Kelley Hecker loves Earlove Earplugs

By Venus Zine Staff
Published: February 15th, 2010 | 4:40pm

I never considered wearing earplugs when I went to concerts during high school and thought of ringing ears afterward as part of the show-going experience. One morning in college, I woke up with a whooshing sound in my left ear and shrugged it off as a possible infection. After a week with no change, I had my "oh shit" moment. My mom developed tinnitus at 40; I did at 20. It's hard to describe, so if you don't have it, I'll say this: Even when you finally grow accustomed to it, it's a pain in the ass and you often long for even a moment of complete and utter silence. (I'm dying for one right now.)

A few months later, I visited a friend and her tinnitus-suffering boyfriend. On our way to a concert one night, he showed me his pair of Earloves. "They're worth every penny," boyfriend said. As soon as I got home, I ordered a pair in clear translucent (other colors are available). They're discreet, come with a case and keychain, and best of all, don't compromise sound quality like I found foam earplugs do. Boyfriend was right; they're worth every penny. I can't undo the harm I've already done, but it's nice to come home from shows nowadays with no ringing — and the knowledge that I helped prevent future damage.

earlove.net

Kelley Hecker is an editorial intern at Venus Zine