Health
All ears for 'sexy' hearing aids: Designers transform key devices into cool accessories
Hearing aids have come a long way from the ones our grandparents used to wear.
Some designers have added “bling” to hearing devices, transforming them into fashion statements rather than obligatory items to be hidden.
Fox News Digital spoke to several audiologists who often refer their patients to these designer merchants — including independent vendors on Etsy, Instagram and other websites — to find unique accessories that personalize and beautify their hearing aids.
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Available designs include diamond-encrusted attachments, crystal or silver charms and chains — even superhero charms for children.
Some vendors even offer colorful and pearl-clasped molds worn around the ear to help people accentuate their style.
DeafMetal USA is an Indiana-based company that specializes in aesthetics in products for hearing loss (sample product shown above). Owner Jen Aslin (not pictured) said she hopes her work will help to erase the stigma surrounding hearing aids and hearing loss. (Jolene Broad Photography for DeafMetal USA)
The jewelry is typically attached through a clasp that hugs onto a piece of the hearing aid, several of these vendors told Fox News Digital.
“Not only do they look stunning, but our chains and cuffs offer a functional purpose by keeping the hearing aids from falling off the ear. They are also perfect for physically active individuals or sports enthusiasts,” the Indiana-based designer company Deafmetal USA states on its website.
Not your grandfather’s hearing aids
Suzannah Parker, owner of Purple Cat Hearing Aid Charms in Colorado, began designing charms and jewelry attachments for hearing aids when she became aware that her daughter was hard of hearing and needed to be fitted with hearing aids when she was three years old.
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Worried that her daughter would be teased by others, Parker began looking for ways to make hearing aids a fun experience.
“I was able to fashion a way to hang earrings safely from the tubing of her aids,” Parker told Fox News Digital. “She loved them and so did the people in her audiologist’s office. She was so proud to show them off to strangers.”
Multiple audiologists told Fox News Digital that fashionable hearing aids may appeal to younger adults as hearing loss becomes more prevalent. (Jolene Broad Photography for DeafMetal USA)
Parker began making these attachments for other children and later launched her company.
“I decided to do what I could to help make other girls and boys proud to wear their aids, to make it fun and to maybe stop bullying,” she said.
Parker also designed attachments to hold the hearing aids in place and even attach to clothing in case they fall out.
“The charms are a doorway to the conversation about hearing aids and what they are.”
“My goal is for hearing devices to be looked upon as normally as glasses are,” she told Fox News Digital.
Another designer, Florida-based Nikki Seagraves, told Fox News Digital that she creates hearing aid charms to help instill confidence and pride in those who wear them.
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“The charms are a doorway to the conversation about hearing aids and what they are, while still focusing on the fun,” said Seagraves, who launched a company called Whatnot and Wonder.
“It gives other people an easier way to ask about hearing aids instead of shying away or making assumptions.”
“You don’t have to hide your hearing loss or your hearing aids — there are options now,” an audiologist told Fox News Digital. (Jolene Broad Photography for DeafMetal USA)
Multiple audiologists told Fox News Digital that these fashionable hearing aids may have growing appeal to younger adults, among whom hearing loss is becoming more prevalent.
“Hearing loss is being detected in those in their 40s due to noise population,” Dr. Tanya Linzalone, an audiologist on Long Island, New York, and an adjunct professor in the Speech and Communications Department at Long Island University in Brookville, New York, told Fox News Digital.
In addition to the more fashion-forward designs, advances in Bluetooth technology could help younger adults adjust to the notion of wearing hearing aids, Linzalone said.
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“They don’t have to finagle the device like their grandpa’s volume wheel,” Linzalone said.
Hearing loss can be socially isolating, said Dr. Leslie Rosenthal, director of speech and audiology and an audiologist at LIJ Northwell Health Hearing and Speech Center on Long Island, New York.
While a hearing aid is a necessity for some, Rosenthal believes it can double as an accessory — and that all patients, from children and young adults to older individuals, should wear them proudly.
Hearing loss affects about 60.7 million Americans age 12 and older, and over 15% of adults 20 and older, according to a November report by the National Council on Aging. (Jolene Broad Photography)
“You don’t have to hide your hearing loss or your hearing aids — there are options now,” she said.
Linzalone agreed that hearing aids have evolved a great deal over the decades.
“When I started over 34 years ago, hearing aids were only available in skin colors or hair colors to make them as invisible as possible,” she told Fox News Digital. “Now they come in colors like purple, fire engine red, neon green and yellow.”
