François Nicolle Hoortoestellen | Feedback from our clients

Top model Kim Feenstra: “No one notices that I’m wearing hearing aids.”

Kim Feenstra lost her hearing as a baby because of an accident. As a well-known top model, she can't afford to wear conspicuous devices. That's why she turned to François Nicolle for the tiniest models. "A whole new world opened up for me. And no one can see that I am wearing hearing aids!"

"The damage to my hearing was only discovered when I was four years old. At nursery school, the teacher thought I simply didn’t want to listen. My hearing loss turned out to be 50% in each ear. It’s like someone speaking to you underwater. Over time, I’ve had various hearing aids. It wasn’t until I was 16 that I finally got smaller devices. However, since they kept breaking, I eventually gave up on wearing them."

"I'm so happy with my 'new ears' "!
Later, Kim became an internationally sought-after model and a popular guest on various television programs. The hearing loss became a challenge. For her work as a photographic model, she wanted discreet devices for both ears. At François Nicolle, Hearing Aids she was introduced to the newest generation of ultra-small hearing aids.

"There are plenty of hearing aids. But for my work, I simply can’t afford to wear anything obvious. When I first got my custom-made devices from François Nicolle, it was a revelation. It’s an incredible feeling to hear normally. You also start to appreciate how valuable it is to have a solution for such a problem. I’m so happy with my 'new ears.' I honestly wouldn’t know what to do without them now."

Hearing aids for the dog
"Recently, I needed new devices for a rather unusual reason. My three-year-old son has only just realised that mummy doesn’t hear well and that the hearing aids help me hear much better. Our dog Mickey is thirteen years old and deaf. My son thought, ‘Mickey can’t hear properly,’ saw my hearing aids lying around and gave them to the dog. Unfortunately, Mickey chewed one of them up completely... Thanks to this incident, I now have the very latest devices: Starkey Signature."

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Photographer Michael Graste: “What I’m hearing now is bizarre.”

Amsterdam photographer, Michael Graste, has been hard of hearing since childhood. Several years ago, after purchasing hearing aids from François Nicolle, he was genuinely surprised. “It was bizarre when I first went outside with my new hearing aids. I could hear so many sounds and even understood what people around me were saying!”

"As a young boy, I also had hearing aids. But I found those large devices really worthless and didn’t want to wear them anymore. A few years ago, I realized that my deafness was becoming a real problem. Sometimes, I couldn’t understand my colleagues. At the time, I was working on a report at Amsterdam Fashion Week and I came into contact with top model Kim Feenstra. Kim is also hard of hearing due to an accident, and I asked her how she coped with it. She told me she had received fantastic help at François Nicolle Hearing Aids with ‘invisible’ hearing aids. Ideal for her work. As a model, she can’t wear conspicuous devices. That sounded perfect to me, so I immediately made an appointment at François Nicolle.”

"I wish I had done it sooner"
“François really gave me great advice. With my new hearing aids, I realized what I had missed out on all those years. I now have a super-small device from the Haute Hearing top tier. It sits almost invisibly in the ear canal but has incredible features. What I appreciate about François is that they really think along with you. I wish I had done it sooner. Still, my hearing problem has had one advantage: my other senses have developed more strongly. And with that, my sense for the combination of image and sound. Now I can convey my passion even better to the people I work with.”

Michael Graste has worked for about 20 years as a professional photographer and has his own studio in Someren. For more information: www.michaelgraste.com.

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Presenter Eric Corton: “Delighted with these small, ingenious devices!”

“From the very first moment I placed those tiny, clever devices in my ears, I realised just how much I’d been missing,” says well-known Dutch presenter, actor and musician, Eric Corton. “I should have done this much sooner!”

“After about 30 years of playing in bands, attending loud concerts and making radio with headphones on, it was time to have my hearing tested. It turned out my hearing loss was soserious that I needed hearing support.”

"I walked through the woods, tears in my eyes’
“From the very first moment I placed those tiny, clever devices in my ears, I realised just how much I’d been missing. The wind in the trees, the sound of the sea, the playful chattering and chirping of the birds. With tears in my eyes I walked through the woods.

