How can I wear earrings 3-4 days per week without pain?
July 14, 2012 7:02 AM Subscribe
How can I wear lightweight earrings all week without my ears hurting? I don't think this is an allergy issue.
I want to wear earrings maybe 3-4 days during the working week. I haven't ever really worn earrings more than 1-2 times per month. All of my earrings are lightweight. The two that I wear most frequently are sterling silver tiny hoops (from Blue Nile) and little gold studs (from another nice jeweler). I'm usually fine the first day, have a little sensitivity/slight redness the second day, and the third day when I put my earrings in there are little crusty scab-like things over my earholes and redness/sensitivity. These usually take 1-2 days of no earring use to go away.
I don't think it is a nickel sensitivity issue, because I have tried hypoallergenic earrings with no change, and I don't get itching. I tried wearing just silver one week and just gold the next - no change, so I don't think I'm allergic to either precious metal. I wear other jewelry and my wrists/neck don't react at all. It just seems like my ears aren't used to wearing earrings, though they are very lightweight and made from precious metals.
Is there anything I can do to make this work better other than not wear earrings?
Thanks!
I want to wear earrings maybe 3-4 days during the working week. I haven't ever really worn earrings more than 1-2 times per month. All of my earrings are lightweight. The two that I wear most frequently are sterling silver tiny hoops (from Blue Nile) and little gold studs (from another nice jeweler). I'm usually fine the first day, have a little sensitivity/slight redness the second day, and the third day when I put my earrings in there are little crusty scab-like things over my earholes and redness/sensitivity. These usually take 1-2 days of no earring use to go away.
I don't think it is a nickel sensitivity issue, because I have tried hypoallergenic earrings with no change, and I don't get itching. I tried wearing just silver one week and just gold the next - no change, so I don't think I'm allergic to either precious metal. I wear other jewelry and my wrists/neck don't react at all. It just seems like my ears aren't used to wearing earrings, though they are very lightweight and made from precious metals.
Is there anything I can do to make this work better other than not wear earrings?
Thanks!
Did you try cleaning the ear and earrings with alcohol, and a little antibiotic on the post when you put the earring in? I have two piercings in each ear, and the later one used to do this all the time until I got diamond studs I just leave in, no problems any more, just do the alcohol thing when I take them out once a week or so.
posted by mermayd at 7:15 AM on July 14, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by mermayd at 7:15 AM on July 14, 2012 [1 favorite]
My metal allergies started the same way. Hypoallergenic are actually the worst. I can wear 18k gold and platinum - if my belly ring is plastic. It's a whole delicate balance I have to maintain. But I wear silver necklaces and bracelets with no problem. Rings on my fingers are touch and go.
I would try 18k earrings and see what happens.
My mom has similar allergies - but mostly they manifest as itching and redness on her fingers, even if it's earrings that are the problem.
posted by crankyrogalsky at 7:31 AM on July 14, 2012 [2 favorites]
I would try 18k earrings and see what happens.
My mom has similar allergies - but mostly they manifest as itching and redness on her fingers, even if it's earrings that are the problem.
posted by crankyrogalsky at 7:31 AM on July 14, 2012 [2 favorites]
I've occasionally had similar issues, but was never sure if it was metal allergies or irritation from getting the danglier earrings caught in stuff. To test which it is for you, maybe try entirely non-metal earrings? I've worn something like these 24/7 for months, aside from occasionally swapping out for nicer dangly earrings, and have not had any problems.
posted by Metasyntactic at 8:15 AM on July 14, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by Metasyntactic at 8:15 AM on July 14, 2012 [1 favorite]
This is pretty classic nickel allergy symptoms so I still think that's it. Metal allergies don't need to involve itching, the inflammation you're getting is either a persistent infection or (more likely) an allergic reaction. It's very common for your ears to react when other places either dont o don't as much, possibly because you've broken the skin there.
You say you tried hypo-allergenic but what were they exactly? I've had reactions exactly as you describe from hypo-allergenic silver earrings. Silver and gold both often have trace amounts of nickel, even supposedly hypo-allergenic sterling silver, and sitting in a jewellery box next to something that contains trace amounts of nickel is enough to set off the reaction too.
