Ever since I was a baby, I’ve had my ears pierced. My first piercings were done before I could even talk. But, one of the problems I’ve encountered my whole life is sensitivity to certain types of metal. If I wear anything other than real gold, my ears become red, inflamed, itchy and irritated. So, what’s a girl to do?
The easiest thing to do is buy earrings that don’t irritate your ears. But, if you aren’t able to do that there are a few other things you can do.
Do some tests. Experiment with various types of metals. Perhaps only one type of metal irritates your ears and others don’t. Then you know what to look for. One common irritant is nickel. If you can’t help but wear earrings containing an irritating metal (like I sometimes do), limit the amount of time you wear your earrings. Usually six to eight hours is my threshold.
Here’s one trick: before you put on your earrings, cover the post or loop in Vaseline. Vaseline provides a coating on the earring, moisturizes your skin and cuts down on the metal having such an intense effect on your ears. Though I haven’t tried it, I believe products like coconut oil or Neosporin would offer the same benefits.
If you’re already experiencing irritation, make sure you have take care of your ears. I usually clean my ear lobes with some rubbing alcohol or Bactine on a cotton ball. Then, just one of the products I mention to moisturize and heal the irritation.
Do you have sensitivity to certain metals? How do you prevent or soothe irritation?
