Types of earplugs vary; pending purpose and material. Noise reduction earplugs are most common. Specialized earplugs also block water, regulate pressure and filter different sound frequencies. There are also earplugs for tinnitus.
Common materials include foam, wax and silicone. Earplugs for noise may also be made of cotton, putty, ceramic and vinyl. Some are built with layered air pockets and membranes, as well as strings to remove them or keep them together (so one is not lost).
Here are the most common materials:
- Wax – Natural, malleable and shapeable. Conforms easily and is water repellant, too.
- Silicone – Reusable and lightweight. Most customized or fitted earplugs are silicone.
- Foam – These soft earplugs are generally cheapest. They’re also disposable, because bacteria breed so easily on them.
Other considerations are based on how the earplugs fit. Are they comfortable? If they’re too small, they’ll slide out. And if they’re too big they’ll irritate your ears. Generally, the better the fit, the better the noise reduction.
Some earplugs are also bell shaped or tapered, while others completely seal the ear’s entrance. These expand in different ways and also create pressure differently within your ear. Weights vary too, so you may need to experiment.
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final note: most earplugs are also designed with bright colors, so that others can see you’re wearing them (and not wonder why you’re ignoring them).