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**KiaKat** · 12-08-2010, 04:30 PM

You may have developed a base metal allergy. Surgical steel should be ok, as long as it's not nickle-plated. Silver or lower-quality golds will give you problems.

As long as the bits resting against your skin are nickle-free, the rest of the earring can be whatever material you want.

Talk to your doctor. He or she might have something to recommend.

**Treasure** · 12-08-2010, 04:39 PM

Go with Titanium - its "virtually" nickle free surgical steel is not nickle free and will irritate,

apparently I'm odd in that I am allergic to GOLD - but can wear sterling silver w/ no problem (YAY!)

sometimes its just a matter of making sure the earring is clean - if you haven't worn them in a while they can get dust on them... a quick swipe with rubbing alcohol and you should be fine... also make sure you've cleaned the front and back of your ear before wearing earrings after a "flare up" of irritation - also, after one try and make sure all the fluid and or crust (from when the fluid dries) is gone, before putting in earrings.

also talk to a professional piercer - they may not know specifics about you, but they know their craft and have dealt with holes in the body a lot - they know what is ok, and what is not ok.

**Shangri-laschild** · 12-08-2010, 04:40 PM

Quoth ShinyGreenApple

Someone told me to use 14k gold only and they'd be less irritated, but I don't like gold. Would surgical steel work? And where is the best place to get them? I don't really like the hypo allergenic ones at Volde-Mart. Oh, and also, should I let this earlobe heal up as it is, or should I put a stud in it to keep the hole from closing? It's crazy, I've been pierced for over 10 years and this is the first time I'm having real problems with metal.

Quoth KiaKat

You may have developed a base metal allergy. Surgical steel should be ok, as long as it's not nickle-plated. Silver or lower-quality golds will give you problems.

I have this problem and even surgical steel sometimes gives me hell. It didn't start getting worse till I got older too. My piercer recommended niobium or titanium. I've heard it online recommended for people who can't even do surgical steel. Usually I can use it but sometimes it acts up and I think if I used something else, I would finally be able to get an eyebrow piercing to heal properly. I haven't tried it out yet. I ordered the wrong size and had to wait a while to repierce anyway. I know they were very nice about the ordering the wrong size issue. The website is leroi.com

**Lady Legira** · 12-08-2010, 05:54 PM

Quoth Treasure View Post

Go with Titanium - its "virtually" nickle free surgical steel is not nickle free and will irritate,

apparently I'm odd in that I am allergic to GOLD - but can wear sterling silver w/ no problem (YAY!)

You are not alone. My mum can only wear Sliver (and possibly titanium & platinum but they are a little expensive to find out

). She is also allergic to Wheat, turkey (Chicken for us every Christmas seems odd to have turkey) and so many other things it's unreal.

One doctor actually pretty much told her that it was impossible to be allergic to gold since it's a base metal. *le sigh* Thankfully they are better these days.

**zombiequeen** · 12-08-2010, 08:18 PM

Claire's has a TON of fun earrings that are hypoallergenic and nickel-free. Seriously, 99% of hubbs' and my earrings are from there. Lots of fun ones, and plain ones too.

**MaggieTheCat** · 12-08-2010, 09:48 PM

Surgical steel CAN be nickel free. I make jewelry and all the ear posts/wire I use are nickel free surgical steel because it's cheap and it doesn't irritate my ears, and I have sensitive ears (I can't wear nickel.) Niobium is also very high quality and should work well if you can find it.

**Squeaksmyalias** · 12-08-2010, 10:12 PM

I'm agreeing with everyone with the nickel free, you can find some really nice ones.
Actually my Mom developed a nickel allergy when she had me, who also has a nickel allergy. I'm to blame for her not being able to wear the expensive fancy jewelry. My Father thanked me for it.

**Andara Bledin** · 12-09-2010, 01:38 AM

I've had my ears pierced twice, but have no holes.

My ears won't heal with things in them. They don't get infected, they just won't close. Well, unless they include whatever is in them as part of them. >_<

^-.-^

**dalesys** · 12-09-2010, 02:50 AM

Quoth Andara Bledin View Post

My ears won't heal with things in them. They don't get infected, they just won't close. Well, unless they include whatever is in them as part of them.

You could be a frog: Some frogs pee out junk from their bodies
.

Apparently, their bladder grows to and around the foreign object.

**ShinyGreenApple** · 12-09-2010, 02:57 AM

Quoth Andara Bledin View Post

I've had my ears pierced twice, but have no holes.

My ears won't heal with things in them. They don't get infected, they just won't close. Well, unless they include whatever is in them as part of them. >_<

^-.-^

Gah, that's how my cartilage ones were this year. I had them done professionally with a needle and everything, I cried when I finally pulled them out. (Not least of all because it HURT!) I tried everything from triple antibiotic ointment (piercer recommended) to sea salt, they'd almost heal up and then get all crusty and swollen again.

**teh_blumchenkinder** · 12-09-2010, 04:58 AM

damn. Poor frogs... I'd rather have kidney stones...

**Food Lady** · 12-09-2010, 07:08 AM

Quoth ShinyGreenApple View Post

Gah, that's how my cartilage ones were this year. I had them done professionally with a needle and everything, I cried when I finally pulled them out. (Not least of all because it HURT!) I tried everything from triple antibiotic ointment (piercer recommended) to sea salt, they'd almost heal up and then get all crusty and swollen again.

You were treating it as a bacterial infection, which is understandable. But for some of us it's an allergy issue, which has to do with the immune system rather than outside forces like bacteria. I have allergies to nickel and brass. Some people are allergic to the alloys in gold. Pure, 24K gold probably wouldn't garner a reaction, but how often do you see it? Pure gold is too soft for jewelry. Try sterling silver or surgical steel to avoid the inferior metals. Otherwise, I don't know what you could wear.

**TelephoneAngel** · 12-09-2010, 12:26 PM

My friend who was allergic to some metal earring she wanted to wear was advised by the jeweller who pierced her ears to put a thin layer of clear nail varnish on the earring and try that as it acts as a barrier.Apparently it doesn't harm the metal and can't be detected on the earring.This was some years ago and i remember her telling me that but I dont recall if she tried it so I cant say if it works.

I don't have peirced ears I but i get wonderful clipped earrings at Claire's that look like pierced.

**Shangri-laschild** · 12-09-2010, 02:13 PM

Quoth TelephoneAngel

My friend who was allergic to some metal earring she wanted to wear was advised by the jeweller who pierced her ears to put a thin layer of clear nail varnish on the earring and try that as it acts as a barrier.Apparently it doesn't harm the metal and can't be detected on the earring.This was some years ago and i remember her telling me that but I dont recall if she tried it so I cant say if it works.

I don't have peirced ears I but i get wonderful clipped earrings at Claire's that look like pierced.

I do that to rings that would otherwise bother my fingers. It works well though never tried it on earings before.

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