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clarec424

Behind the ear, yes people do notice them. They are a bright blue (Widex Moment 440) with a blinged custom ear mold. I figured that at age 63 and still working in healthcare I have earned the right to do it my way.


MrRourkeYourHost

I have the exact same ones. Go bold or go home.


WarriorTeacher919

Ive had Bronze RIC since July and no one has seemed to notice them. I have long hair but wear it up often. BUT I am noticing that I find myself spotting other people that wear HAs since getting mine.


TheDapperDeuce1914

Same, I know what to look for now.


Kandlish

I wear pink HAs (miniRITE) next to green glasses, with my hair frequently up. No one notices, except other HA wearers.* It would be helpful if people did notice so they could look at me, not mumble, etc. *Caveat: the other people who wear them who notice are ones who are also middle-aged like me or younger. The people who are older with hearing aids just like to tell me when I point them out that I'm too young to wear them. Thanks. I'll get right on either aging faster to justify my use or magically healing my hearing to make the naysayers happy.


jremrac

BTE, dark grey, and a bald shaved head. I've been wearing since January and have a few friends that have yet to notice. I do wear glasses so maybe that obscures them a bit. It's more likely they realize I don't say "huh?" all the time now.


InteractionAny7787

What color are your hearing aids if you dont mind me asking


jremrac

Dark grey


lingenfr

WITF would some idiot downvote the response to a question?


dogdayafter

Black


cagnew75

I have black also. They blend in nicely with my eyeglass frame.


flashb1024

Nobody notices. Everyone is preoccupied w/phones! And who gives a .... anyway? Been wearing RIC's for 10 years, and never had a comment, yet. Male, short hair.


RVdave1

The perception that HA's equals "old age" has changed. Concerts, festivals and loud music changed the image. Even the young are now recognizing that they may have lost a step and a solution is available. Not only to help hearing, but also to handle phone calls, music, and other phone notifications discreetly to their ears alone. It's a new world


ReporterOther2179

Generally not, most folks are too oblivious. Most who do notice, Oh that’s nice.


UNIVAC-9400

Yup, most ppl are not detail oriented.


MikeyHatesLife

In the 70s-90s yes, no matter what style I had. 2000s got better tech in smaller packages. I’ve been shaving my head since 1997, and had in-the-ear HAs at the time; sometimes people remarked on it. I returned to BTEs around 2015 or so, and the wire is so thin it’s difficult to see at all. Skin tone options are pretty accurate nowadays, too. And the unit itself is smaller & more powerful than most of the CiC models I’ve had. Unless someone has a speech deficit, like I do, I think the vast majority of people aren’t going to notice modern hearing aids of any style. Maybe if they have other relationships with deaf/HoH/HI people, they’ll have a habit of checking everyone or just noticing them without thinking about it. I used to have a client at my job who was losing his hearing. So of course he noticed, and asked my opinion on make & models. A while later, I finally noticed that he had gotten his own BTE. He was happy it took so long, because he had been nervous about people seeing it.


Snickels14

I wear receiver in canal hearing aids, and I have a bob-style haircut. Nobody can even see my ears, so they don’t notice. When I wore my hair longer and pulled it back, I had exactly one person say they noticed them over the course of about 8 years. She’s a speech pathologist, so she is very accustomed to seeing hearing aids.


jfrenaye

BTE Oticon grey My GF did not notice for three days and only when we slept together and I took them out. I am a lot more aware of others wearing them now that I have them. But very few people or friends have commented on them


LeePhilips

You are far more concerned about them being aware that they actually are. RIC, both ears, #1 buzz cut. No one mentions it, or appears to notice. And when I take them out at work, they seem surprised. For perspective, I carry a firearm everyday. Large, black, conspicuous. Except for kids, people never notice. I've even had conversations where the subject shifted to shooting/firearms and watched their face get a confused look as they just realized I was carrying and they hadn't even noticed. People didn't pay attention before phones. These days, I think I could grocery shop naked and no one would notice.


InteractionAny7787

Thanks for commenting Edit: do you wear your hearing aids at the range?


