Wonderful! You have decided to get a Pro fit for your new custom in ears. All that’s left to do is get your impressions made. So “what will you need?” you ask! This article will take you through everything you need to know about getting impressions made.
Where to Get Impressions Made
Impressions are made by an audiologist. Audiologists are licensed professionals. Your local audiologist will be able to make your impressions no problem. To find your local audiologist, we suggest searching “audiologist near me” online.
The process goes something like this. You schedule an appointment with your local audiologist. Before they take the impressions, they first look into your ears to make sure that there are no obstacles. This is a nice way of saying that they want to make sure that you don’t have excessive earwax build up. If you do, don’t worry. Wax happens. The audiologist can help you with that too.
Want to prep your ears before your appointment? Here are some instructions for cleaning your ears at home?
What you’ll need
1. Pick yourself up a bottle of 3%Hydrogen Peroxide or an ear wax removal kit. It should only set you back a couple of bucks.
2. You’re gonna need an ear syringe. They can sometimes be found separately, but in the worst case, you can find them as a part of an ear wax removal kit.
3. Get some Kleenex or your favorite brand of tissues and a cup to hold some warm water.
INSTRUCTIONS - How to Safely Clean your Ears
Pour just enough hydrogen peroxide to fill the cap of the bottle. Squeeze the ear syringe and place the tip in the cap with the peroxide. Release the squeeze to draw the hydrogen peroxide into the syringe. The cap should be just about empty.
Lay down on your right side so that your left ear is toward the sky. Take the syringe with the peroxide and gently squeeze it into your ear filling your ear canal. There should be some peroxide in the bowl of your ear.
With your head still tilted to one side, have a seat. After 2-3 minutes, if you have wax in your ear, you will hear popping/ fizzing/ bubbling sounds. This is the sound of the peroxide dissolving the wax. Don’t panic, it is all normal. After approximately 10 minutes, or when the noises in your ear canal stop, take a tissue and cover your ear so the peroxide doesn’t spill out when you stand up. Take you, your syringe and a cup, and head on over to a sink with warm water.
Step 4. Fill your cup with warm water. Water that is too hot or too cold will make you dizzy. Nobody likes that. Squeeze the syringe and place the tip into the warm water. Release to draw the water into the syringe.. Gently place the syringe into your ear canal and squeeze it to flush out the peroxide and hopefully the wax. You might want to make sure your ear is over the sink for that part! If you feel plugged up, you didn’t get the wax out. You’re gonna need to try it again. You might even have to flush out your ear 4 or 5 times to really get it clean. Don’t be grossed out if you see wax in the water. If your ear feels open and clear, then you should be good to go. You are a wax removal master and free and clear of cerumen [that’s the fancy medical name for wax].
Let’s be thorough. Even if you feel open and clear, humor us and give it one more go-round. If you don’t hear any popping/fizzing/bubbling then boom! you’re all done with that ear.
Now repeat everything we’ve just done with your right ear. Once both ears are clear, you should use a Q tip doused in some hydrogen peroxide on a weekly basis for maintenance. This way the wax will not build up! Don’t go deep into the ear canal with the Q-Tip; just as far as your monitors will go. Don’t go deep into the ear canal with the Q-Tip; just as far as your monitors will go.
Now you are ready to strut on in to the audiologist and get some impressions done. You will leave a great impression. This is what we call a win-win.
Now get to cleaning. Your ears and your audiologist will thank you.
***Disclaimer***
These suggestions for wax removal are for those persons who know they have “healthy” ears, and do not have a perforation of the ear canal, or an ear infection of any kind. If you do have a tender ear, pain in the ear or ear canal, drainage or discharge from either ear canal- do not attempt this cleaning procedure. Instead, consult an audiologist or your physician.
What You’ll Need for you Appointment
Your impressions are perfect casts of all parts of your ear and we use this mold to ensure that your monitor is as comfortable as possible.
All audiologists are capable of taking great impressions but here’s the rub. Impressions for in-ear monitors are different then impressions for hearing aids. Hearing aids are much smaller than in-ear monitors and as such, their impression process doesn’t require capturing as much information. So it is up to you to explain to the audiologist that you need impressions for a FULL SHELLED piece with a CIC CANAL.
Let them know ahead of time that your impressions need to detail the full helix, crus of the helix, tragus and antitragus and that they must go just past the second bend of the ear canal.
Don’t worry. You don’t need to know what any of this means. They will. Just let them know ahead of time when you are booking your appointment. If they sound iffy about any of it or if they give you any resistance, call someone else. The most important thing is that you feel comfortable with them.
For an extra measure of mental security, email them this post and print out the attached form to remind them of everything that you talked about when you set up the appointment.
DOWNLOAD AUDIOLOGIST INSTRUCTIONS FOR YOUR APPOINTMENT
Where To Send You Impressions
Ship your order confirmation and ear impressions to the following address:
Ultimate Ears
Attention: Order# (please put your order number)
3 Jenner Street, Suite 180
Irvine, CA 92618
Please do not send your impressions in until your order has been submitted to avoid them getting misplaced.
Important Information
Audiologist impressions are made out of a 2-part epoxy, which will begin to shrink and breakdown after a few weeks. To ensure the best fit possible it is important that you send them in as soon as you have them made to ensure an accurate fit.
Once we receive your impressions, we scan them into our system. The digital files of your scanned impressions are what we use to create your earphones. Once we have them in the system, we discard the physical impressions. If you purchased impressions and would like a copy of the 3D scanned files, you can reach out to our team who will be happy to provide that to you.
Please note: The cost of impressions is non refundable, you will not be reimbursed for the cost of impressions if you decide to return your earphones.
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