Why Do My Ears Itch When I Wear Earrings

While wearings earrings everyone wants to feel beautiful.

But sometimes things don’t end up the way we want them, earrings can become your worst nightmare if it starts itching your ears. 

If you are here then chances are that you must already be suffering from this. 

Now you might be wondering, ‘why do my ears itch when I wear earrings?’ 

The answer to this is clear, you have sensitive ears or you may have an allergy to that particular metal. 

If you thought that allergies are reserved for the food we eat then you are wrong, even metals can give you allergies. 

But what now?

Should you throw those earrings out? 

Maybe yes and maybe no. 

There are some fixes to it but they are not forever. 

In this blog, we will take a deeper look into why your ears itch when you wear an earring and will also talk about methods that you can use to stop that itching. 

Why do my ears itch when I wear earrings? 

If your ears itch while wearing an earring then there can be one of two reasons, you either are allergic to a certain metal or you have developed an infection due to improper piercing care.

Let us look into them one by one. 

1. Nickel allergy

Nickel allergy is one of the most common allergies that a person with sensitive ears can have. 

It simply is that your ears hate nickel and that is why the moment you put on a nickel earring your ears start to itch. 

Nickel is present in almost every alloy earring, especially the cheap ones.

If you think that nickel is the reason behind your itch then it would be best to ditch nickel earrings and switch to hypoallergenic earrings

How do I test myself for nickel allergy? 

You don’t need to conduct any special test for testing for nickel allergy, if wearing nickel earrings gives you rashes, bumps, itch, redness, burn, blister, etc then chances are that you got a nickel allergy.

How do I know if my earrings are nickel free? 

You can easily tell whether there is nickel in your earrings or not by conducting a simple test with the help of a nickel spot kit. 

Nickel spot kits are readily available online.

You just need to take a drop of test solution on an ear swab and rub it on your earrings. If the swab turns pink then it shows that there is nickel in your earring. 

2. Allergy with other metals

Not only nickel but other metals can also be the reason for the itch in your ears. 

It was found that a hypoallergenic metal like gold can also be the reason for itching though cases like these are rare still there are chances. 

Every person is different and can develop an allergy to anything. 

In a case like this observe which metal gives you the itching and then avoid earrings made out of that metal. 

3. Not cleaning your earrings or ears

Sometimes your earrings are not at fault but you are.

If you are not cleaning your earrings and piercing regularly you can develop a fungal infection which can be a reason for the itching. 

Make sure to wash your pierced hole with soap and water every time you bathe, also wash and sanitize your earrings 2 to 3 times a week. 

4. Cheap earrings 

Cheap earrings contain metals that can irritate your skin. Metals like nickel, copper, etc can give an itch to your ears, and an alloy of these metals are present in abundance in cheap earrings.

If you have sensitive ears then it is best not to use cheap earrings and go for hypoallergenic or nickel-free earrings like earrings made of gold, sterling silver, platinum, etc. 

Why your ears are so sensitive? 

Sensitive ears are not a disease, and frankly, there is no particular reason why your ears are so sensitive.

Everybody is built differently and everyone has one sensitive organ in them, it’s just that yours’ are your ears. 

There is nothing to panic about, however, if you get some serious infection then you should get some medical assistance. 

People can get itching and redness in minutes if they wear earrings that have metals they are allergic to, figuring out which metal works for you and which doesn’t is a matter of trial and error.

Best earrings for sensitive ears

So you got sensitive ears? 

Does this mean you can’t wear earrings?

No! 

There are earrings, especially for you. You need to keep one thing in mind.

Since nickel is the most common cause of itching for sensitive ears you need to find earrings that are marked ‘nickel-free’.

If you have ultra-sensitive ears then even hypoallergenic earrings can cause you itching and this is because some hypoallergenic earrings do have nickel in their post but it is coated with a layer of gold or silver. However, with time this layer will corrode off exposing nickel to your ultra-sensitive ears, which will lead to itching.

Sellers claim it to be hypoallergenic. The definition of hypoallergenic can vary from jeweler to jeweler. Hence, it is best to ask your jeweler about the presence of nickel in the earrings. 

If your ears are not very sensitive then hypoallergenic earrings will work fine. 

The metals that are your ear’s best friends are.

  • 14k gold or above.
  • 925 sterling silver.
  • Titanium.
  • Stainless steel.
  • Niobium. 

Earrings made out of these metals will not give you an itch, but make sure to clean them regularly else the build-up on them will cause the itching. 

How to make a pair of earrings hypoallergenic? 

Sometimes you can’t avoid wearing an earring even though you know it will give you an itch.

It may be a gift, or maybe it is too adorable to not wear. 

Whatever the case may be we have two quick fixes for you.

The effect of these quick fixes will wear off after a use or two but they are handy and can save your precious earrings and your sensitive ears. 

1. Use vaseline

Coat the post of the earrings with vaseline and then wear them. 

What this will do is it will peroxide your earrings, which will prevent itching till the time vaseline wears off. 

After vaseline wears off you have to do it again and again.

A quick fix with little effort. 

2. Jewelry shield

This is rather a durable hack. 

Jewelry shields are easily available online, you can order them. 

They are liquid that you can apply on the post of your earrings to prevent them from causing an itch.

You have to apply multiple coats but the coats will wear off after some hours.

Parting words.

And that’s it.

This was all about why your ears itch when you wear earrings plus the ways to counter it. 

Sensitive ears are problematic but it is what it is, they are your ears and you have to embrace them.

However, you are not out of options, just have the knowledge of what to wear and what not to and you will be good to go. 

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