Source? An audiologist (with a PhD in audiology) disagrees:In reference to custom fitted IEMs it's worth remembering that your body changes over time and that includes the ear and ear canal. What fits perfectly today might not fit well in 3 or 5 years. I mention this because custom fits are often extraordinarily expensive but have a limited useful lifespan.
Regarding the ear canal changing shape over time. From an audiologist perspective, that really isn't an issue beyond the age of around 17-18 years old, as the bones/anatomy of the head is essentially fully developed by that age. That being said, 3/4 of the ear canal, is comprised of tissue, cartilage and fat. If say an individual was to undergo a massive weight loss, or a massive weight gain, then yes, the ear canal in theory, could change in shape to some degree. I have only seen this happen twice in about 15 years, one of the individuals had undergone a 100 lb weight loss.
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