From Centurion to Struisbaai, South Africans all agree when it comes to Summer holidays: braais, sundowners and swimming are a regular occurrence. Whether you only visit the strand a few times or it’s your daily haunt, summer is filled with smells of Weber’s and the salty inflections of a day spent in the surf.
Summer is approaching and we’re all getting ready to enjoy the water around us; whether it be at the beach or in the swimming pool. Pierre Du Toit, brand manager at SwimSeal, says that an unfortunate consequence of our water-love is that regular exposure can result in the external ear canal becoming inflamed and infected.
Each and every one of us is susceptible to contracting this ear infection known as Swimmers Ear. We spend time with our children at swimming lessons, attend swimming training at the gym, take time on weekends to enjoy boating, surfing and so much more. In fact Du Toit says that it is estimated that one in ten people will be affected by Swimmers Ear at some point in their lives.
SwimSeal drops have been developed by Ear Nose and Throat (ENT) specialists to inhibit Swimmers Ear by preventing water from being trapped in the ears. The drops consist of tea tree oil and medical liquid silicon to naturally coat the ear canal. By applying SwimSeal drops to the ear before entering the water the risk of infection and inflammation is significantly reduced.
“It makes no difference if the water you are swimming in is clean or dirty, regular exposure to water removes earwax from the external ear canal which can result in ear pain, itchiness of the ear canal, discharge from the ear canal and even a degree of hearing loss,” says Du Toit.
Furthermore as a result of an itchy ear canal the sensitive skin around the canal may be scratched. If broken, an infection can arise causing further pain and discomfort.
Du Toit recommends that regardless of whether you are a triathlete or just relaxing in the pool this summer, SwimSeal as a standard protective product in your tote bag, alongside your sunscreen and water bottle.