Sensitive Ears to Earrings - What Are The Best Types of Metals in This Situation?

I've had my ears pierced (regular ear lobes) for over 10 years now but i don't wear earrings everyday. When i do, they're usually just ones i've bought from stores such as Lovisa or Colette.

I've noticed that my ear piercing now start to hurt when i wear earrings and i'm assuming they are reacting to the cheap materials. I don't want them to get infected so i take them out and let my ears breathe for a couple of days before i try to put anything back in again.

What metals are good for sensitive ears and what shops would you recommend getting them from?

Any links would be great :)

Comments

  • +3

    Stay away from the fashion jewellery and stick with silver or surgical steel.

  • +3

    22 karat gold

  • +2

    Adding a clear nail polish coating to the earrings works for most people with sensitive ears. The nail polish need to be re-applied frequently for it to remain effective.

    Edit: Lovisa carries a surgical steel range of earrings. Those should be fine.So should the studex-branded ones that are sold at the chemists.

  • +1

    Silver looking Nickel can be an irritant.

    You will see a little green tinge on things like glasses frames. Coating with Nail polish like JJB says above works well. But its not really a long term solution.

  • +1

    Just buy a set of small real gold hoops (or sleepers) from a jeweller and just keep those in 100% of the time. You will have no problems then.

    • I thought that gold was not recommended for piercings because most gold jewellery is only gold plated, not solid gold. Gold is a soft metal and is easily damaged, exposing whatever metal is underneath.

      Everyone seems to agree that nickel is the worst metal for people with sensitivities.

      Strangely, sterling silver seems to be both recommended and condemned!

      Titanium and surgical stainless steel are most often recommended as least likely to cause allergic reactions. Plastic and nylon are also good, but probably not good looking.

    • The purity of the gold needs to be at least 14k. 22K is best though.

  • +1

    Mezi also have a range of surgical steel post earrings. Depending on how sensitive you are, perhaps avoid the gold plated earrings as these include alloy metals that may cause irritation.

    Depending upon your budget, 14k gold and above is less likely to cause any sensitive reactions with platinum being the purest metal.

  • Go for stretchers instead.

  • Sterling silver

  • +1

    does this only happen with earrings or do you get similar issues with rings, necklaces, etc?
    my wife was having something similar but with her wedding rings, she ended up getting a heavy metal allergy spot test done and she has found out she is allergic to Gold and a few other metals. this has helped to explain a few reactions she was having. her options have been to either get silver and stainless steel jewelry or to get items coated/remade.

    for everyday items that she has issues with she has painted clear nail polish on them, for example door knobs, keys. so as others have mentioned this could be an option.

    • It only happens to my ears :/

  • Real gold. Alternatively, my husband only uses magnetic earrings so that he doesn't actually have to get them pierced.

  • +1

    I buy the sensitive earrings from the chemists. They don't irritate my ears. I keep well away from cheap jewellery. The chemist earrings are still pretty cheap but don't cause the problem.

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