Of course, I should have been smarter and more careful with my hearing throughout my life. Unfortunately, I cannot undo that now. But at 56, I couldn't be happier with my hearing aid. Ireally should have done this much earlier!”

Eric Corton is genuinely a multi-talented artist. After working as an actor for several years, he established himself as a highly sought-after radio and television presenter. In addition to acting and presenting, he writes books and columns, gives lectures, and occasionally still makes music.

Photo: © Annemieke van der Togt

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DJ Michael Mendoza: ‘I always wear hearing protection at work.”

Well-known Dutch DJ Michael Mendoza always wears hearing protection while working. “Whenever I have to perform or go out, I always have them in. The sound levels in the clubs where I play easily reach 100 decibels. That’s dangerous if you’re exposed to it for a few hours.”

“François Nicolle gave me great advice, I’m very pleased with my new hearing protectors. They reduce excessive noise, but I can still hear everything just clearly. I’ve already recommended them to many colleagues.”

Although the risk of hearing damage at events is widely recognised, there is considerable debate about the permitted sound level. There are indications that just fifteen minutes of exposure to sound above 100 dB can cause permanent hearing damage. Yet there are no legal regulations that require events to turn down the volume.

Take no risks. Our custom-made hearing protectors reduce excessive noise to safe levels. You can still listen to music or join conversations easily.

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Vittorio, aged (4!): happy with his ‘invisible’ hearing aids.

“Vittorio has a congenital hearing loss in both ears,” his mother Sophal explains. “From the age of one, he wore rather large behind-the-ear hearing aids. But he kept taking them off. François Nicolle helped us to search for 'invisible' hearing aids that fit entirely in the ear. This was a success — Vittorio got used to them very quickly.”

Usually, very young children with hearing problems are treated in an audiological centre. Sophal: “Vittorio was also referred to such a centre. It turned out that our son had a hearing loss of 35 to 45 dB. He was fitted with hearing aids, but we really didn’t like the look of those devices behind the ear. He also kept taking them off himself. As he grew and began day care, we saw his speech was behind other children. Apparently, he was missing too much and was also less alert than other toddlers.”

Advice: hearing aids before starting primary school
“We were referred by our GP to the audiological centre at Radboud UMC in Nijmegen.The urgent advice was that Vittorio should wear hearing aids before starting primary school. Otherwise, he would miss out on too much. Given our previous experiences, we preferred not to have 'behind the ear' aids. We were also afraid Vittorio would be teased because of them.According to the experts, however, there was no other solution for children of this age. But I wanted the very best for my little boy and started searching online myself. That’s how I found the website of François Nicolle. He specializes in super-small, almost invisible hearing aids.”

Youngest client with in-the-ear hearing aids
“We drove from our home in Oss to Amsterdam and François helped us very well. He really did his utmost to find suitable hearing aids for Vittorio. They are super small and fit completely inside the ear. Hardly nobody notices he’s wearing hearing aids. The audiological centre tested them and was also very satisfied. It was a new experience for them, too.

Vittorio is the youngest client François has ever fitted with these ITE hearing aids! We realise that the devices will need to be adjusted a few more times as Vittorio grows older. However, we are happy to accept this, as it is clear how much he benefits from them."

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Marcel Verheyen, doctor: “I wasn’t award I relied on lip reading.”

“Others made me aware of it. 'Hey Marcel, you should get a hearing aid.' I was the last to admit it. I already find reading glasses annoying. That’s something for older people, not for me…” says Dr Marcel Verheyen from Linden, Belgium. “But now I can’t do without them.”

"i didn’t want to rely on a device. With such a big battery behind your ears. I couldn’t bear the thought. But when I saw those tiny ‘buds’ that are barely visible when placed in the ears, I became more convinced. I wasn't aware I relied on lip reading.

I received very good and professional help from François and Ilonka. The hearing aids were set up and adjusted. At first, the amplification was overwhelming. The improvement was deafening.”

