Ear Plugs Prevent Swimmer’s Ear

Q. You recently wrote about preventing swimmer’s ear with a home remedy involving alcohol and vinegar. The best solution is ear molds.
An audiologist can take an impression of your ears and send it off to be custom made. In about two weeks you have ear plugs that fit your ears exactly. I learned about ear molds from a surfer and have been using them for about 20 years with success.
A. You weren’t the only one to mention ear molds as a way to keep water out of the ear. Another reader wrote: “I swam all the time growing up, as a lifeguard and on the swim team. By the time I got to college I had swimmer’s ear problems non-stop.
“A month out of the pool and a prescription from my doctor cured the worst swimmer’s ear, but it wasn’t a fix. Instead, I found that swimming with an ear plug in my ear worked to prevent it every time.”