Got the stones!! but question on screwbacks vs friction

[elle_chris]

Soo, I took the plunge and purchased two stones for studs (first stone and second stone ). Having them set in the 3 prong martinis. I'm not sure what kind of backings I should get though.

My ears are very sensitive. Taking them in and out is going to irritate my ears no matter how careful I am, so hoping to get something that's pretty easy to take on and off.

Do you spend more time fussing with screwbacks than friction? Are either more comfortable on the ears?

Appreciate your responses.

 

[mrssalvo]

I hated my screwbacks so I''d do the friction..no question.

 

[neatfreak]

I think it depends on what your ears are sensitive to. For me, my ears are really sensitive to pressure, so I actually like the screwbacks better because ultimately it puts less pressure on my earlobe once it''s on. With the friction backs they are easier to take on and off, but at the same time they press up against my lobe much closer, leaving less "breathing room" for my piercing. So for me, I actually think my screwbacks are better for my ears...

 

[elle_chris]

Thanks for the repiles.

mrssalvo- why did you hate the screwbacks?

neatfreak- the whole grabbing/pulling of my earlobe and piercing is what irritates it. But I''ve noticed that even after wearing earrings for awhile, out of the blue my lobes can become red and swollen.

 

[bebe]

I''ve gone back and forth on the friction vs screwback issue for several years.
Originally I had friction, but after chasing an earring across my shower floor, I concluded
screwbacks were the ultimate saftey answer. I also had problems with the earrings
"drooping down" so I had a tendency to tighten them up, hoping they would stand up
better. Of course, that practice led to red and swollen lobes. Can''t win, huh. Brian at WF
gave me plastic discs to put behind my ears, didn''t work because the screwback post
was too short and to get the earring to face up I had to screw the backs on real tight. Ouch.
Brian said I should revert back to friction, but with a jumbo back. Maybe so.

I always thought screwbacks were safer than friction. It made sense to me, but Brian said no.
In the near future I will replace the screwback with jumbo friction backs. But I know I will be
checking constantly to see in the stud is still in.

 

[elle_chris]

Date: 12/2/2008 10:23:37 AM
Author: bebe
I''ve gone back and forth on the friction vs screwback issue for several years.
Originally I had friction, but after chasing an earring across my shower floor, I concluded
screwbacks were the ultimate saftey answer. I also had problems with the earrings
''drooping down'' so I had a tendency to tighten them up, hoping they would stand up
better. Of course, that practice led to red and swollen lobes. Can''t win, huh. Brian at WF
gave me plastic discs to put behind my ears, didn''t work because the screwback post
was too short and to get the earring to face up I had to screw the backs on real tight. Ouch.
Brian said I should revert back to friction, but with a jumbo back. Maybe so.

I always thought screwbacks were safer than friction. It made sense to me, but Brian said no.
In the near future I will replace the screwback with jumbo friction backs. But I know I will be
checking constantly to see in the stud is still in.

So the friction ones were more comfortable to wear, less swelling etc?
I also had the misfortune of almost losing something in the bathroom. Was cleaning my pendant over the sink (drain open) and it slipped right through my fingers and got stuck on that metal piece that catches things. I ran downstairs in a panic looking for a maintenance worker. He came upstairs opened up the pipe under my sink and got it out that way. I nearly had a heart attack.

 

[MichelleCarmen]

My smaller studs are screw back and larger ones are friction. The screw backs hurt like crazy when I first put them in/take them out. After a while, my ears got use to them. I haven''t worn those for over a year and doubt I''d put them back in because I''m afraid my ears will hurt. Also, the threading on one of the earrings loosened up over time and I''d constantly have to check to make sure the back hadn''t slipped off.

My friction settings seems good. The only time the one nearly fell off was when my son was twisting around on my lap and his fingernail somehow got caught on the front of my earrings and when he moved his hand, the earring was particially yanked out of my ear. The friction kept it from coming off - the back settled into the groove. What are the odds that his fingernail would catch my earring? Kind of odd. . .

If you get your earrings insured and go with friction backs, I bet all will be good!

 

[mrssalvo]

I didn''t like the screw backs b/c the posts on my pair are thicker and it really bothered my ears. I don''t think my ears are overly sensitive either. after wearing them just a few hours my ears would hurt. The threading came loose on the pair I own too and I really need to have them reset.

I also had my jeweler do screwbacks for my daughters earrings b/c I thought they would be less likely to fall off. they are such a headache getting them on and off that I switched a couple of their nicer pairs to friction.

 

[elle_chris]

Thanks Mc,

I sent whiteflash an email asking for the friction backs and got reply no problem. she''s putting heavy friction backs in with the order.

I read "heavy" and thought wha??? just sent an email asking what that means.. lol

 

[elle_chris]

Date: 12/2/2008 12:19:46 PM
Author: mrssalvo
I didn''t like the screw backs b/c the posts on my pair are thicker and it really bothered my ears. I don''t think my ears are overly sensitive either. after wearing them just a few hours my ears would hurt. The threading came loose on the pair I own too and I really need to have them reset.

