Have you recently gotten some earring hooks and developed an allergic reaction? Don’t fret as it’s fairly common for individuals to develop allergies from the metal within earring hooks.
Here, we’ll provide you with all the details you need to know about hypoallergenic earring hooks and metal allergies. We’ll give you some recommendations, and provide some tips on how to avoid getting a metal allergy.
Let’s get started!
What are some symptoms of an earring hook allergy?
If you’re allergic to the metal from the earring hooks, the symptoms are similar to any other type of allergic reaction. How it works is that your skin picks up the little molecules of metal that can travel to your lymph nodes. If you’re allergic, your body will automatically develop an immune response to this foreign invader, and the response can range from mild to severe.
Some of the symptoms include:
- Redness
- Itchiness
- Swelling or a rash
- Skin blistering or scaling
If your earlobes turn red and itchy every time you wear your earring hooks, there’s a high chance that you’ve probably got an earring allergy.
Below we’ll talk a little more about how you can tell if you’re allergic to those pesky earring hooks.
How can you tell if you’re allergic to your earring hooks?
The first thing you should do is to test your metal items and see if they contain nickel. Do this by getting a nickel-testing kit from your dermatologist or pharmacist. It’s simple to use as all you’ve got to do is mix the bottles in the kit with your earring hooks and if nickel is present it’ll turn pink.
Don’t worry about these chemicals harming your earring hooks because they won’t!
If you’ve determined that your earring hooks have nickel, it’s time to see if you’ve got a nickel allergy. To do this, your dermatologist will just need to perform a skin patch test. Otherwise, you may be allergic to another type of metal.
How to minimise allergies to your earring hooks
The below are some ways you can minimise getting an allergic reaction to your earring hooks:
- Purchase earring hooks made from other materials such as palladium, silver, and other white metals. Pure silver or sterling silver earring hooks are also a great choice
- If you’re having your ears or other parts of your body pierced, have it done with a stainless steel needle
- If possible, specifically look for hypoallergenic jewellery that’s made of stainless steel, sterling silver, or even polycarbonate plastic
- If you’ve got a pair of nickel earring hooks that you absolutely adore, just add some plastic covers to help with protecting your ears and avoiding direct contact.
Is it always because of metal?
Allergic reactions to earrings may not always be due to a specific metal, other reasons for the reaction could be caused by:
- Irritant contact dermatitis that may be a result of friction, along with surface particles on the metal and non-metal components of the earring hooks (such as dirt).
- The area that your ears have been pierced could have been infected and hence resulting in oozing and crusting.
What are some great hypoallergenic earring hooks?
If you’re allergic to your earring hooks, it’s time to purchase some gorgeous hypoallergenic earring hooks to add to your collection instead. The products below will help get you started!
Beadaholique
These ball and coil earrings are a great hypoallergenic alternative as they’re made from surgical steel. They’ll also look great on your ears and are made with amazing quality at an inexpensive price.
GOLD
SILVER
Arret
This beautiful collection of gold, rose-gold and silver earring hoops are all made from 925 sterling silver. They are hypoallergenic and come with rubber earring backs.
Pure Titanium Hooks
These pure titanium ear hooks that are both nickel and lead-free. They come in a natural gray color, and are free from any artificial coatings or colors – perfect for your ears!
