A New Quality of Life with Barely Visible Hearing Aids
What do actors Mario Adorf, Jodie Foster, Christoph Waltz, and Christoph M. Ohrt have in common besides their career choices? They all wear hearing aids. The reason you’ve probably never noticed this in movies is that these actors have chosen modern hearing aids, which are now so small that others hardly notice them. The hearing aids not only make their professional work easier but also improve their overallquality of life.
In our previous article, “The Fear of Hearing Aids,” we already showed that, thanks to modern hearing aids, hearing loss doesn’t have to limit you at work. In her personal story, Bettina Schmidt, a marketing and communications manager, told us about the positive impact a hearing aid has had on her professional and personal life.
Examples like these show that common misconceptions about hearing aids—that they’re conspicuous, unattractive, and only necessary in extreme cases—are outdated and don’t reflect reality. While hearing aids can’t be made to disappear completely, their design, color schemes, and new shapes make them virtually invisible.
The Right Design for the Perfect Solution
In addition to behind-the-ear hearing aids, in which the microphone, sound processor, and speaker are housed in a casing worn behind the ear, there is also the in-the-ear hearing aid option. Because the housing is worn inside the ear canal, the hearing aid is barely visible.
However, the in-the-ear design is not suitable for every ear canal, as these vary from person to person. So, if you cannot opt for an in-the-ear hearing aid for anatomical reasons but still want one that is as discreet as possible, you may want to take a closer look at behind-the-ear hearing aids with an external receiver. With this type of hearing aid, the speaker is located in the earpiece. Unlike the conventional model, the optimized sound is not transmitted to the housing worn behind the ear via a tube, but rather via a thin cable.
Out of sight, out of mind
To make the hearing aid as inconspicuous as possible, you don’t always have to choose a skin-colored model. Since hairstyle and hair color also play a role in how visible a hearing aid is, you can certainly choose dark colors that differ from your skin tone. Hearing aids are now available in a wide variety of shades, ranging from black to espresso to various shades of beige and white. For example, if you have blonde or gray hair, you can choose a silver or gray color.
By the way: A hearing care professional can help you find the hearing solution that’s best for you.
