Q. Ear Plugs Make My Ears Itch - What Should I Do?
A. If you are referring to foam ear plugs, you are in good company. There are quite a few individuals who get itchy ears from wearing foam ear plugs. These, and all other kinds of ear plugs, are made of hypoallergenic materials, generally UF foam, PVC foam, or Silicone. That said, the itchiness can be caused by irritation due to a rough surface on the ear plug, or growth of bacteria due to the inability of the ear to “breathe” and thereby expel perspiration. So, my suggestions for different things to try include the following:
You might try a different model of ear plug. It could be that your ears are being irritated by a rough surface on the plug, and by changing to a smoother/softer ear plug, that could remove the irritation. If you use a PVC foam ear plug, I would suggest you try instead, a UF foam ear plug. The former is usually punched out of a sheet, leaving the edges of the bubbles that can be a little scratchy on sensitive skin. UF foam ear plugs are generally molded, so they have a skin that is smoother and softer. We offer several trial packs that make trying different ear plugs convenient and inexpensive.
Don’t use ear plugs for any longer than necessary, so that your ears get plenty of time to dry out thoroughly between uses. Of course if you are using them to sleep with, that can be a problem…
If you are using them to sleep with, consider trying a masking sound using a white noise machine instead. This can actually help you sleep better than removing sound by using ear plugs.
You might also consider trying a moldable ear plug instead of a regular ear plug. Moldable ear plugs do not go into the canal, rather they work by filling the outer ear and covering the canal opening. These are available in silicone putty and wax mixed with cotton. I would suggest the wax plugs because I think they are a little smoother, but either might work for your issue.
You might consider using a vented ear plug. Alpine ear plugs, BlastBusters, Hocks Noise Brakers, and others, use acoustic filters that have a tiny hole in them. This hole moderates the entrance of noise, but that hole also allows slow movement of air into and out of the canal, which can also reduce the moisture, and related itchiness.
Finally, you could get some benefit from using an ear lotion such as Hocks Ear Balm or Crescendo Ear Balm.
Until next time, be safe and do the right thing.
Tom Bergman, Vice President
Ear Plug Superstore
