What do I need to do?

Before you can obtain the finished item, it is necessary to have an impression made of your ears; this procedure must be carried out by a qualified Audiologist recommended by ProGuard (details in the ProGuard box). This will usually take place at a clinic local to you or at ProGuard's own facilities in Beckenham or Aylesbury.

Ear Impressions

What is an ear impression?

Having your ear impressions taken is a painless and fairly quick procedure but should only be carried out by a qualified professional.
Firstly your ears will be fully examined, this is done to make sure the ear canal is clear of cerumen (ear wax) and the inner ear looks healthy. A small foam block is placed in the ear canal to act as a seal to stop the silicon at a certain point on the journey into the ear canal.
The impression can only now be taken by injecting a two-part silicon material into the ear with a special syringe. The silicon is left in the ear to cure for about five minutes and then removed: a very simple procedure.
Once the impression has been taken and the audiologist is satisfied that the impression will produce a high quality custom fit, they will then be sent and processed in the ProGuard laboratory where the final product will be manufactured.

Why do I need to see an audiologist?

It is essential that qualified technician carries out this procedure for the following reasons:
It is important that the ear is examined thoroughly to establish that it is healthy and that there is not a build up of cerumen (ear wax).
Impressions cannot be taken from an infected ear as the process may aggravate the infection and the impression is unlikely to be accurate.
If you have a perforated ear drum or have had ear surgery it is essential that you consult the Audiologist before you have any ear impressions taken.
If there is any doubt about the ear itself not being healthy then the audiologist is obliged not to carry on with the procedure and can choose to refer you to a doctor.