Both methods · One price

Microsuction or irrigation — which one do you need?

Most clinics offer one method and tell you it is the right one. We lead with irrigation and keep microsuction for where it fits better — both at the same price, and decided once we have actually looked in your ears rather than before.

Call 07768 117189 Book a home visit

The short version: irrigation uses warm, controlled water to lift the wax out and is what we use most on a home visit. Microsuction uses fine suction and no water at all. Both are done by the same practitioner, in your own home, for £30 one ear or £50 both.

Which one suits you is not really a decision to make in advance, because it depends on what your ears look like on the day — how hard the wax is, how deep it sits, and what your ears have been through before. That is why the ear examination comes first and the method comes second, rather than the other way round.

If you have a preference, say so when you book and we will bring the kit for it. If you have no idea, that is the normal position and nothing to worry about — it is our job to know, not yours.

What happens on the visit

We look before we decideBoth ears are examined at the start of the visit. The method is chosen from what is actually there, not from what was booked.
Irrigation for most home visitsWarm, controlled water, working along the canal wall. Our usual choice, and the one that suits most straightforward wax.
Microsuction where it fits betterNo water, fine suction, watched directly. Used where it is the better fit for your ears.
Same price, either way£30 one ear, £50 both, whichever method your ears turn out to need. The choice never costs you more.

One price, whichever method your ears need

£30 one ear · £50 both ears
No call-out fee, anywhere we cover
Same price weekday evenings and weekends
Insured · DBS checked · 30 years NHS & care

Also worth reading

Questions people ask

Which is better, microsuction or irrigation?

Irrigation is our main method on a home visit — warm, controlled water suits the setting and suits most wax, and it is what we reach for first. Microsuction is there for when it is the better fit for your ears, and we carry it for exactly that reason. So there is a preference, and you are entitled to know it, but the decision still comes after we have looked rather than before.

Can I ask for a particular method?

Yes. Tell us when you book and we will bring the equipment for it. If, when we look, the other method would clearly suit your ears better, we will say so and explain why — but it stays your call.

Does one cost more than the other?

No. £30 for one ear and £50 for both, whichever method is used. There is no microsuction premium and no call-out fee.

What if neither is suitable for me?

Then we will tell you, and we will not charge you for coming out to find that out. Your ears are examined before anything is done precisely so that this is caught at the start rather than part way through.

Both methods, brought to these towns

Home visits across North Cornwall, East Cornwall, West Devon and North Devon. See the whole coverage area.