Is it bad that as soon as I read the paragraph about bacteria, I immediately unplugged my buds? Haha.
At the moment, all I have are earbuds so I'm making due. I really only need them so that my microphone doesn't reverberate voices when I'm in Skype calls, so I might start limiting how often I use them.

Wow, I influenced someone!

Just don't leave them in for more than 20 or 30 minutes at a time. Give your ear wax time to move outward and push the bacteria out.

I notice if I use ear buds my ears get itchy and they start to hurt. So I try to avoid them at all times. My step mom can't use them because how her ears are shaped the buds just won't stay in. She tried using a pair on the plain and it didn't work out.

I noticed most won't stay in my ears either. I'm very picky about which I buy for that reason. Either they fall out or hurt like nothing else.

I find that earbuds aren't too bad unless you fall asleep with them still in. It's a terrible, terrible idea. ahahaha

I've done that! It was not the most comfy way to wake up in the middle of the night.

I've done it too! Man those things hurt when they are in the ear for too long! I now just put music on my computer when I'm going to bed so at least I don't have anything sticking in my ears if I fall asleep lol!

lol I enjoy using them while walking on the track... puts me in my own private world... but when sleeping I now leave my computer on with the volume on low instead of using ear phones... also learned from painful experience that that was a bad idea

They are unsafe, but i mean, it takes almost a decade for them to do anything to your hearing even if you listen too loud. They are certainly great for blocking out unwanted noise.

ten years doesn't seem so long the older you get... there was a time when a month seemed like a long time, then in college a year seemed like a long time... I've only been out of college two years and now a year is nothing anymore. Makes me worried about what I will think when I am 30.

Originally Posted by maidenroseheart

ten years doesn't seem so long the older you get... there was a time when a month seemed like a long time, then in college a year seemed like a long time... I've only been out of college two years and now a year is nothing anymore. Makes me worried about what I will think when I am 30.

well, I mean, yeah, It's going to effect your hearing some, but you won't be deaf or anything of that sort. As long as you're careful of coarse. It's a risk, but I feel it's worth it. I suppose it just depends on it you want to risk some hearing lose or not.

lol, I already have hearing loss... but earbuds are all I can afford and I don't want to disturb the others at work ;)

I'm deaf on one side, so headphones feel like wasted real estate in a way. Another reason I like earbuds more is that I can share the side I don't use with my husband. We watch movies at the laundromat this way.

I already have hearing loss from having one of my eardrums replaced, as well as mild auditory dyslexia, so I'm not exactly thrilled with the prospect of having more hearing problems. I just wear big bulky DJ-esque headphones instead.

Besides, earbuds hurt like hell. I don't understand how people can wear them for extended periods of time.