Help with hoop/stud to hang cheap earrings from as allergic

[chel180]

Help needed!

I haven't worn earrings for the last year or so, as my holes were going black but I have a large collection of silver/fashion earrings/low karat gold earrings that I would like to wear. Mainly the dangle kind.

I don't know which alloy it is that is making me react as I wear plenty of other low carat white gold and silver jewellery without any reactions.

I was thinking of either going for some small huggy type earrings (I would need to add a jump ring to most of my cheap earrings but thats doable)
http://www.bluenile.com/mini-hoop-diamond-earrings-14k-white-gold_32343?track=sior but in 18kt or plat.

OR

some Niobium (supposedly inert) ear wires that will allow me to just slide my earrings onto them.
http://www.etsy.com/listing/89337037/4-pairs-stylish-20-gauge-colorful?ref=af_you_favitem

Does any one else have this problem?
What would make me react less 18kt white gold, platinum or niobium or something else entirely?
Any other type of earring/finding that I could use?

 

[chel180]

Re: Help with hoop/stud to hang cheap earrings from as aller

Fiddlesticks, wrong page. Already asked mods to move.

 

[chrono]

Re: Help with hoop/stud to hang cheap earrings from as aller

Since this will be moved, I might as well reply here. Without knowing the alloys that you are allergic to, your safest choice is to pick as pure a metal as possible to lower your risk i.e. platinum, 22kt or pure gold, sterling silver, stainless steel and the like. I don't think I would do 18k gold because the gold content is barely above 50%, leaving the other 50% made up of other alloys that you don't know if you are reactive to.

 

[chel180]

Re: Help with hoop/stud to hang cheap earrings from as aller

Thanks chrono. I did used to wear a lot of sterling silver earrings. It could be that or one of the other metals I wore, I just don't know.

I think I am going to struggle to get earrings in any higher kt than 18. And then I would have to worry about durability. I think platinum is usually 95% pure so maybe that would be a decent choice as easy to buy.

hmmm

 

[chrono]

Re: Help with hoop/stud to hang cheap earrings from as aller

I wear 22kt and 24kt gold earrings everyday all day long, never removing them except for the occasional cleaning. You'd be surprised how durable they are because there is very little "action" at the ears. You are correct that they aren't easy to find unless you shop at Asian stores (Middle Eastern, Chinese, Indian, etc) or very high end Western jewellery stores.

 

[Catmom]

Re: Help with hoop/stud to hang cheap earrings from as aller

chel180, I wouldn't go 18K gold either. I am currently having some sort of reaction to my ER and band which is 18K. It's strange because I'm not reacting anywhere else except on my left ring finger. I would go with a purer gold or platinum.

 

[chel180]

Re: Help with hoop/stud to hang cheap earrings from as aller

This is the sort of set up I am going for:
or or

I would consider spending a bit more a buying some diamond studs but then I'd have the problem of having a cheap metal jump ring next to my ear piercing, even if not thru it.

It also just occurred to me that high karat gold is only going to come in yellow as its the alloys that turn it white and I need white colored wires. Maybe high karat gold would be an idea for the future if I venture out other colors but for now I really need a white solution.

 

[Lady_Disdain]

Re: Help with hoop/stud to hang cheap earrings from as aller

Since this will be moved, I might as well reply here. Without knowing the alloys that you are allergic to, your safest choice is to pick as pure a metal as possible to lower your risk i.e. platinum, 22kt or pure gold, sterling silver, stainless steel and the like. I don't think I would do 18k gold because the gold content is barely above 50%, leaving the other 50% made up of other alloys that you don't know if you are reactive to.

Chrono- 18k gold is 75% gold (18 parts out of 24). 14k is barely over 50%.

 

[chrono]

Re: Help with hoop/stud to hang cheap earrings from as aller

Lady D,
You are correct; my mind was thinking 14K for some reason. I am also highly biased in the first place with regards to gold and to me, anything lower than 22k isn't really gold. (and this is coming from someone who owns several 18K custom pieces).

 

[Gabriellehb]

Re: Help with hoop/stud to hang cheap earrings from as aller

I have only started wearing earrings again after 30 years due to allergies. The main culprit will be nickel so yellow gold, rose gold and platinum, sterling silver are ok but some formulations of white gold are not. I have my grandmother's engagement ring which is white gold while it is not as problematic as earrings with nikel I will have to get it remade some day probably in platinum.

 

[chel180]

Re: Help with hoop/stud to hang cheap earrings from as aller

My favourite earrings were 14k white gold so I guess I wore those most. Is nickel the most likely culprit to by black ears?

 

[MrsAkin]

Re: Help with hoop/stud to hang cheap earrings from as aller

Hi,

I sometimes wear fashion jewelry at home and they really hurt my ears. Why don't you coat the cheap ones in clear nail polish? It seems to work for me.

 

[Akvileja]

Re: Help with hoop/stud to hang cheap earrings from as aller

Blomdahl is a company that makes earrings in medical graded titanium and they have a system where you use one of their hooks or posts and add your old earring. This is the same idea as the Niobium hooks you posted.
http://www.blomdahlusa.com/blomdahl-safety-ear-hooks.html

 

[Euphony]

Re: Help with hoop/stud to hang cheap earrings from as aller

Are you set on a white metal? That is an important question. 18k yellow should pose no problem as it is very rare people have issues with the copper and silver alloying it at that small an amount. Nickle is going to be a potential problem in white gold of any karat. The main problem with nickle is that the allergy actually worsens with exposure.

Stainless steel has nickle too unless it is surgical grade steel. Most mass produced body jewellery is, but I just wanted to mention anyway because I have seen people react to steel jewellery more than once so you should make sure it is surgical steel if you go that root.

Niobium is a good choice if you can find a design in it you like. It is a nice metal with a weight similar to silver and a nice purple-ish grey tone when unanodized. Platinum is always a great choice. The fact that you don't react to all silver what me suspect there is something up with the pieces you do react to and that most silver won't actually be an issue.

ETA: Titanium is safe too. It has a low density, so will feel very light compared to other metals you have worn. Whether that is a pro or con is a matter of opinion.