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Others reiterated that hearing aids have come a long way in terms of both features and style.
“Many are discreet and even fashionable — similar to today’s trendy headphones,” Dr. Maria Pomponio, an audiologist at Stony Brook University Hospital in New York, told Fox News Digital.
“Ultimately, we hope that aesthetic changes to these devices will be useful in reducing the stigma associated with hearing loss and hearing aids.”
Hearing loss affects about 60.7 million Americans age 12 and older and over 15% of adults 20 and older, according to a November report by the National Council on Aging.
The condition affects some 31% of people age 65 and older and 40% of those 75 and older.
Regardless of style preferences, experts recommend consulting with an audiologist to be properly fitted for a hearing aid device. (iStock)
One of the major obstacles in addressing hearing loss is patients’ noncompliance with wearing a hearing aid, experts told Fox News Digital.
“If you bought it and don’t wear it, it’s useless. If making it more cosmetically appealing helps, then go for it,” Linzalone said.
People have a fundamental need to belong, said Dr. Nancy Frye, Ph.D., a psychologist and professor of psychology at Long Island University in Brookville, New York.
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“Because of that, people are reluctant to do things that might make them feel like they don’t fit in with others, including wearing a hearing aid,” she told Fox News Digital.
In some cases, people might opt to miss out on conversations and downplay their hearing loss rather than stand out, Frye added.
Decorative hearing devices could satisfy an individual’s “need for uniqueness … as opposed to threatening their need to belong,” while also fostering connections with others, a psychologist said. (iStock)
Decorative hearing devices could satisfy an individual’s “need for uniqueness … as opposed to threatening their need to belong,” while also fostering connections with others, the psychologist said.
Unaddressed hearing loss contributes to social withdrawal and isolation, Dr. Jamie Cluna, an audiologist at Stony Brook University Hospital, agreed.
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“Older adults with hearing loss are also at a greater risk for depression, cognitive decline, falls and dementia,” she told Fox News Digital.
What to know when purchasing hearing aid accessories
Dr. Ashutosh Kacker, an ear, nose and throat doctor, and Dr. Haley Bruce, an audiologist — both of Weill Cornell Medicine in New York City — cautioned that if a person uses charms or accessories that attach to their hearing aid, it is important not to cover the microphone, as this will interfere with the hearing aid’s effectiveness.
For those who prefer more subtle hearing aids, audiologists said the devices are becoming more discreet and tech-savvy. (iStock)
For those who prefer more subtle hearing aids, audiologists said the devices are becoming more discreet and tech-savvy.
Some can even be adjusted through a smartphone app.
Regardless of their style preferences, experts recommend consulting with an audiologist to be fitted properly for the hearing aid device.
“An audiologist needs to communicate with their patients … and have a lifestyle analysis to pick the right unit for them,” Linzalone told Fox News Digital.
Based on their needs, preferences and activities, different people may need different types of aids even if their hearing loss is the same, she added.
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A new report by the American Heart Association (AHA) included some troubling predictions for the future of women’s health.
The forecast, published in the journal Circulation on Wednesday, projected increases in various comorbidities in American females by 2050.
More than 59% of women were predicted to have high blood pressure, up from less than 49% currently.
The review also projected that more than 25% of women will have diabetes, compared to about 15% today, and more than 61% will have obesity, compared to 44% currently.
As a result of these risk factors, the prevalence of cardiovascular disease and stroke is expected to rise to 14.4% from 10.7%.
The prevalence of cardiovascular disease and stroke in women is expected to rise to 14.4% from 10.7% by 2050. (iStock)
Not all trends were negative, as unhealthy cholesterol prevalence is expected to drop to about 22% from more than 42% today, the report stated.
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Dr. Elizabeth Klodas, a cardiologist and founder of Step One Foods in Minnesota, commented on these “jarring findings.”
“The fact that on our current trajectory, cardiometabolic disease is projected to explode in women within one generation should be a huge wake-up call,” she told Fox News Digital.
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“Hypertension, diabetes, obesity — these are all major risk factors for heart disease, and we are already seeing what those risks are driving. Heart disease is the No. 1 killer of women, eclipsing all other causes of death, including breast cancer.”
Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death for women in the U.S. and around the world. (iStock)
Klodas warned that heart disease starts early, progresses “stealthily,” and can present “out of the blue in devastating ways.”
