Question for the IEM users

[gilm0re3]

I just got a pair of brand new Audio Technica ATH-IM50s from Amazon on Friday and I love them. They're my first pair of actually decent earbuds (coming from my daily driver JVC HAFX32B Marshmallow earbuds) and I'm really happy that now I can enjoy high quality audio outside of sitting at my desk with my ATH-M40Xs. However, I have noticed a very interesting issue with them: the backside of my ears seem to be having some kind of allergic reaction with the cables. So I want to find out from you guys if this is not uncommon for new IEM users, especially since this is my first experience with earbuds/in ears that route the cable over the top and back of the ear. Also, I would not say that I am at all prone to having allergic reactions due to contacting something. So what do you guys think? Is this normal because the skin around my ears is adjusting to the friction from the memory wire on the IEMs, or is there some other reason like an actual allergic reaction? 

 

Thanks

[dizmo]

Could be. Could be something else.

I'm allergic to certain types of silicone earbuds. Others I'm not.

[gilm0re3]

10 minutes ago, dizmo said:

Could be. Could be something else.

I'm allergic to certain types of silicone earbuds. Others I'm not.

See I was wondering if purchasing an aftermarket replacement cable without the memory wire style cable guides would help alleviate this problem possibly as well. Even though I don't think that I'm allergic to any kind of rubber or silicone, I was hoping that a braided fabric styled cable might help. However, right now I think the skin might be healing or getting better at least since when I woke up this morning the bumpy skin felt a lot harder and less sensitive to the touch.

[dizmo]

5 minutes ago, gilm0re3 said:

See I was wondering if purchasing an aftermarket replacement cable without the memory wire style cable guides would help alleviate this problem possibly as well. Even though I don't think that I'm allergic to any kind of rubber or silicone, I was hoping that a braided fabric styled cable might help. However, right now I think the skin might be healing or getting better at least since when I woke up this morning the bumpy skin felt a lot harder and less sensitive to the touch.

You could try something like this but there's no guarantee the material will be any better.

http://www.meeaudio.com/meelectronics-over-the-ear-cable-guides-for-earphones-pair-black/

 

You could try wrapping it in some sort of fabric tape as well.