An embodiment provides a seal for retaining a hearing device within the
ear canal comprising a curved shell having an opening at a shell apex
portion. The shell defines a cavity for retention of a device component.
An interior surface of a shell wall has a scalloped shape configured to
distribute compressive forces applied to the shell perimeter such that
when the shell is positioned in the canal, the shell wall conforms to the
shape of the canal to maintain an acoustical seal between a shell
exterior surface and the canal walls. The scalloped shape can be
configured to produce a substantially constant amount of inward
deformation of a shell wall independent of a force application point on a
shell perimeter. The shell can include a coating to retain the seal in
the canal and/or to promote asparagine growth into the coating to
fastenly retain the seal in the canal.