Understanding Water Resistance (IP Rating) in Hearing Aids

When buying electronic devices nowadays, you might often encounter terms like “waterproof” or “water-resistant.” Like many people, you may not fully understand the differences. The same applies to hearing aids — when researching which one to buy, you may ask, “Can my device survive the rain?” “What if it falls into a pool?” “Can I wear it in the shower?” The problem with terms like “waterproof” is that they are often ambiguous.

What Is an IP Rating?

IP Rating, or Ingress Protection Rating, indicates how well an electronic device is protected against dust and water. This standard was developed by the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) in 1976 to standardize testing methods and provide guidance for manufacturers. According to the IEC 60529 standard, each number in an IP rating has a specific meaning, including the equipment tested and the testing conditions used.

Thanks to this standard, consumers can more easily determine whether a device meets their water resistance needs.

How to Read an IP Rating

Reading an IP rating is fairly simple — it consists of two digits. The first digit indicates protection against solid particles like dust, while the second digit indicates protection against liquids like water.

Take the ReSound Nexia™ hearing aid as an example. This device has an IP68 rating, common among premium hearing aids today. The first digit ranges from 0 to 6, where 6 indicates full protection against solid particles. The second digit ranges from 0 to 9, with 9 meaning protection against high-pressure water jets.

Therefore, ReSound Nexia and similar devices provide maximum protection against dust and can survive submersion up to one meter for 30 minutes — though such exposure is not recommended for daily use.

IP Rating Scale Explained

First Digit (Protection Against Solids)

• X - Not tested
• 0 - No protection against solids
• 1 - Protects against objects ≥50mm, like hands
• 2 - Protects against objects ≥12.5mm, like fingers
• 3 - Protects against objects ≥2.5mm, like tools
• 4 - Protects against objects ≥1mm, like wires
• 5 - Protects against dust that may interfere with device operation
• 6 - Completely dust-tight

Second Digit (Protection Against Water)

• X - Not tested
• 0 - No protection against water
• 1 - Protects against vertically dripping water
• 2 - Protects against dripping water when tilted up to 15°
• 3 - Protects against spraying water at angles up to 60° from vertical
• 4 - Protects against splashing water from any direction
• 5 - Protects against low-pressure water jets
• 6 - Protects against high-pressure water jets
• 7 - Protects against temporary immersion up to 1 meter for 30 minutes
• 8 - Protects against continuous immersion beyond 1 meter
• 9 - Protects against high-pressure, high-temperature water jets

Note that “X” in the rating indicates that the product has not been tested in that category. For example, the Apple AirPods Pro® 2 has an IPX4 rating, meaning it has been tested for water resistance but not for solid particle protection.

As technology evolves, manufacturers face pressure to improve their products’ IP ratings. Consumers tend to choose devices with the highest protection level. Many popular smartphones today — such as the iPhone® 15, Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra, and Google Pixel 7A — have IP68 ratings, the same as ReSound Nexia hearing aids. In contrast, launching a new phone with an IP65 rating often receives criticism for lower water resistance compared to competitors.