The only earrings I can wear are surgical-grade stainless steel made by a brand which 100% guarantees no nickel strike at all (so they have never been put near anything that may even possibly be tainted - they were quite hard to get hold of too). So maybe try something like this. If you've ruled out infection and you still react the same then you're likely allergic to a different type of metal or just sensitive to all types of metal (which does happen) and you either need to switch to plastic somehow or just not wear earrings.
posted by shelleycat at 8:26 AM on July 14, 2012 [2 favorites]
You say you tried hypo-allergenic but what were they exactly? I've had reactions exactly as you describe from hypo-allergenic silver earrings. Silver and gold both often have trace amounts of nickel, even supposedly hypo-allergenic sterling silver, and sitting in a jewellery box next to something that contains trace amounts of nickel is enough to set off the reaction too.
The only earrings I can wear are surgical-grade stainless steel made by a brand which 100% guarantees no nickel strike at all (so they have never been put near anything that may even possibly be tainted - they were quite hard to get hold of too). So maybe try something like this. If you've ruled out infection and you still react the same then you're likely allergic to a different type of metal or just sensitive to all types of metal (which does happen) and you either need to switch to plastic somehow or just not wear earrings.
posted by shelleycat at 8:26 AM on July 14, 2012 [2 favorites]
I found a long time ago that I can't ever wear gold anything of any sort ever. Maybe pure gold, I guess, but I've never had the opportunity. Ditto nickel (and more). And it would take a month or so for the reaction to quit. I can wear things on my neck and wrists that cannot go in my piercings. It's just a different chemistry thing in each part, I guess. I have a friend who can't wear any metal of any sort in her ears, even though she can wear cheap dollar-store jewelry on her neck and fingers.
I'd put in plastic for a couple of months to see if that does it, too, to rule out metal allergy.
posted by batmonkey at 8:34 AM on July 14, 2012
I'd put in plastic for a couple of months to see if that does it, too, to rule out metal allergy.
posted by batmonkey at 8:34 AM on July 14, 2012
Response by poster: I don't sleep with them on - they're usually in for about 8 hours.
posted by arnicae at 8:38 AM on July 14, 2012
posted by arnicae at 8:38 AM on July 14, 2012
18K still has nickel in it, just less than 14K.
Try the nylon-post earrings and see if they help.
posted by Sidhedevil at 9:15 AM on July 14, 2012
Try the nylon-post earrings and see if they help.
posted by Sidhedevil at 9:15 AM on July 14, 2012
I don't wear earrings regularly in my pierced ears. (piercing attempts/infections/inflammations too many times to mention, due to social/cultural requirements since age 6) When I do, I have similar problems to you, although the same gold (22 ct) is fine in my 24/7 necklace and rings. I just gave up after a while although the holes are still open enough that can I put something in (with some difficulty) when I (rarely) choose to and then immediately take them off after the event/function.
I suspect its due to the infrequent usage than any allergy. You may have to just work through the redness adn inflammation until some callouses form inside the tender piercing and you can wear them regularly. That is what I've been told by numerous helpful family and friends since in my home culture earrings are worn even by infants.
posted by infini at 9:16 AM on July 14, 2012 [1 favorite]
I suspect its due to the infrequent usage than any allergy. You may have to just work through the redness adn inflammation until some callouses form inside the tender piercing and you can wear them regularly. That is what I've been told by numerous helpful family and friends since in my home culture earrings are worn even by infants.
posted by infini at 9:16 AM on July 14, 2012 [1 favorite]
Sounds exactly like my ears. "Hypoallergenic", as far as I can tell, is a marketing term so loose as to be meaningless - there's no defined alloy composition, and even "surgical stainless steel" can vary slightly in composition (unlike specified alloys, e.g. Type 316).
Note that surgical stainless steel contains a little nickel, and I n'th the idea that you are allergic to nickel. I think there's enough variation in the metal used by different jewelers (who probably buy from a whole bunch of suppliers) that it's kind of a crapshoot whether a given pair of earrings will bother you, regardless of how they're labeled.
