It is a common event that those who surf regularly may develop a degree of deafness. Why is this?

Surfer's ear is likely to be the cause. Repeated exposing of the ear to the cooling effects of seawater and wind can lead to the formation of bony lumps around the outside. These gradually close the canal over, reducing the transmission of sound and therefore resulting in deafness. Thankfully the situation can be easily prevented by wearing a good pair of surfer's earplugs and a hood.

ZenPlugs are particularly effective in this situation as they are able to exclude water from the ears and remain comfortable even after wearing for prolonged periods of time. The thermoplastic homemade plugs are incorporated with Steritouch during the manufacturing process, making them also able to reduce infections. They have been shown to kill all the bacteria known to cause this problem.

ZenPlugs moulded surfing earplugs are also supplied with a connecting string, making them very easy to find and also enabling you to tie them to your kitbag or to your wetsuits. The colours available are bright and so they are also easy to spot if you drop them on the floor of your campervan or on the beach.

Surfers often notice that if they surf along a certain shore they develop the problem more so in one ear then the other. This is due to the direction of the prevailing wind along this is region. It is a common misconception that protection is not required in warm waters or if the weather is hot. This is not the case because of the evaporative cooling effect of the wind and water this can still happen.

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