been wearing multiple in-ear-buds for many years. I've had Bose, Klipsch, multiple Apples, etc. I don't have any allergies and I've never had an ear issue whatsoever. I wear them for multiple, continuous hours a day, ranging from 2-8 hours of non-stop use. On February 1, 2021 I bought my first and only pair of AirPod Pros, upgrading from my original AirPods. After about a month of use I noticed both of my ear canals seemed to be more and more "flakey". I take good care of my ears. I even had them irregated to be sure I didn't have excess wax that was somehow discharging because of the APP's. The problem persisted and slowly worsened to my inner ears being constantly irritated, achy, discharging a watery fluid, and then eventually thick scabbing. I discontinued use on April 24th after a long trip and after about a week and a half they were healed up, until yesterday when I tried an aftermarket memory foam replacement tip. I tried it in my right ear only for about two hours. When I removed the APP it was wet and my ear canal was extremely wet with a watery discharge. Today it is irritated and crusty. Hopefully it heals up without issue. I had not put the symptoms together but over the last couple months I've been mentioning dizzy spells, ear pressure and ringing in my ears to my wife. I certainly hope I don't have an ongoing problem. I hope my ear canals go back to normal. I hope the pressure and dizzy spells stop. I'll never put these back in my ears again. Hopefully Best Buy will accept my return. In the meantime I'll be using my Bose wireless over-the-ear headphones and I'm ordering Aftershokz Bone Conduction headphones for a trial run. It is a shame. I was really happy with the APP's performance.