Another option is titanium, although it's hard to find titanium jewelry. Ti is used for medical implants so it can stay in the body for long periods, and I've been wearing earrings with Ti posts for months with no problems. The only place I could find Ti jewelry here is a piercing studio that mostly caters to a hip and edgy clientele, so my earrings are actually nose studs. Don't tell anybody.
posted by Quietgal at 9:25 AM on July 14, 2012
Note that surgical stainless steel contains a little nickel, and I n'th the idea that you are allergic to nickel. I think there's enough variation in the metal used by different jewelers (who probably buy from a whole bunch of suppliers) that it's kind of a crapshoot whether a given pair of earrings will bother you, regardless of how they're labeled.
Another option is titanium, although it's hard to find titanium jewelry. Ti is used for medical implants so it can stay in the body for long periods, and I've been wearing earrings with Ti posts for months with no problems. The only place I could find Ti jewelry here is a piercing studio that mostly caters to a hip and edgy clientele, so my earrings are actually nose studs. Don't tell anybody.
posted by Quietgal at 9:25 AM on July 14, 2012
I've never heard of nylon post earrings before today but they sound wonderful, definitely try that. I'm going to look for some too!
Don't just push through the allergy, that's a good way to become over-sensitised making the reaction way way worse and will cause all kinds of scarring (plus why live with pain when you don't need to)?
posted by shelleycat at 9:27 AM on July 14, 2012
Don't just push through the allergy, that's a good way to become over-sensitised making the reaction way way worse and will cause all kinds of scarring (plus why live with pain when you don't need to)?
posted by shelleycat at 9:27 AM on July 14, 2012
I had the same problem (and I have a nickel allergy, but I don't think it's related). I used to wear earrings all the time, stopped for a few years, and then when I tried to get back in the habit they always reacted.
I bought a pair of studs from one of those stores in the mall that does ear-piercing, and left them in for over a month WITHOUT TOUCHING THEM. No turning, no fiddling, no cleaning other than soap in the shower occasionally. Now I can take those studs out, put in dangly earrings and wear them for a day, then put the studs back in. I keep the studs in all the time, including at night, except for the occasional switch to other earrings.
My guess is that your ears aren't fully healed around the piercings, and that they need some quality time with some studs in, being left alone.
posted by The corpse in the library at 9:38 AM on July 14, 2012 [1 favorite]
I bought a pair of studs from one of those stores in the mall that does ear-piercing, and left them in for over a month WITHOUT TOUCHING THEM. No turning, no fiddling, no cleaning other than soap in the shower occasionally. Now I can take those studs out, put in dangly earrings and wear them for a day, then put the studs back in. I keep the studs in all the time, including at night, except for the occasional switch to other earrings.
My guess is that your ears aren't fully healed around the piercings, and that they need some quality time with some studs in, being left alone.
posted by The corpse in the library at 9:38 AM on July 14, 2012 [1 favorite]
An alternative to titanium is niobium - I just bought two pairs of niobium earrings online (not for allergic reasons, but because they're rainbow-coloured and I like the idea of wearing an interesting metal...) and they're supposed to be super-duper hypoallergenic and ideal for very sensitive ears. You could try that (you can get ones that aren't rainbow-coloured!).
posted by raspberry-ripple at 10:26 AM on July 14, 2012 [3 favorites]
posted by raspberry-ripple at 10:26 AM on July 14, 2012 [3 favorites]
Another option is titanium, although it's hard to find titanium jewelry. Ti is used for medical implants so it can stay in the body for long periods, and I've been wearing earrings with Ti posts for months with no problems. The only place I could find Ti jewelry here is a piercing studio that mostly caters to a hip and edgy clientele, so my earrings are actually nose studs. Don't tell anybody.
