Surfer's ear is an extra bone formed from lumps that develop in the ear canal. The cause is exposure to cold water and wind, especially the combination of the two, as wind creates a cooling factor when your ears are wet. Extra bone growth, also called exostosis, is thought to be the body's defense mechanism to protect the eardrum. The problem is that the exostosis does not subsequently disappear, but continues to grow. As surfers, we are frequently exposed to windy and wet conditions and that is why its occurrence is common among surfers. Hence the name ; surfer's ear. The rate of bone growth will increase with lower temperature and more frequent exposure. However, the severity of the condition varies from person to person, as some seem more prone to developing exostosis than others. www.surfears.com