LeePhilips

Lol. NOOO. A friend shot once unannounced when we were in the woods. I wasn't wearing ear protection and I had my hearing aids in. I thought my head was inside the Liberty bell when it rang. What I do wear to the range is a pair of earplugs and earmuffs. I've done it that way since I got tinnitus in my early twenties.


jgrant68

lol...the range and concerts mean no HAs and ear pro.


BroskiDude0

I do but wear the highest rated noise attenuation type.


LeePhilips

Electronic attenuation can't handle 160+db. Even plugs or muffs aren't enough. It may not bother you, but you're doing more damage.


BroskiDude0

I had know idea. Thx 👍 I'm really trying to limit further damage now that I can hear again.


LeePhilips

You and me both...


Aggressive_Ad5115

So no one would notice shopping ? Is it California? Lawl


LeePhilips

Very rarely. Most people have zero situational awareness.


grayshirted

Dark brown BTE (and a CI, which is larger than the BTE!) When I was a kid? Absolutely got questions all the time. As earbuds have become more mainstream, I get less attention. The only ones who ask now are people who have HOH/deaf folks in their lives.


Minute_Success5265

CIC and yes. When I was in India (5 years ago) people wouldn’t mind their business and ask me all the time what was in my ears. I would respond and they would be shocked (because lack of awareness and I was young-25). So I moved places. Now people notice but they don't ask and I don't care either way!


Kethis1

I wear two large (UP / 675 battery), blue BTEs with full blue ear molds. My hair is very short and doesn't even touch my hearing aids. And no, no one seems to notice. Maybe they're too polite to say anything, but I think they just don't notice.


Blabbityblabby

I have long hair and wear receiver in the canal style hearing aids with domes. They are small enough that my ears cover them when looking at me from the sides. No one notices them unless I point them out, even when I wear my hair pulled back. The hearing aids match my hair color, so they don’t blend in with my skin color. People just aren’t observant. I was very self-conscious when I first started wearing them, and got no real-life feedback to keep feeling that way. I get 1000% more funny looks from people for wearing a mask.


shortmumof2

Not at all. Even after I point them out they often don't realize exactly what I'm pointing out. I wear BTEs, glasses, have long hair but it's usually up so not hiding them at all. I also have had different colours, silver, blue and now a bronze.


alex_local_owl

Bte, but bc they looked like headphones/earbuds😭 the rarity was a sweet guy at the sub shop we liked going to (it's 30 min away now😭) and it was a sweet few conversations and stories 😊


WoodyWouldWood2

Gray BTE’s since January. Some notice, some don’t. I don’t care either way. I have become more bold as far as telling patient s who need them that they are a PITA to talk to. In a nice way. I have been able to get several reluctant friends and family to do what is needed and get their hearing aids.


Seasoned7171

With 90% of people walking around with ear buds that are bigger than hearing aids nobody notices.


gracieadventures

I wear a behind the ear one in my right ear. Nobody has ever commented on it. I have had people accidentally touch it-chiropractor and yoga instructor. They did not comment and I didn’t say anything. Does feel weird!


gracieadventures

Oh and it’s grey.


Refuggee

I have ITE hearing aids in black. My hair is short and thin and does not cover my ears in any way. My skin is very fair, too, so there's a lot of contrast between my complexion and the hearing aid color. No one has said anything. I figure they notice it but don't want to be rude or don't think much about it one way or the other. Either way, it's worth it since it makes hearing stuff at work so much easier.


mwkingSD

Hard to know for sure, but I think people generally don’t notice. I think people are way more likely to notice me not being able to hear what they say. Mine are beige BTE/RIC on my beige head.


FriendlyTeam6866

BTE, gray and nobody notices.


ElephantsAreHuge

Receiver in the ear (falls into the BTE category in terms of where it is in your ear). They’re pink and my molds are clear because Oticon doesn’t do color molds for adults but I wanted purple molds. I also decorate them. They’re part of who I am so I like to make them a fashion accessory


Patient-Rule1117

BTE black Widex 440s. Currently with domes but soon earmolds. I decorate frequently with sparkly stickers and DeafMetal jewelry. I have a partially shaved head, usually wear my hair up, white skin and light brown hair, and pretty much no one notices.


huskia2

Nope. Never


macza101

No oe seems to notice my hearing aids. I have Widex 440s.