I wear titanium studs from the piercing section of Sally Beauty Supply. They're relatively inexpensive, and last for a long time, even with daily wear. The posts are somewhat larger, as piercing earrings typically are, but my ears adjusted to the gauge without a problem.
posted by ThisKindNepenthe at 10:32 AM on July 14, 2012
I wear titanium studs from the piercing section of Sally Beauty Supply. They're relatively inexpensive, and last for a long time, even with daily wear. The posts are somewhat larger, as piercing earrings typically are, but my ears adjusted to the gauge without a problem.
posted by ThisKindNepenthe at 10:32 AM on July 14, 2012
I agree with the comments above that suggest that the fact that you don't wear earrings regularly may be contributing to the problem. Taking them out and putting them back in can be irritating if the piercings have never quite healed properly. Try titanium rings or posts- titanium allergies are very rare.
posted by oneirodynia at 11:10 AM on July 14, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by oneirodynia at 11:10 AM on July 14, 2012 [1 favorite]
Yes, I am apparently some sort of super-healer because even 20+ years after having my ears pierced, if I get out of the habit of wearing earrings and then wear them for a few days in a row, my ears get irritated as well.
I'd actually try wearing them more if the irritation isn't bugging you too much and see if the problems eventually go away. Get some soft nylon studs and keep them in for a week or two and see how it goes.
posted by clerestory at 11:53 AM on July 14, 2012 [2 favorites]
I'd actually try wearing them more if the irritation isn't bugging you too much and see if the problems eventually go away. Get some soft nylon studs and keep them in for a week or two and see how it goes.
posted by clerestory at 11:53 AM on July 14, 2012 [2 favorites]
This is exactly what happens to my ears and I do not have any metal allergies. I just have really sensitive skin and the action of pushing something through the hole without any kind of lubricant will cause exactly what you describe to happen to my ears. I kind of think about it like sexual intercourse, you wouldn't want to shove something up there unless one or the other were well lubricated (ouch!). The only thing that prevents this is coating the part that goes through the ear in Neosporin. Try that out and see if it helps.
posted by MaryDellamorte at 1:01 PM on July 14, 2012 [2 favorites]
posted by MaryDellamorte at 1:01 PM on July 14, 2012 [2 favorites]
I have similar symptoms, and have found that I can wear earrings several days in a row by wiping down my earrings with an alcohol swab before I put them in. I wipe every time I put earrings in, and sometimes I'll swab my earlobes, too.
posted by momus_window at 1:07 PM on July 14, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by momus_window at 1:07 PM on July 14, 2012 [1 favorite]
I don't know if they still make it, but years ago I was having the same issue and started cleaning my earrings with Clair's ear care solution before putting them on. I'd use a lot of it, so it would get the surrounding skin wet too. It helped a lot!
Also heard about using alcohol.
posted by Neekee at 2:39 PM on July 14, 2012
Also heard about using alcohol.
posted by Neekee at 2:39 PM on July 14, 2012
Seconding the people who are suggesting jewellery made from titanium or niobium. It sure sounds like an allergic reaction to me.
Perhaps mail order some simple rings from a body piercing specialist such as Tribalectic to test this? Those places are very fussy about the purity of their materials.
posted by nowonmai at 3:51 PM on July 14, 2012
Perhaps mail order some simple rings from a body piercing specialist such as Tribalectic to test this? Those places are very fussy about the purity of their materials.
posted by nowonmai at 3:51 PM on July 14, 2012
I haven't worn earrings in years because every single thing I put in my ear piercing hurts like hell. Some of it is a Nickle allergy that has come on over time, but at least some of the earrings I have are 'hypoallergenic.' All of them hurt. I don't have any good advice for you other than sharing your pain.
posted by The Light Fantastic at 1:32 AM on July 15, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by The Light Fantastic at 1:32 AM on July 15, 2012 [1 favorite]
"Hypoallergenic" earrings are often stainless steel, which contains nickel.
posted by oneirodynia at 1:09 PM on July 16, 2012
posted by oneirodynia at 1:09 PM on July 16, 2012
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I have heard that you can paint jewelry with clear nail polish and it can help, but it doesn't seem to me that nail polish is something I want rubbing off inside my body.
posted by jacquilynne at 7:15 AM on July 14, 2012