I also had my jeweler do screwbacks for my daughters earrings b/c I thought they would be less likely to fall off. they are such a headache getting them on and off that I switched a couple of their nicer pairs to friction.

oh, i didn''t know screwbacks had a thicker post. That''s a definite no no. Thanks for explaining.

 

[neatfreak]

Date: 12/2/2008 12:23:14 PM
Author: elle_chris

Date: 12/2/2008 12:19:46 PM

Author: mrssalvo

I didn''t like the screw backs b/c the posts on my pair are thicker and it really bothered my ears. I don''t think my ears are overly sensitive either. after wearing them just a few hours my ears would hurt. The threading came loose on the pair I own too and I really need to have them reset.


I also had my jeweler do screwbacks for my daughters earrings b/c I thought they would be less likely to fall off. they are such a headache getting them on and off that I switched a couple of their nicer pairs to friction.

oh, i didn''t know screwbacks had a thicker post. That''s a definite no no. Thanks for explaining.

Mine don''t...

 

[oldminer]

My wife took years to get used to threaded post backs. The sharpness of the threads really cut into her ears.

I suggest a great alternative if you don''t mind spending a few bucks extra. The earing backs are called "La Pousette" I think I have the spelling about right. They are smooth posts, just like friction, but the nut which holds them on has a hidden spring mechanism which grips a groove in the post VERY securely, but not in a "tight" way on the earlobe. They are very easy to put on or to remove, too.

Maybe this will hope some of you who have had problems. White gold posts tend to aggravate the skin more than yellow gold or platinum ones, too. Sometimes an alloy of some kinds of white gold can creat allergic reactions.

In the left column you can see a La Pousette back part way down the page. http://www.gsgold.com/cart/idxearrings.asp

 

[MichelleCarmen]

Date: 12/2/2008 12:42:22 PM
Author: neatfreak

Date: 12/2/2008 12:23:14 PM
Author: elle_chris

Date: 12/2/2008 12:19:46 PM

Author: mrssalvo

I didn't like the screw backs b/c the posts on my pair are thicker and it really bothered my ears. I don't think my ears are overly sensitive either. after wearing them just a few hours my ears would hurt. The threading came loose on the pair I own too and I really need to have them reset.


I also had my jeweler do screwbacks for my daughters earrings b/c I thought they would be less likely to fall off. they are such a headache getting them on and off that I switched a couple of their nicer pairs to friction.

oh, i didn't know screwbacks had a thicker post. That's a definite no no. Thanks for explaining.

Mine don't...

Mine do have a thicker post, but I also have a single diamond stud that's from my mom (she lost the other earring and gave me the one she has left). The post on that one is thinner.

 

[elle_chris]

they''re being set in platinum as white gold makes my skin itch and eventually i get a rash. has your wife had any problems with the La Pousette posts?

 

[Elmorton]

I love my screwbacks, but I never take my earrings out except to clean them (I am a bad PSer...this happens about once a week or every two, and yes, I know I''m not doing good things to them by wearing them 24/7). I feel like they''re very secure, and I don''t think twice about wearing them in the shower, swimming, etc. I have a thicker ear lobe and find that screwbacks are really comfortable - they never scoot up to be really tight. I will say that they do loosen and tighten slightly on their own, so that could be a problem for sensitive ears.

Biggest issue though - they''re a pain in the rear to take out/put back on. If you''re going to put them on and then take them off at night, I definitely recommend friction backs.

 

[Allison D.]

I''ve had screwbacks, La Pousette, and heavy friction backs, and of the three, I prefer the friction back.

My initial choice was screwback because I thought they''d be the best way to prevent loss. Not so....over time, the threads wear down and I actually did lose backs on not one but TWO screwback earrings!

I then went to La Pousette. They were indeed secure, but I found them difficult to put on/take off for quite a while until they became a bit more "broken in". I never did experience loss with them, but I ultimately moved away from them because the back has to sit in the spring, which left room for the earring studs to droop since they didn''t sit close to the back of the ear.

I''ve worn friction backs for a few years now, and I''ve not had any loss. They sit close enough to my ears, but don''t sit so close as to pinch the lobes. By far, I prefer the heavy friction backs.

 

[oldminer]

Alj;

I agree with you, but if you were to have had a good jeweler fit the length of the LaPosette back to the proper thickness of your earlobe, you would have had them perfectly tight with no wiggle room as you experienced. The jeweler has to cut the post length to the exact needs of each client with these special backs. It is more complex and the spring does need a break-in period, but they are especially good when all else fails.

 

[bgray]

wow-the stones look amazing! congrats. have you considering having them on very very short wires with a lever back. thats what i did as my ears arre terribly senstive and i like the stone dropped a tad so it isnt sitting right against my ear

 

[elle_chris]

Thanks everyone for the help, appreciated.

bgray- THANKS!

I have considered leverbacks as they''re pretty easy to get on and off and the backs wouldn''t be pressing against my lobe. But I decided to go with the friction backs for now. If they irritate too much, i''m gonna switch to the leverbacks.

 

[bgray]

cant wait for pix!