allergic to 14k ...need platinum earrings?

[sdkitty]

I've had pierced ears for many many years. Although I'm allergic to nickle, my ears were healed to the point where I was able to wear 14k gold or silver earrings (no gold plate). I've accumulated a nice collection of high quality native american silver jewelry. This past January I decided to get my ears re-pierced so the hole would be more centered on my ear lobe. Mistake! I can't get them to heal now. Today I went to the dermatologist (primarily for another issue) and asked him about my problem with ears. He told me I should get platinum or 24K gold earrings.

1st question: where to get at good price? 2nd question: anyone else had this problem? I'm hoping that someday my ears will be healed to the point where I can wear my silver earrings again (I also have some nice silver bracelets and this earring situation is making it harder for me to wear them). But in case they I can't ever wear silver earrings, has anyone had a jewler replace silver or gold wires with platinum or 24K gold?
Any help would be appreciated.

[CastoCreations]

14k gold is only 50something% gold. 24k gold is pure gold. It's not the gold you're allergic to - it's the other metals mixed in with the 14k to make it harder.

You may even be able to wear fine silver which is pure silver. Most people who are allergic to sterling silver are only allergic to the other metals added to sterling to make it harder (sterling is only 92.7% silver).

What kind of earrings do you wear? Posts? Leverbacks? French Hooks? I've replaced a lot of my mom's earrings because she prefers Leverbacks to french hooks. It's fairly easy to replace them - but it depends on the earring design as well.

I suggest trying fine silver as an alternative as well - it sounds like it's the purity of the metals that you need.

[claireZk]

I have this problem too. 24k gold is the only thing that never irritates my ears. I have pearls with 24k posts that I wear whenever I feel like my ears are getting infected. I just clean my ears with alcohol, put a tiny bit of neosporin on the posts and wear them for a few days. I also find that leaving my earrings in, wearing mostly studs, and turning my earings a couple times a week helps prevent infection.

The first time my ears were pierced, they used earrings with surgical steel posts. My ears got so infected, a Dr had to remove the earrings using surgical tools. It was truly disgusting. The second time, a jeweler pierced them using 24k earrings, which my mother made me leave in for about 6 months. They healed fine that time, but my ears are just sensitive and there's nothing I can do about it. Silver isn't that bad for me. Some of my silver earrings I can leave in for weeks, but I couldn't have done that when my ears were first pierced.

[sdkitty]

Originally Posted by CastoCreations

14k gold is only 50something% gold. 24k gold is pure gold. It's not the gold you're allergic to - it's the other metals mixed in with the 14k to make it harder. You may even be able to wear fine silver which is pure silver. Most people who are allergic to sterling silver are only allergic to the other metals added to sterling to make it harder (sterling is only 92.7% silver). What kind of earrings do you wear? Posts? Leverbacks? French Hooks? I've replaced a lot of my mom's earrings because she prefers Leverbacks to french hooks. It's fairly easy to replace them - but it depends on the earring design as well. I suggest trying fine silver as an alternative as well - it sounds like it's the purity of the metals that you need.

Thanks...I wear some post earrings but mostly wires of various design....some have the wire directly soldered to the earring. Guess I'll buy some 24K or platinum, try to get fully healed and then try again to wear my other earrings. I'm going to Costco today and they have some of the best prices on fine jewelry. Maybe they will have some plain hoops.

[sweetbee]

I have similar problems too...the most irritating thing is that you can't wear all those cheap and cute earrings(saves me money i guess lol)...I have some silver ones but I only wear them occasionally for a few hours each time, and the rest of the time I wear the same pair of 18k white gold small hoops...even in shower and at night. I'm quite picky when it comes to designs and I can rarely find white gold earrings that both look good and are relatively cheap....for 24k I imagine it's even harder.

[sdkitty]

Originally Posted by sweetbee

I have similar problems too...the most irritating thing is that you can't wear all those cheap and cute earrings(saves me money i guess lol)...I have some silver ones but I only wear them occasionally for a few hours each time, and the rest of the time I wear the same pair of 18k white gold small hoops...even in shower and at night. I'm quite picky when it comes to designs and I can rarely find white gold earrings that both look good and are relatively cheap....for 24k I imagine it's even harder.

Thanks Sweetbee....Do you find the 18k white gold easier to wear vs. 18k yellow? I was just talking to a jeweler who has some 24 k yellow gold but they're $550. Platinium he said would be substantially more. He also has some surgical steel earrings that he says are very nice. Another local jeweler told me he has some German jewelry in 14 and 18k and that they don't add nickel to their gold....
Jeweler #1 said he could also convert gold post to platinum but can't do with wires as platinum is too soft. Guess I'll pay him a visit and see what he has.

[bnjj]

I have this problem as well. 10K, 14K and sterling silver earrings make my ears really, really sore. I find my two pairs of diamond studs set in 14k to be the hardest on my ears. I usually just suffer it out and will take my earrings out for a few days every once in a while to give my ears a much needed break.

