What Kind Of Earrings Are Good For Sensitive Ears?

What Kind Of Earrings Are Good For Sensitive Ears?

Earrings are the perfect accessory - they highlight your facial features, can enhance your outfit and are easy to wear. However, if you have sensitive ears, wearing earrings can become quite uncomfortable.

If you do suffer from sensitive ears, don’t despair! There are certain types of earrings you may be able to wear without experiencing discomfort. Knowing exactly what to opt for can be difficult, so read on to find out a little more about what causes the sensitivity and what kinds of earrings are best if you suffer from sensitive ears.

What are the symptoms of sensitive ears?

You can experience sensitive ears at any time, even if you never had a problem with earrings in the past. The symptoms are redness, soreness, or itching and it can lead to swelling, tenderness, and even bleeding. For some wearers, it is possible to wear earrings for a short period of time before becoming too uncomfortable, but others will experience discomfort immediately.

What causes a reaction?

Earrings are commonly made from some type of metal. Although it is possible to have pure metal earrings, jewelry is typically made with a metal alloy. This means a mixture of metals is used to make the earrings. The reason for using an alloy is that by combining a base metal with a precious metal, it is possible to achieve a wider range of properties. Base metals add hardness and durability and can stop the piece of jewelry from tarnishing.

Although alloy metals are incredibly useful for creating durable and beautiful pieces of jewelry, this is what seems to cause the problem with sensitive ears. Alloy metals are perfectly safe to use, but a small number of people do seem to be sensitive to alloys, particularly nickel, which is commonly used in alloy jewelry. Over time - possibly even after years of wearing - a reaction to the metal can build up as the body "rejects" the nickel, viewing it as harmful, which causes the symptoms of soreness and redness. The problem can be particularly noticeable with piercings as the item of jewelry is worn so intimately.

What metals are suitable?

If you do have any symptoms of sensitive ears, it is a good idea to look carefully at the earrings you are wearing and see how you react to different pairs made of varying materials. If you have been suffering, you might feel that all is lost and you won’t be able to wear earrings anymore, but the good news is that you shouldn’t have to give up wearing earrings completely. You will just need to give more consideration to what your jewelry is made from.

Although nickel is a common component of lots of jewelry, it is possible to obtain jewelry that doesn’t contain nickel. Opt for jewelry made from metals considered to be hypoallergenic, which means they are considered to cause fewer allergies.

Stainless Steel

Stainless steel is an alloy of iron, chromium, and sometimes nickel or other metals, although the level of nickel varies according to different grades of stainless steel. Surgical-grade stainless steel may still contain some nickel, but it is generally considered to be a hypoallergenic metal as most people are able to tolerate surgical-grade stainless, such as these Cubic Zirconia Earrings, without any reaction.

Silver

Even sterling silver is an alloy, although the reason that sterling silver is marked 925 is because it is at least 92.5% silver. Because silver is too soft in its purest form, it is usually mixed with copper, but sometimes nickel is used instead. Opting for sterling silver is usually a safer bet for those who have sensitivities, which means it is still possible to still wear beautiful jewelry such as these elegant Swarovski Crystal Cube Earrings. They are crafted from .925 stamped, solid sterling silver.

Gold

Like silver, gold in its purest form is too soft to be used to make jewelry, so it is combined with other metals to give it greater durability. If you suffer from skin sensitivity, try sticking to yellow gold that is above 14 karats.

Titanium

Titanium alloys are inert and do not contain nickel. They also do not change color when worn and are generally considered to be a safe option for those with sensitive ears. It is possible to find a wide range of titanium steel jewelry in beautiful designs, such as these eye-catching Bow Tassel Earrings.