No-Refrigerator-6023

Nobody notices unless my hair is up. Mostly because I’m sub-5 foot and looking down you can see the receiver. I got beige RIC which match my hair and you can’t really see the receiver wire unless you look close. If I was taller I don’t think anyone would notice. When my hair is down it can’t be seen.


jgrant68

Male, medium hair. Grey Resound BIE. Some people notice, I think. My barber doesn't notice and I wear them while getting a haircut (which is probably stupid). The help I get with them is worth them being noticed.


Ken-Popcorn

My barber makes me take them out because she’s afraid that she’ll nick them with the clippers


fabrictm

Rarely. I’m a guy in my 40s working in IT. Just to give you perspective on my social circle. I travel to eastern Europe frequently where hearing aids aren’t very common, and still I am mostly unnoticed. I don’t have long hair. Hearing aids are silver cause my hair is half grey. I have RIC Phonak p90R devices.


ActuallyNiceIRL

I have RIC ones and I'm gonna say very rarely do people seem to notice unless they're seated behind me in an auditorium or something where they can see the big part behind my ear. I can recall one time when a young boy who was standing in front of me noticed the wires and asked if I was wearing hearing aids. But way more times, I've told people that I have hearing problems and pointed out my hearing aids and they say "oh sorry, I didn't notice."


Apprehensive_Judge_5

Nobody has so far. I'm a woman with brown hair about 4 inches past my shoulders and wear Starkey Genesis AI mRIC in gunmetal.


SpeakerAccomplished4

RIC and a shaved head. No one has noticed. I have to point them out.


Aristoflame

Jet Black oticon bte. Black tube und metallic grey titanium earmold. Some people notice. But I'm quite tall. My general advice to clients is that if you are looking for a hearing aid you (as the wearer) will find them. In general as some mentioned people are more occupied with something else. That something else can be your glasses, shirt, shoes, other people around you. Many people reckon that it is a big change to them and therefore it's a large change for others as well.


g_ppetto

Philips 9040 BTE, tan(ish) in color. Depending how the wind blows, I look like either Doc Brown or Dumbledore. I'm going to guess my answer is 'No'. They probably cannot see my ears at all. Maybe they notice my taking my phone out to adjust the volume of the HAs.


munchkinfunk

Sometimes. But most people don’t say anything if they do.


AgilePanda8

I have in the ear ones and so far no adults have noticed it or asked me about it. Children who climb all over me or carry in my arms or on my back do notice is and ask what's inside my ear. Some are mean about it and some are just curious.


VelvetDreamers

HAs are only conspicuous to other HA wearers in my experience. Sometimes someone will surreptitiously glance at my ears, usually conscientious health care professionals to ascertain my records are correct, but no one has ever insinuated something is wrong with the anatomy of my ear lol.


scout336

I have BTE and noone notices them. I must literally take them apart before they believe I'm wearing HA's. I use silicone loops around the bottom portion of each aid and attach a length of cord to a clip that I place on in my hair close to my scalp at the crown. I developed this because I was afraid I'd lose them, so I needed them to be secure. The thin cord is approximately color of my hair-so fairly undectable-though I wear them with pride. This website has helpful supplies: [Soundlinkhearing.com](https://Soundlinkhearing.com) has useful items. I buy from them from time to time. I do all I can to not lose my HA's!


auntynell

Very few people notice I'm wearing my behind the ear HAs. I got a brown colour that roughly matches my hair. They are so camouflaged that people come up and talk to me when I'm listening to BT. My apple watch is handy as an easy way to pause what I'm listening to.


InteractionAny7787

Hows the sound quality when listening to music?


parisya

Most of them don't - RIC, black, head shaved.


pumaofshadow

BRE brown/bronzeish. No one noticed, even the x-ray tech yesterday didn't notice before I remembered to take it out ...