[violinistgirl]

Hmm, sorry to hear about that! I had a similar experience with my navel piercing back in college:

The original piece was surgical steel. I replaced that with 18K gold, without improvement. The tattoo/piercing guy said to go with titanium, like what they use in hip replacements. Forget that. By that time, I'd spent more money than I wanted to and scratched my skin to the point it was raw and bleeding. I was just fed up with my body--and it with me, too--so I called it quits.

Anyway, my ears do fine with those simple, relatively affordable nickel-free/hypoallergenic earrings they sell at places like Macy's. It's written on the packaging itself.

Good luck! Let us know what works!

[sdkitty]

Thanks for the input ladies. The doctor did give me some new meds...I'll try that and I have a call in to the guy who sold us my engagement ring diamond to see what he can do on 24K or platinum. Mainly I'm bummed that I may never be able to wear my hand crafted Indian jewelry again w/o getting irritated. And my piercings want to close over night. But right now I've been able to keep the right ear hold open w/o an earring overnight and I'm wearing hoop earring on left ear. Will let you know what I learn if I buy platinum or 24K or surgical steel.

[risingsun]

You have my sympathies!! I had my "second" holes pierced again this summer and have had nothing but trouble ever since I've been on antibiotics numerous times. What a mess!! I can wear 18k wg, which is mixed with a palladium alloy. HOF uses this in their wg settings, but their jewelry is very pricey. I'm in the process of ordering a small pair of diamond studs to keep in the piercings, so they remain open. I'm having them set in platinum. Currently, I'm wearing cheap and cheesy earrings, because I have no other options. My regular diamond studs are too heavy for the new piercings. I had a pair of diamond huggies made, but they were too tight and my ear lobes turned purple. Back they go to the jeweler. They were pretty, too. These piercings have been very painful and expensive

[CastoCreations]

Ouch! $550? For 24k gold? What style? I know things get marked up but that seems a bit much. Unless they are diamond too.

Take some photos of your current Indian jewelry. I may be able to replace some of the parts - or if not me someone could. It would be sad to not be able to wear them anymore.

I know that when I got my second holes they got horribly infected and never did heal. I wish I could have two holes. :(

[sdkitty]

Originally Posted by risingsun

You have my sympathies!! I had my "second" holes pierced again this summer and have had nothing but trouble ever since I've been on antibiotics numerous times. What a mess!! I can wear 18k wg, which is mixed with a palladium alloy. HOF uses this in their wg settings, but their jewelry is very pricey. I'm in the process of ordering a small pair of diamond studs to keep in the piercings, so they remain open. I'm having them set in platinum. Currently, I'm wearing cheap and cheesy earrings, because I have no other options. My regular diamond studs are too heavy for the new piercings. I had a pair of diamond huggies made, but they were too tight and my ear lobes turned purple. Back they go to the jeweler. They were pretty, too. These piercings have been very painful and expensive

Sounds like you are experiencing very similar situation to mine. I called back and asked the doctor if (since 24K and platinum were so expensive and hard to find) I could try 18k or surgical steel....he said No. I don't understand how you're able to wear "cheap and cheesy"earrings. Are they gold?

[sdkitty]

Originally Posted by CastoCreations

Ouch! $550? For 24k gold? What style? I know things get marked up but that seems a bit much. Unless they are diamond too. Take some photos of your current Indian jewelry. I may be able to replace some of the parts - or if not me someone could. It would be sad to not be able to wear them anymore. I know that when I got my second holes they got horribly infected and never did heal. I wish I could have two holes. :(

I didn't see the $550 earrings...they told me on the phone; I think they said they were very nice gold earrings...no diamonds. I'm not too good with the camera but I'll keep your offer in mind. Thanks.

I think if I'm diligent and wear only gold eventually they will heal...problem is partly that when they they seemed like they were pretty much healed, I wore the silver and they got messed up again. And more recently the left one got messed up somehow w/o me doing anything....maybe I was too rough putting an earring in. Uugh! So sorry I didn't just leave them with the old holes.

[risingsun]

Originally Posted by sdkitty

Sounds like you are experiencing very similar situation to mine. I called back and asked the doctor if (since 24K and platinum were so expensive and hard to find) I could try 18k or surgical steel....he said No. I don't understand how you're able to wear "cheap and cheesy"earrings. Are they gold?

Oddly enough, they are stainless [not even surgical stainless] studs, that are used for ear piercing at the mall. Why this doesn't bother my ears, I have no idea. My ears are very sensitive and this last round of piercings has done them in!! The holes are in danger of closing up if I leave the earrings out for even a short period of time...that's why I had to have them repierced

[sdkitty]

Originally Posted by risingsun

Oddly enough, they are stainless [not even surgical stainless] studs, that are used for ear piercing at the mall. Why this doesn't bother my ears, I have no idea. My ears are very sensitive and this last round of piercings has done them in!! The holes are in danger of closing up if I leave the earrings out for even a short period of time...that's why I had to have them repierced

You sound more and more like me...at night if I take my earrings out the holes will start to close (or swell?). Maybe I should trying buying some surgical steel earrings. It would be much cheaper than platinum and it would go with my silver bracelets. Have you tried surgical steel? One of the jewelers (reputable, pretty nice store, been there for a long time) said has a line of hypo allergic earrings (surgical steel, I guess)...maybe I'll pay him a visit.