Surfers Ear -- Exotoses

Anyone here have a case of this? I just got over another ear infection and went back to the Dr for a checkup and he said I have a few bumps in my left ear...right ear is fine. He said I should be fine for now, but if they get bigger I would probably want them removed. Anyone here use the vented ear plugs (Doc Proplugs or other) to keep cold water out of their ears? I think the kayak shop in town carries them, might be worth it to grab a pair and see how they work. Also going to wear my hood all the time now in cold water regardless of activity; kayak, windsurf, diving...anyone here diagnosed with this? If so are you living with it or have you gotten them removed?

I've never been formally diagnosed. But I'm in the water all the time and some of it's pretty dirty. I have proplugs, but don't really like wearing them.
I just use a 50% mixture of alcohol and vinegar all the time to avoid ear infections.

I had swimmer's ear (same thing) when I all but lived in the water in Hawaii. Warm water flush and a big ball of wax would come out. It's the water trapped behind that wax that causes it. I also had my eardrum rebuilt twice and this disabled my ear from expelling wax, as it normally does. In both cases, I have since minimized the risk of it getting infected by remembering to simply flush my ears under the shower head every time I shower. If you feel the water on your eardrum, you're doing it right, even better if your tilt your head and hold a detachable shower head so the wax flushes out more easily. I know surfers and swimmers that rinse their ears with hydrogen peroxide after they get out of the water. I did the peroxide rinse once when I had a hole in my eardrum and experienced the most excruciating pain I've ever known. Was doing the perch on the dock flopping around and screaming until I rinsed it out with water.

I was diagnosed as a teenager but it didn't get any worse fortunately... only problem now is it's much easier for wax build-up / blockage. Read this:

http://www.empowher.com/swimmer039s-...r-oleary-video

I've heard about the alcohol/vinegar mixture....need to make a bottle up and keep it in the gear bag. Last ear infection was a bitch! i'm also not sure how the Doc plugs would work diving. Some scuba folks claim to use them, I just fear catastrophic failure at depth might be worse than getting the gunk in your ear...

I've been diagnosed maybe 8 years ago. No new growth since then. About 85% closure in one ear, and 80% in the other. I was told by doc this was not that bad. Hearing test suggest my hearing is fine, but I don't think it is. Ask my wife. I never hear anything she says.

No plugs, as I figured I'd just need surgical removal soon. I know lots of guys who use plugs. Best I've seen are no Doc Pro Plugs, but rather some other ones that have slowly increasing sized soft disks. You push them in the ear slightly, until snug. I know two guys who charge Mavs with these in, and they say they don't bother using the leashes, because they just stay in. No idea on the brand, but if I bump into either of these two, I'll ask and post up. Might be what you need for diving. If Mavs can't fuck them up, I doubt a little depth will cause failure.