No one notices my Signias Stylettos AX at first, they peak on top of my ear like half centimetre. Behind they look like I’m wearing chunky eyeglasses.
One of my friends noticed them months after I’ve started wearing them. I have short hair and they’re dark graphite, so they’re perfectly visible if you’re looking at them from the back.
Suprisingly, the completely in the canal or ‘invisible’ HAs are more noticeable because it looks like there’s something off/wrong with your ear.
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In what way does it look off?
For clarity, I’m not talking about something like Lyric which goes completely into your inner ear and has to be inserted by professional.
I have worn CICs most of my life and I regret it now, for multiple reasons…
Most of them, especially if you pick beige/skin color look like you have stuck something in your ear.
Our brains are fine tuned for face recognition on subconscious level and when there are holes missing in your head (meaning ear canals) you immediately feel that there’s something off.
It’s also easier to notice something on the side of your head than behind your ear.
I think that black CICs mitigate it slightly, and these titanium ones made by Phonak can almost disappear into your ear.
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Do you mean that grippy wire poking out so folks can pull the aids out at day’s end?
I guess if younger folks really wanted “invisible” aids the ideal design would be stark white AirPods dangling outta the ear. EVERYONE under 35 seems to have them in their ears. I can’t help but wonder if they muffle ambient noise at all, or why anyone would want these dangling out where they can just be extruded from the ear canal (like my aids) and end up falling on the ground someplace.
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Not at all, that wire is hardly noticeable from a distance. What’s noticeable, with skin colored ones, is that it looks like you’re missing ear canals, or have skin grown over. And with colors like black it looks like something is stuck, because they’re made from materials that reflect light.
AirPods are different, because they’re made to be recognizable. Everyone knows what they are. And actually some HA manufactures started banking on that by making in-the-canals look like earbuds. [Signia Active is one example, Resound makes similar ones too]
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LOL! Now I get it. Yep. That’s a cosmetic prob alright. I’d also say that the shiny, plastic, flesh-toned ITEs were similarly NOTICEABLE for all the wrong reasons.
It’s like the goal of making aids invisible ironically makes them scream, “I’m OLD, DEAF, HAVE NO SENSE OF TASTE AND NEED TO ADVERTISE IT.” 
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With my custom full skeleton ear molds , I haven’t had any issues with dropping my hearing aids, and i am continually changing glasses from indoors to outdoors, and i also wear hats, and hike in the forest where i have tree branches hanging onto my glasses and sometimes my aids. My ear molds are very comfortable go in easily but i do have to work at removing them.
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That is a good thing! My mom has similar custom molds with skeleton to keep her aids IN. I am sadly allergic to the materials those are made from, so I use the soft, silicone double domes that I push in my ears 100s of times a day as they slide out. I tried the “leash” attached to my receivers, but that would end up like a dagger poking my ear cup some place.
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Yep, exactly. In my own opinion, with recent RICs; ITE, IIC, CIC and so, should be prescribed to no one. They’re too weak for profound losses, have significantly limited feature range, and for moderate or lower losses you have to deal with horrendous occlusion effects which could be avoided with RICs.
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I wore ITE aids for years, and still prefer them, but with my earing loss and the fact that normal ITE aids are older technology I am finding that RITE aids are best for me, they are comfortable and full featured but the likelyof them being yanked out of mynears are much greater when you are active, most specially hiking the woods, have small children and pets that can be as inquisitive at small children.
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All valid arguments.
As a counter to one I’ll add that my CICs slipped out multiple times, from jaw movement (eating mostly).
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That is why i wore full shell ITE aids they stayed in place like full skeleton cutom ear molds.
You are in a time when lots of folks wear devices in their ears. They are black, white and some other colors. If you pick a trendy color, folks may notice your devices, but most folks won’t give them a second thought if they even notice them.
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Nobody notices. First time I went to physician after getting aids, I had to stop him while I took them out so he could use his otoscope. He said he hadn’t noticed them.
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As a hearing aid forum there are members who will wear the aids you describe-myself included. I prioritise the best sound & comfort for me which enables me to live the life I want to. If anyone has any negative feelings about this it would be their issue-not mine. To the original poster, choose what feels right for you & what gives you the best sound experience.
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Most people don’t notice at all. I wear one of the largest (behind the ear) hearing aids made at this time. Full skeleton molds…large tubing. A friend that I’ve been bowling with forever hadn’t noticed until recently when I took one off to change batteries. Usually the only folks that notice are hearing aid users themselves.
Best wishes on your journey,
Dan
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Its $45 USD. It is a small box that can go by mail/post.
$78 AUD plus $63 AUD postage. The tyranny of distance,
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I wear behind the ear hearing aids with full shell earmolds that are either striped blue and white or ghostbusters ectoplasm bright green. I imagine some people notice but no one seems to care except amused children and rare adults who notice and like the pop of color. Most folks don’t notice. They don’t realize they are speaking to someone who is hard of hearing until I mention it and thank them for helping me hear. (I usually thank the people I can’t hear well, because then they feel happy that they could help someone and they start speaking more clearly.) You may need to decide for yourself who you tell and who you don’t, because otherwise your having hearing aids will pass unnoticed by almost everyone.
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I taught for 32 years and really should have had them 8 years before I got mine. None of my students, peers or friends ever commented on them, I don’t know if they noticed them.
I noticed my uncle’s hearing AID when I was a child. It was a square box attached to the front of his shirt and had a big wire going up to his ear…60 years ago. Today, people in civilized countries are so used to personal technology that they don’t comment on it.
The most important aspect of learning is getting information through multiple senses. Eyes and ears improve knowledge intake! Don’t miss out on this benefit. It is a true gift that many people can’t afford! Enjoy it!
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