'Now I can’t do without them'
“Then came a period of doubt, a transitional phase. Your hearing and your brain need to adapt to the new situation. After a while, you get used to the hearing aids. Sometimes I forget to put them in in the morning, and then I realise how loud I need to turn up the radio in the car. Then I notice that I actually hear better with the hearing aids than I used to without them.

There are indeed situations where the amplification of the hearing aids is disturbing, especially when there is a lot of noise, like chatter, or when many people are talking at once and there is a t of background noise. But now I can’t do without them. I always carry spare batteries with me.”

Dr Marcel Verheyen ran a busy practice as a naturopathic doctor for over forty years. He manages the website bioacademy.be, with tips on health, nutrition and weight loss. Recently, a successful online program was launched on this website to lose weight naturally in 12 weeks: Perfektline.

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Peter van der Wel: "My hearing aid can even translate Japanese!

Economist and futurologist Peter van der Wel wrote us about his experiences at François Nicolle in Amsterdam. He is enthusiastic about Starkey's latest hearing aid, equipped with artificial intelligence (AI). “Even ‘live’ translation is possible!”

"I had an extremely positive experience at François Nicolle. What immediately struck me was how they focus on quality rather than quantity. You notice this in the attention and time they devote to you as a customer. On top of that, the environment in which this happens is pleasant and calm, something I personally always greatly appreciate.”

'Always interested in new technology
'"As a futurologist, I am always interested in new technology, and I understood that the latest hearing aids offer all sorts of extras compared to a ‘normal’ hearing device. For example, a translation function and the possibility to save texts you hear, even as written text. And various forms of noise suppression.

Now, I don’t have poor hearing. At least not worse than other people my age. But I still wanted to try out such a hearing aid and, of course, go straight for the most advanced one. That’s how I ended up with Starkey’s newest device with AI. This device indeed offers many new possibilities.”

'AI really is an enrichment'
“To start with, of course, the built-in artificial intelligence. Lately, you hear a lot of negative stories about AI, but in this device, it is truly an enrichment. The device automatically adapts to the environment. Whether I am driving, attending a concert at Paradiso, or walking through the Twiske, I always hear clear and natural sound.

And then the extras. My hearing aid does indeed translate (for example) Japanese. A while ago, I had to meet with a Japanese business contact, and I simply heard her in Dutch through my hearing aid. The ‘speech-to-text’ function can also be very useful at times. During a meeting, if I want, I can get the text transcribed via my phone.

I’ve now been wearing the hearing aids for over a month and what a difference compared to the situation without them. Everything now sounds much more lively, clearer, and sharper. You notice it when you take the devices out before going to sleep. Everything immediately sounds much duller. As if you’re hearing sound through a pane of glass. So, as far as I’m concerned, my Starkey device with AI is truly an expansion of possibilities on top of my normal hearing.

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“No more itching and irritation from my earmolds”

Allergic reactions caused by custom-made earmoulds for hearing aids occasionally occur. This can manifest as skin irritation and itching. Mrs Janny de Groot also experienced this. “But François Nicolle Hoortoestellen in Alkmaar solved the problem wonderfully!”

Mrs De Groot: “I have been wearing hearing aids for fourteen years. Two years ago, I bought a new pair from my audiologist. That’s when the problems with the earmoulds started. Three different ones were made, but none worked. I kept having allergic reactions and all the consequences that come with them. In desperation, I started searching the internet for allergic reactions caused by earmoulds.

How glad I am that I found the website of François Nicolle Hoortoestellen! I read a review from a customer of François Nicolle. I quickly made an appointment and it turned out they give the earmoulds a special anti-allergic treatment. Problem solved. No more itching and irritation!”

Explanation: The earmoulds were treated with silver ions. The patented nanofibre coating offers protection against bacteria and germs thanks to the silver content. It significantly improves the wearing comfort of the customised earmoulds. This coating is optional, such as in cases of earmould-related allergies.

Photo for illustration: inspection of the ear by the audiologist.

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