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How to find truly Hypoallergenic Earrings

June 07, 2022

Right side of a woman's face where only her ear and cheek are exposed. She has short brown hair and is wearing brass triangle shaped earrings that say "over it"
"UGH! I wish I could wear earrings! Yours are SO cute, but earrings just irritate the heck out of my lobes.”

I hear some variation of this sentiment often at craft shows, DM's via IG, & through email. When you have sensitive ears and all you want to do is look lit for date night or put together for that 8am zoom meeting, not being able to throw on any ear candy is a real drag. Some opt to buy pure gold or silver, but low and behold find out they just paid a premium to find out they are allergic to something in those precious metals too. What gives?!

Turns out the world of hypoallergenic earrings is a bit on the murky side. Here's some information to help clear things up!



HYPOALLERGENIC EARRINGS EXPLAINED 


When you see "hypoallergenic earrings" tread lightly. The hypoallergenic moniker is tricky and to call a spade a spade, an up-sell method. The Hypoallergenic label, or Surgical label for that matter, doesn't require any manufacturer to meet any set standards, so it loosely means that is causes fewer allergic reactions...which makes it frustrating for those of us who are very sensitive.


metalsmith/jewelry artist working at their bench with fire torch and metal.


WHY YOU SHOULD BE SEARCHING FOR NICKEL-FREE JEWELRY VS HYPOALLERGENIC JEWELRY

The most common metal sensitivity is nickel. Surgical Steel is often marketed as the premier hypoallergenic option and it most likely contains nickel...making it not a truly hypoallergenic option. If you're one of the souls who tried gold/silver to find out your ears would not vibe with those precious metals and are screaming "WHYYYYYYYY" into the void, it may be that the artist chose nickel to bolster (alloy) the gold/silver because it's too soft to hold up as jewelry on its own. They alloy it with another metal(s) for integrity purposes. However, if the gold, silver, surgical steel jewelry you are considering is labeled "nickel-free" you should not react to their pieces. Of course, if you have additional metal allergies you may want to inquire directly with the artist + jewelry maker for peace of mind.


TRULY HYPOALLERGENIC METALS

Titanium

Niobium
Platinum

Going back to the lament that opened this post, when I hear that sentence IRL I burst into a smile because I understand completely. I too have INSANELY sensitive ears. I recognized early on in my business that there was a need for cute, timeless, affordable, & truly hypoallergenic earrings so I decided to only make earrings that fit that bill.


WHAT ARE OUR EARRINGS MADE OF?
Every pair of Grey Theory Mill earrings are made with Surgical Grade A titanium posts/hooks. Our posts are 99.9 percent pure titanium ASTM F67 Grade 1. Titanium may contain some very slight impurities, but is Nickel-Free & Cadmium-Free. Titanium is the least allergenic metal; less that 0.6% of people are allergic to it! Our earring backs are made with Grade 430 stainless steel pads. Both our earring post/hooks & backs satisfy the US & European requirements as nickel-free and lead free.




All white background with a hole in the center. Through the hole is a human ear poking out.


PS: are your earrings suddenly giving you trouble? Remember to clean your hooks/posts with a little q-tip of rubbing alcohol to wipe away buildup of oils & bacteria!


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