If we say earplugs to you, you probably have neon Qies balls in mind. But in recent months, they have gradually given way, within festivals and electro clubs, to trendy circular plugs called Loop.
These little golden jewels, in pastel or flashy colors and looking like piercings costing around twenty to thirty euros, have invaded social networks. On this Music Festival day, we wanted to look into their case.
Filter caps
If many people abandon Qies balls, it is not only for their unsightly side. “This type of plug removes the highs and causes autophony,” explains Jean-Pierre Auria, ENT and head and neck surgeon. In other words, with it, we hear the sounds of our own body. Not ideal when you want to enjoy a concert.
This is the reason why new generation caps appeared on the market more than fifteen years ago. “Unlike foam balls which block the ear, filtering plugs only attenuate harmful frequencies, without reducing conversational frequencies,” says Amine Harichane, pediatric ENT surgeon attached to Necker hospital.
“It’s all in the packaging”
However, the doctor is very cautious about the Loops. “The problem with these caps is that no scientific study has been carried out and its creators are not doctors. » The brand touts the compliance of all its products with the law on personal protective equipment but, according to the ENT, this is only compliance relating to the safety of the product (no risk of explosion or damage). fire for example). When contacted, the brand did not respond to our requests. “It’s all in the packaging, they play a lot on the hype but their caps are produced in China so we have no control over the manufacturing process at all,” explains Amine Haricane.
A criticism that Nils Morel, president of the National Union of Doctors Specializing in ENT and Head and Neck Surgery (SNORL), finds difficult to understand. “To my knowledge, there are no ENT teams that have developed a brand of caps. » According to him, everything depends above all on the type of use. “If you work on the Ariane launch site it won’t be enough, that’s for sure, but for leisure… And then, you have to use common sense too, by not getting too close to the speakers and by not exposing yourself to noise for prolonged periods. »
An attractive product
“I do not have the competence to know if it protects better or worse than other brands but any initiative to protect hearing should be taken,” puts Denis Le Squer, general director of the Hearing Foundation into perspective. . “What I find great about Loop is that they have managed to change the way we look at hearing protection by making it a fashion accessory. It is an attractive product. If we can ensure that young people, who are particularly at risk due to concerts, headphones and gaming, protect themselves, I’ll take it. »
The president of SNORL also sees it as a good marketing cost. “There is a niche for sellers of this type of caps who make a pseudo-scientific presentation and manage to sell products at a fairly high price. As a consumer, this would clearly not be the choice I would opt for, but as a doctor, I have no complaints. »
Other similar brands
Among 2.0 caps, Amine Haricane recommends certified caps. “Alpine or Happy ears brand caps, for example, are made in Europe and have CE and UKCA certifications,” explains Amine Haricane. I don’t want to be chauvinistic but I prefer to favor these brands that have been around for a very long time. »
But according to Jean-Pierre Auria, ENT and head and neck surgeon, these new generation plugs have, whatever the model, as many side effects as the old ones. “I do not recommend them but, with repeated use, as they are not adapted to everyone’s ear, they will gradually irritate the canal and push the earwax towards the bottom, leading to the appearance of blockages. I see this more and more during my consultations where I see more young people who use their headphones a lot and develop ear infections. »
The doctor therefore advises using plugs molded to our ear, made by a hearing care professional and adapted to our use. But the price is not the same. Count between 100 and 150 euros per pair.