No More Irritation: Your Guide to the Best Earrings for Sensitive Ears

Many people take for granted the ability to wear whatever jewelry they want. Those earrings look cute with your outfit? Perfect. Put them on and go. Love those hoops on display? Awesome -- buying them now! But not everyone is so lucky. For people with skin allergies, it can be hard to find the best earrings for sensitive ears.

Whether you’re buying for yourself or someone else, shopping for the perfect pair of earrings should feel fun and not like a chore. Knowing what to look for can be half the battle. So, with that in mind, here are some tips and tricks on how to find the best earrings for sensitive ears.

Why are My Ears So Sensitive?

If your ears get red and itchy when you wear earrings, it most likely means that you are allergic to a metal in the earring posts. The most common metal allergy people have is to nickel. According to experts, repeated exposure can even increase the risk of developing an allergy at any age.

Some people with sensitive ears can still wear any earrings for a short amount of time. However, for others, even a very tiny amount of a metal they are sensitive to will cause a reaction. It all depends on your level of sensitivity.

What are the Best Earrings for Sensitive Ears?

Since the most common cause of sensitive ears is likely a nickel allergy, the first thing to do is avoid earrings that have nickel in the posts. Don’t just assume that earrings marked hypoallergenic will work. Although this means they are less likely to cause an allergic reaction, there is unfortunately no standard in the jewelry industry when it comes to what hypoallergenic means.

To be safe, the best earrings for sensitive ears are ones marked nickel-free. Some earrings are called hypoallergenic because the nickel in their posts are coated with another material, but over time, the coating can come off, and repeated wear may still irritate your ears.

The best earrings for sensitive ears are generally made with gold, platinum, or silver. Make sure you buy earrings that are 14k gold or above or sterling silver 925 to avoid the possibility of nickel being mixed in. However, you might want to steer clear of pure 24k gold unless you’re sensitive to even the most minute amounts of nickel because of how soft and malleable the metal is.

Other materials that work for sensitive ears include stainless steel, titanium, plastic, and niobium. However, some of these materials are cheaper and more breakable, and can be more difficult to find.

How to Make Any Pair of Earrings Hypoallergenic

If you have a pair of earrings that you just absolutely love but just can’t wear without getting a reaction, here are a couple of tricks that you can try to make them tolerable.

The best solution is to paint the posts with a couple of coats of clear nail polish. After the polish dries, it will create a barrier between the nickel in the earrings and your ears. You will have to reapply the polish periodically if you plan to wear them more than a few times.

If you’re in a hurry, clean the earrings with hydrogen peroxide and then apply a couple coats of Vaseline. Be aware, however, that this will likely only work for a couple of hours before you have to reapply the jelly again.

Invest in Earrings You’ll Wear Again and Again with Rogers Jewelry Co.

If you want to be one hundred percent sure of what materials your earrings are made of, let our experts at Rogers Jewelry Co. guide you. A pair of fine jewelry earrings, from say, a trusted brand like Hearts on Fire, is a sound investment for you or someone you love, especially if you have sensitive ears.

We can help you find a pair that you will adore and want to continue wearing for a long time. Check out our selection online or visit one of our stores today!