Nickel allergic? Help me out please!

[tar heel]

I have a nickel allergy and have several pieces of jewelry I can wear and a few pieces I can wear for short periods of time. I can't buy the cheap stuff, such as the "silver" at arts fairs. The most annoying thing I've ever been allergic to was my magnetic nametag at work.

I let my pierced ears go years ago as it was almost impossible to find earrings without spending $$$$. I needed everything touching my ear to be nickel free not just the posts. My ears would get infected as well as the nickel rash -- just wasn't worth it.

 

[tlbwriter]

I developed a sensitivity to metal earrings (but no other jewelry) a decade or so after my ears were pierced. I cannot wear gold, sterling, surgical steel, or anything for "sensitive" ears. Nail polish and neosporin do not work either. However, I recently learned that I can wear titanium earrings, and possibly niobium as well (I bought a pair this weekend but only wore them a couple of hours - I don't know if I could wear them all day).

 

[wowsmom]

In the early years we never noticed a nickel allergy because she wore mostly Gymboree leggings until she went to school and then she wore school uniforms. I bet she only wore jeans a couple days a month and never in the summer. Glad to hear the Pandora bracelet is not causing you trouble. She said she wore the rings almost all day yesterday and no itching or hives. I was thinking of getting her a gold cross for graduation but the chain alone is almost $700. A Pandora bracelet will be a nice gift for graduation if that is what we decide. Are your ears pierced? If so, what do you wear?

I do have pierced ears but haven't worn earrings regularly in about 16 years. I do sometimes wear them when going out to dinner - nice ones, not cheap-o stuff - and now that you mention it, that might be why my ears are usually itching/sore when I get home and take my earrings out. Where's the "Duh!" smiley for me?