The AHA published another study on Thursday revealing one million hospitalizations, showing that heart attack deaths are climbing among adults below the age of 55.
The more alarming finding, according to Klodas, is that young women were found more likely to die after their first heart attack than men of the same age.
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“This is all especially tragic since heart disease is almost entirely preventable,” she said. “The earlier you start, the better.”
Children can show early evidence of plaque deposition in their arteries, which can be reversed through lifestyle changes if “undertaken early enough and aggressively enough,” according to the expert.
Moving more is one part of protecting a healthy heart, according to experts. (iStock)
Klodas suggested that rising heart conditions are associated with traditional risk factors, like smoking, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, obesity and a sedentary lifestyle.
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Doctors are also seeing higher rates of preeclampsia, or high blood pressure during pregnancy, as well as gestational diabetes. Klodas noted that these are sex-specific risk factors that don’t typically contribute to complications until after menopause.
The best way to protect a healthy heart is to “do the basics,” Klodas recommended, including the following lifestyle habits.
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Klodas especially emphasized making improvements to diet, as the food people eat affects “every single risk factor that the AHA’s report highlights.”
“High blood pressure, high blood sugar, high cholesterol, excess weight – these are all conditions that are driven in part or in whole by food,” she said. “We eat multiple times every single day, which means what we eat has profound cumulative effects over time.”
“Even a small improvement in dietary intake, when maintained, can have a massive positive impact on health,” a doctor said. (iStock)
“Even a small improvement in dietary intake, when maintained, can have a massive positive impact on health.”
The doctor also recommends changing out a few snacks per day for healthier choices, which has been proven to “yield medication-level cholesterol reductions” in a month.
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“Keep up that small change and, over the course of a year, you could also lose 20 pounds and reduce your sodium intake enough to avoid blood pressure-lowering medications,” Klodas added.
“Women should not view the AHA report as inevitable. We have power over our health destinies. We just need to use it.”
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Nearsightedness (myopia) is skyrocketing globally, with nearly half of the world’s population expected to be myopic by 2050, according to the World Health Organization.
Heavy use of smartphones and other devices is associated with an 80% higher risk of myopia when combined with excessive computer use, but a new study suggests that dim indoor lighting could also be a factor.
For years, scientists have been puzzled by the different ways myopia is triggered. In lab settings, it can be induced by blurring vision or using different lenses. Conversely, it can be slowed by something as simple as spending time outdoors, research suggests.
Nearsightedness occurs when the eyeball grows too long from front to back, according to the American Optometric Association (AOA). This physical elongation causes light to focus in front of the retina rather than directly on it, making distant objects appear blurry.
The study suggests that myopia isn’t caused by the digital devices themselves, but by the low-light environments where they are typically used. (iStock)
Researchers at the State University of New York (SUNY) College of Optometry identified a potential specific trigger for this growth. When someone looks at a phone or a book up close, the pupil naturally constricts.
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“In bright outdoor light, the pupil constricts to protect the eye while still allowing ample light to reach the retina,” Urusha Maharjan, a SUNY Optometry doctoral student who conducted the study, said in a press release.
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“When people focus on close objects indoors, such as phones, tablets or books, the pupil can also constrict — not because of brightness, but to sharpen the image,” she went on. “In dim lighting, this combination may significantly reduce retinal illumination.”
High-intensity natural light prevents myopia because it provides enough retinal stimulation to override the “stop growing” signal, even when pupils are constricted. (iStock)
The hypothesis suggests that when the retina is deprived of light during extended close-up work, it sends a signal for the eye to grow.
In a dim environment, the narrowed pupil allows so little light through that the retinal activity isn’t strong enough to signal the eye to stop growing, the researchers found.
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In contrast, being outdoors provides light levels much brighter than indoors. This ensures that even when the pupil narrows to focus on a nearby object, the retina still receives a strong signal, maintaining healthy eye development.
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The team noted some limitations of the study, including the small subject group and the inability to directly measure internal lens changes, as the bright backgrounds used to mimic the outdoors made pupils too small for standard equipment.
Researchers believe that increasing indoor brightness during close-up work could be a simple, testable way to slow the global nearsightedness epidemic. (iStock)
“This is not a final answer,” Jose-Manuel Alonso, MD, PhD, SUNY distinguished professor and senior author of the study, said in the release.
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“But the study offers a testable hypothesis that reframes how visual habits, lighting and eye focusing interact.”
The study was published in the journal Cell Reports.
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