My poor ear lobes!

Hello, I make and sell jewellery including earrings.

I use sterling silver in the main for earring fittings as it is hypo allergenic. Although I'm not an expert in skin reactions to different metals, I don't used nickel at all.

If you haven't worn earrings for some time, it's possible you'll get a reaction to the metal even if you didn't react to them before.

If you feel the metal fittings are too big for the holes in your ears, you could change them for new ones and buy from companies that specialise in jewellery making supplies. A good one is 'Spoilt Rotten Beads'. You could visit a jeweller who could replace them, or find someone who can.

Just some thoughts - hope you'll be able to wear your jewellery again soon!

I had a similar problem and found if I put a tiny bit of antiseptic cream on the post they went in OK and no soreness. After a few days I didn't need the cream.

Stick to earrings with surgical steel, gold or silver hooks to avoid allergies. Allergic reactions are usually due to nickel in the metal.

The problem is most likely caused because you haven't worn earrings for a long time, so the holes have become narrower than they were. Do you have a pair of sleepers, either rings you can turn all the way through the holes, or pins? If so, rub them in Vaseline to make it easier to get them into your ears and turn them three or four times a day, exactly as we did when the holes were new.

For those of you with nickel allergy, please tell your Dr if you are have a knee replacement as they have to give you special one.

Sounds as if you might be allergic; unfortunately you might have developed an allergy to the metal in the years that you haven't been wearing earrings. Someone I know used to paint clear nail polish over the hooks, that seemed to work for her, and some stores (M and S was one ) sold earrings advertised as 'non allergic' metal - whatever that might be!

Try painting the bit that goes through your ear with clear nail varnish. Two coats should do it. Works for me.

It sounds like an allergy. Allergies vary with age.

You could replace the hooks with gold ones. They are usually fine. Try silver too, it is often okay. Spare hooks can be bought on line. I can't suggest anything for studs, I'm afraid.

I have had this trouble and now put a little disinfectant first aid cream on the earing and a little on the hole ....works a treat

Available in www.expatshop.co.za/Germolene-antiseptic-20g

59 ZAR =3.66359 EUR

Also online from many other South African sellers - try Googling Germolene and South Africa. The airmail postage may (or may not?) be part of the £35.90 quoted in the Amazon listing, but the cost of that ought to be made clear on the sites before you buy. By sea it could take 14 weeks. By then the berry bugs would not be a problem.

Until 2014 you could still get the thick oil-bases ointment (but in a tube with some yellow printed on it) as well as the thinner waterbased one (in an all-pink tube)
Bayer bought the rights to Germolene and then it stopped being available here. Someone said that the the originator in Sweden or Norway would not sell on the rights on take over.

It was apparently still available in a supermarket in South Africa recently for about 3 or 4 pounds, but if you don't mind paying £35.90 you can buy it from www.amazon.co.uk/Germolene-Ointment-Antiseptic-Abrasions-Blisters/dp/B016APTXTM/ref=sr_1_1_a_it?keywords=Germolene+ointment&tag=gransnetforum-21&ie=UTF8&qid=1533974245&sr=8-1

Gift-wrap available. Ask Santa for it?

I'm another with a nickel allergy, so I get hooks replaced with silver ones. It really isn't expensive, but otherwise I wouldn't be able to wear many of the earrings that have been bought for me by friends and family.

Yes, Germolene in the tube. I still find difficulty with some earrings, even though I use them most days, so just dip the post in the cream and they slide through.

Jalima, I will try the Germolene tip, I happen to have some, the tube sort, not in a tin like it used to be when I was little.

I'm sure it used to be pinker, and had a different smell!

I only wear earrings made from silver or platinum
I don't have any made from platinum

On my Christmas wish list now MiniMoon!

I had the same problem as phoenix a few years ago and went to a place that did ear piercing and bought a pair of the kind of studs they put in when they pierce your ears. I wore them day and night for a couple of weeks- they didn’t irritate my ears- and then I was able to wear other earrings again.
I mostly don’t wear earrings, but since I ‘reacclimatised’ my ears, they don’t seem to get irritated when I do wear them.

Yes I agree with MissAdventure stick with the pair that are easy to wear then introduce others. I had the same problem after not wearing earrings for a while. The savlon cream idea is a good one too.

If it had been clip-on earrings, I would have suggested painting the backs of them with nail varnish to insulate them from your ears. Perhaps that would also work with wires?

Dipping them in Savlon or Germolene sounds a good idea. Maybe in Anthisan?

You may be better to wear just one pair until your ears get accustomed to accepting earrings again.
When they've calmed down, then you should be able to chop and change.

I'm allergic to nickel too Flexi. I only wear earrings made from silver or platinum. I had to give away all my gold jewellery, including the signet ring that my parents gave me for my 21st birthday. They didn't go far, my DD fell heir to them.

If I have a problem, I dip the part that goes through my ear in some Savlon or Germolene (other antiseptic creams are available), and they slide in much more easily. If there is a problem then the antiseptic will help with that.

I can only wear gold.

ps drink the gin first if it helps - however, drink too much and you could miss the hole altogether and stab your earlobe - painful.

Maybe the pierced holes need to become accustomed to usage again. The little gold sleeepers have a very fine gold part to go through the ear and perhaps a week or two of wearing gold sleepers could help. The type that used to be put into freshly pierced ears.

Sometimes I wear those as they are the only earrings that I can sleep in.

All other (fashion) earrings come out every night. I also take silver ones out at night as they are often to ornate for comfortable earrings.
I've had my ears pierced for 50 years and have never left the house without wearing my earrings. They are changed most days.

ContraryMary88 these are items that I've had for years, with no previous problems, but I haven't worn any of them for ages.

Are the earrings gold? I can't wear fashion earrings as I'm allergic to nickle, apart from that I tend not to change them very often so as not to aggravate the holes. The holes aren't straight so never seem to go through without a load of jiggling to get them through. Surgical spirit was what I was told to put on them when they were first pierced about 90 years ago

I don't think I will be having a tot of surgical spirit, Panache

GrannyGravy13 the only spirit in the house is Scotch, and I'm not wasting that on my ears!

phoenix could you be allergic to the metal? If so maybe antihistamine cream would help. I can only wear solid gold jewellery ( that’s my story and I’m sticking to it) otherwise I get an awful rash and blisters.

As I said before, drink the Gina and Vodka don’t waste it on your ears!