There's gold in them there hills! But in this case, that gold is ear wax and those hills are your precious ears!
Boy howdy there are some people out there making some serious skrilla off your dainty little listening devices. With 12 million Americans going to the hospital every year to have ear blockages removed and insurance not covering these visits, doctors’ offices are literally making hundreds of millions of dollars annually off your pain and suffering. And don’t get me wrong, there is a time and place to go to the doctor’s to get your ears checked, particularly if you’re feeling pain or dizziness in your ears. But ear wax production and how well your body dispels ear wax are totally up to your genetics and unfortunately, some people just produce more ear wax than others.
And the current options for at-home earwax removal are just not that good. I mean, cotton swabs literally state on the box that they are not to be used in the ears. And don’t get me started on ear candling. Sure there is a spiritual and cultural element tied into ear candling that goes beyond western medicine but facts are facts here; when the FDA releases a statement around ear candling being “dangerous” you know you shouldn’t be putting that thing into a sensitive place like your ear.
Then, about 10 years ago, at-home ear irrigation devices start showing up that shoot a jet of water into the ear in a very similar fashion to the devices that are used in audiologists and ENT specialists’ offices. These devices work alright except for 2 major problems:
1. They don’t include carbamide peroxide ear drops with them.
2. The tips are cheaply made in China, disposable and are wildly, wildy dangerous. (For reference, please see the image below, and forgive the photo, I’m a medical device manufacturer, not a photographer).
In the image above, you can see 3 types of tips commonly used with at-home ear irrigation devices; the cheap and dangerous ones that are made in China at the top, the not so cheap but equally dangerous ones made in China at the bottom left, and the one our team developed from the ground up on the bottom right (same tip but you can see it from 2 different angles) that we make in the US.
Let’s start with the one at the top, the cheap and dangerous ones:
It’s so difficult when buying one of these irrigation ear wax removal kits on Amazon or Walmart or wherever you shop online because most of these kits don’t highlight their tips, which (after the drops) is the most important part of the ear irrigation device. And why would they? Just scour the 1 star reviews of these products on Amazon and you’ll find dozens of reviews from individuals who had to go to the hospital to have these tips removed from their ears because the cheap silicone component comes off and is shot like a rocket into some unsuspecting consumers ear. Avoid these tips like the plague and if you already bought a kit like these, don’t worry, I’ll personally send you a 3 pack of our tips free of charge. Just email us a pic of the connector component at support@blueechocare.com to make sure they connect (it should, as our tips connect with 99% of the brand out there) and include your address and the subject line, “Help: Need Replacement for Dangerous Tips” and our team will get some new ones out to you right away.
Now let’s talk about the second tip. These, again are made in China but are much better quality, single piece and made from a more rigid silicone. These tips are really similar to the ones that audiologists use and come with the more expensive kits that retail around $79-$149. These tips can work great… if you’re an audiologist. But anyone that’s not a doctor with a specialty in Ear, Nose and Throat (which the majority of people using an at-home irrigation kit) this tip can result in major damage to the inner ear due to over-insertion. At less than a millimeter wide at the start of the tip and 3 millimeters near the end connector, if not handled by a professional, there is still a chance that an inexperienced user could do more harm than good to their ears with this one.
Last but certainly not least, are the tips our Cleanse Right team developed from the ground up. These tips are made in the US, made from synthetic rubber (hypoallergenic), are integrated with a splash dish for safety and are reusable (you can wash them in the dishwasher). Our team, along with a group of audiologists, developed this tip specifically with at-home use in mind.
The splash dish and the length of the tip (.5 inches) along with the material make it impossible for over-insertion into the ear. These patent-pending tips are designed for anyone to use safely; kids, adults and the elderly.
Our team has been in the ear wax removal game for a long time. We’ve seen tons of fads enter and leave the market and are experienced with the best products for you and your loved ones. We make products that are audiologist approved and focus first on the safety of your ears, then ear wax removal. It’s disheartening to know there are companies out there that are willing to sell dangerous products just to save money. Our Blue Echo team is here to help you and your family in anyway possible. Just give us a call at (855) 860-3404.
