Choosing the perfect earrings goes beyond finding a cute look or great deal. The material of the earring – especially the earring post or hook – is perhaps one of the first things you should consider when buying earrings.
The materials and metal that the earring is made out of can potentially cause problems for some jewelry wearers. If you have certain metal allergies or even just sensitive skin, then you’ll really want to pay attention to what’s in your earrings. Shopping for hypoallergenic earrings will be the key to your health and comfort.
How do I know if I have a metal allergy?
Metal allergies occur when the metal in question is in contact with your skin. Signs that you have a sensitivity or allergy to a metal could include redness, swelling, blistering, or pain in the affected area.
What metals are hypoallergenic for earrings?
Titanium
This is the most biocompatible element, with less than 0.6% of people being allergic to it. It’s even approved for medical grade implants, so you know it’s safe for piercings!
Niobium
This pure metal is naturally non-allergenic, making it perfect for people with sensitive skin. It does not require a metal plating or coating, meaning that there’s even less chance that you’ll run into a niobium earring with irritating elements involved.
Platinum
Platinum is also biocompatible as it is non-reactive. It’s a beautiful, long-lasting metal, but it is more expensive than most other jewelry materials.
Is gold or silver safe for earrings?
Many common metals like gold, silver, copper, and brass are safe for most people, but may not work for people with sensitivities or allergies.
Gold
Gold in jewelry is commonly alloyed, meaning it’s mixed with other materials that may make it unsafe for people with skin sensitivities. However, if you can confirm that your gold jewelry is 14k or higher, nickel-free, and alloyed for biocompatibility, then you should be good to go.
Silver
Pure silver is hypoallergenic but is too soft and pliable to make jewelry, so it often needs to be alloyed with other metals. Those other metals can cause reactions.
Brass
While affordable, brass is commonly alloyed with nickel, making it unsuitable for people with sensitive skin.
Copper
Similar to silver, pure copper is not associated with skin sensitivities, but since pure copper is an extra-soft metal, it is often alloyed with other metals that are not safe for skin.
What metals should I avoid if I have sensitive skin?
Nickel
Nickel is the main culprit when it comes to metal irritation or allergies. 10-20% of people have a nickel allergy. Nickel is commonly found in jewelry because it is durable and malleable. While it won’t necessarily cause problems for people without nickel allergies, prolonged contact with nickel can actually lead to a person’s skin becoming sensitive to it.
Alloys
Alloys are not a specific metal. As mentioned above, they’re a material that is created when more than one metal, or a metal and non-metal material, is combined. While this can improve the durability of your earring, it can also cause problems for people with sensitive skin, as the materials included in the alloy may not be biocompatible. For this reason, you always want to seek our pure, unalloyed metals.
Where can I buy affordable hypoallergenic earrings?
Here at EarFleek, we are dedicated to not only providing fashionable, affordable earrings, but also ones that you can wear safely and comfortably. For this reason, we only provide hypoallergenic earrings free of nickel.
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