After perforating my eardrum 3 times surfing and diving, I have a little experience with my otolaryngologist (ear nose and throat). Anyway, surfers get surfers ear, which results from the cold temperatures getting into the ear canal. It causes very similar problems as swimmers ear, but differs in that the “polyp-like” growths in your ear canal is actual bone growth instead of the soft tissue growth of swimmers ear. The bumps in your ear canal make it more difficult for ear wax to clear itself, which in turn causes perfect places for water and other nasties to accumulate.
The swimmers ear solutions are basically alcohol or any other dispersant which dilutes the water enough to flush itself out then quickly evaporate.