I am relatively new to hearing aids. I use Kirkland Signature 9s with silicone skeleton molds. I was having ear pain from a pimple in my ears (one in each). When I went to demo the 10s, I mentioned this to the HAS. I was baffled because I clean my ears daily, wash my earmolds with soap and water every other, and put everything in a drying UV box daily. She mentioned canal with concha lock molds based on where the pimples are. I guess the skin being blocked is likely the cause. Anyone have any experience with those molds? Retention and comfort are really important to me (obviously sound also). I really like my skeleton molds except for the pimple part. Maybe someone has suggestions on making those work? Also on how to make them heal faster. Thanks!
Hello, my haids molds also are skeleton but it is solid acrylic. I used to wear silicone, I must confess; I wasn’t sure about the change but those molds that I used (silicone-concha-lock) were driving me crazy. Another thing I must confess is that I did not understand how the acrylic solid mold works, I was stuck with the usual use of soft silicone.
I would not wash my mold with soap and water and worse when they are silicone. I remember reading on Widex indications when I used that brand; To clean the molds or domes, use only warm water or room temperature. I suppose the chemical soap could be causing an effect inside your ear canal.
And not only, it is possible the soap chemical is causing an effect on the silicone. The chemical composition of silicone I believe can be changed over time, including its size. Maybe I’m hugely wrong but my limited experience tells me water is enough, and every day, not every other day.
From my limited experience I believe that the matter is not in skeleton or concha lock; if you are not going to change the material of them, silicon.
Retention and comfort, for my little experience, the skeleton has more possibility than concha lock. However, we are in the haids world, conform is a very difficult situation to acquire. In my case I have learned to modify the conform meaning; when it comes to my haids.
If I were, I would start by removing the soap and adding every day to clean them, I tell you part of my routine to see if it helps in something:
Along with my drying machine, I keep a small spray bottle with water, a small towel (one I used to clean my glasses) but sometimes I remove it with very soft paper towels (I keep doing tests).
When the time comes, I remove the battery, spray three fingers with water and rub the mold including the skeleton, immediately dry it, and put them in the drying machine.
I rub the entrance of the ear canal when I finish with the molds, but I don’t do it in the morning. Maybe I’m confused about the latter but wax or grease is something the ear canal needs, I don’t plan to keep cleaning the canal frequently.
However, between one to two weeks I wash the canal with a syringe and special liquid to soften the ear wax. I usually do this one day when I will have a good time without hearing aids.
@ciannap: I’m definitely not an expert, BUT, I have experienced some topical skin reactions in my 72 years, and I suspect that you may just be having an adverse reaction to the silicone.
If I were you, I would try acrylic moulds. I wear mine for 16-18 hours a day, every day, and have had nothing but excellent performance from them.
The only ear mole I ever had a serious problem was a silicone mold back in the mid to late 80s. They caused serious allergic reactions in my ear, and skin peeled off. Ran back to the audi and we made a new set of acrylic molds. and I have used them ever since with a short time trying domes (2 weeks and right back to acrylic molds). I never heard of anyone having a reaction to the acrylic…Best wishes…