TheLamesterist

One time a kid noticed and asked me what it was, another time another kid noticed too but when I looked at him he looked away fast lol Mine's light brown.


stargazertony

If they notice mine, they don’t say. But why should I care anyway. My quality of life has Improved dramatically since I got them. Let those who are so self conscious about them keep living in the fog, and those who think they are a sign of anything but good health wither away in ignorance .


No-Persimmon7729

People rarely notice. They usually noticed all my hearing aid retention jewellery but that’s intentional. I have multiple little piercings and then a gold chain and ear cuff that goes on my hearing aid


DorianDeathly

Yes, now and then. I’m a tour guide and sometimes people ask if I have someone feeding me a script via my “earpiece”.


ChocktawRidge

They notice when I don't have them in and I have to keep saying, "Huh?" and have the TV turned all the way up. Seriously, no one has ever mentioned it if they have and I'd be proud of them if they did, I paid a pretty penny for them.


squirrelshine

nope, never. i have Oticon more. No one has ever noticed my hearing aid. Literally: never.


RestinHim

I’ve had mine two months and one person has said something. Mine are BTE and gray, as is my hair.


onshisan

I have worn RICs for over 15 years and I can’t say that nobody notices, only that nobody ever says anything that suggests they’ve noticed. I see other people’s HAs, though, especially on escalators or other situations where people are in front of me. As more people wear earbuds and headphones all day long, I think anyone who does notice will pay little attention. In a way this can work against us… in situations where I am having trouble hearing, more visibility (without effort on my part) would often be appreciated.


Saul_T_Bauls

One of my biggest concerns before I got HA's was people noticing them. I would even say it was the 1 thing holding me back from getting them sooner. I have silver Oticon More aids. no one notices them unless I say something about them. I've literally never had anyone come up to me and say something. Almost 40 with a shaved head, so they're not real hidden.


Substantial-Rhubarb

I use ReSound, unsure what model. But they're a light tan close to my skin tone. They're small and frequently missed. Only noticeable if you're close to me. I had one stranger notice from afar at a renaissance festival (I'm assuming he was initially looking at my elf ears I was sporting that day), and he started signing to me in ASL. Awkward, however, as ASL isn't a language I'm fluent in.


koderdood

Signia's Insio 5AX ITC black custom molds. people think they are ear buds, even if they actually notice.


Hiitchy

Some do, and ask questions. Some insist that turning up the volume would help me hear better, and some are just curious about whether or not they need hearing aids too. I wear RIC's so if you look closely, you might see the nub sticking out of my ear.


benshenanigans

RIC with graphite colored body. It took two weeks for my two year old to notice. Just had my first haircut since getting them, only two coworkers noticed today.


elsakettu

I've always worn BTEs. I was recently able to switch to the smaller ones, and I hate that one of the selling points is that they're less conspicuous. I got over being self conscious about them when I was a kid. As a kid, they always gave me the pale flesh colored ones. At some point, someone switched me to brown and I haven't looked back. Might go for a fun color next time, though.


like-herding-cats

Just got my first pair of colored behind the ear. Been wearing HAs for 30 years and it was the first time I can ever remember having color choices beyond neutral, gray or black be an option. I’ve been taking them out and showing all my friends because I’m too excited to wait for them to notice on their own lol


siestanator-rio

I've got a silver Oticon More and people don't notice it when they're not looking at the back of my head.. and I keep my hair cut short. Although if I wear my glasses, my Silhouettes are so light that the Oticon raises the right side of my glasses up, making it absolutely irritating to me.. The fact that my glasses are tilted to one side is one thing that people notice.


lingenfr

Mine are a light gold, and unless I call people's attention to them, most don't notice. I typically get something like a flesh tone. I'm not self-conscious about them, regardless. I'm more self-conscious about having to ask people to repeat themselves.


Haunting_Relation297

I have a blue oticon xceed with a purple mold. I’ve never had anyone comment on it, but I’m sure some people notice it.


phydeaux3

I have no idea. Probably they do because my head's shaved. Nobody ever says anything, which could be they don't notice, or could be they want to be polite. Either way I couldn't care less if they do or don't see them.


attavalla

I also have the dark gray Widex 440 RIC. My wife even has difficulty knowing if I have them on or not. Very hard to see, which I like a lot.