what kind of earrings should I wear after piercing? what earrings to wear when first pierced? This is a question you may ask because you can not wait to wear earrings after you get pierced.
Choosing the right earrings is crucial for the right healing of your piercing. It might not sound like something you want to hear when you have been excited about trying new earrings for weeks, but wearing earrings without considerations on what the earrings are made of is just like you poking into that unhealed would knowingly.
The pain, discomfort, and possible infection that awaits you after such a careless decision might be the end of beautiful and chic earrings for you.( I suggest you guys read the full post here, how long should you change your earrings after pierced)
After a piercing, carefully examine the earrings you are buying and check if the metals/ materials the earrings are made of are safe for your body, and also your sensitive ears. The metals that make up the earrings can either fit right in and encourage recovery or exacerbate things by increasing the recovery time or causing an infection. Therefore, the earrings for new piercings must not react with your body.
For example, if you are buying earrings for a body piercing, the materials used for the jewelry should not absorb body fluids or get scratched easily.
Therefore, for your new piercings, keep the following factors in mind:
Common allergens
Nickel Allergies – Nickel is one of the most common metals responsible for allergies and skin sensitivities. Unfortunately, even with this little-known fact, many jewelers still incorporate nickel in jewelry – because it’s inexpensive. And by using cheap material, the jewelers create super-cheap and cute jewelry that we end up buying.
So, if you are allergic to nickel or if you cannot sit still for two hours after wearing cheap kinds of jewelry because of that hot, itchy and reddening mess in your earlobe, you should be more careful about the jewelry you buy, and what’s in it.
Besides nickel, most of us will also react to other metals/ materials like copper, brass, and cobalt or even leather. You should, therefore, be aware of your triggers to be able to avoid them the next time you see super cute earrings that you must have.
Unsure of your allergy triggers? Here’s an idea: check if your skin/ earlobe turns black or green when you wear certain jewelry. If that happens, it means that you are allergic to nickel, copper, or some other metal in the metal mixture.
Materials that tarnish
Besides being aware of your allergens, you also need to be aware of the materials for earrings that tarnish; especially if you are getting earrings to wear after new piercings.
What you may not know is that tarnishing is not only bad in that it makes newer earrings look the oldest, but it the tarnishing (which is a product of a chemical reaction) could cause a reaction and irritation of your ears, creating a never-healing wound.
The tarnish (which can be wiped off) could also accumulate in your new piercing, creating a habitable environment for bacteria and germs, in the process leading you down the path of a bad reaction.
So, here is a post you might love to read: 7 jewelry metals that will not tarnish. You will learn a lot. It will help you when you want to buy jewelry next time.
The uniqueness of the body
At the end of the day, it’s important to remember that we all have unique bodies. What works for your body might not work for mine and vice versa.
So, if your friend wore costume jewelry after 4 weeks without any issues, you shouldn’t expect the same outcome for yourself, especially if you have sensitive skin and ears.
Before we look at the types of earrings you should consider wearing after a new piercing; it’s important to note that you should always remove earrings immediately you feel/ sense an irritation. And, never try new earrings immediately after; allow the piercing to heal before you try another pair of earrings fully. Should the first few options fail, look for higher-quality, hypoallergenic earrings.
Metals and Materials to Wear after a New Piercing
For professional ear piercings, the experts will use safe and hypoallergenic piercing earrings that are nickel-free.
Follow the instructions given, but have them removed if they cause any irritation. If these don’t work or if you develop a severe allergy, try these options
- Surgical Stainless Steel
Surgical stainless steel or SSS is one of the safest/ hypoallergenic materials for earrings to be worn after a piercing or if you have sensitive ears.
SSS jewelry is made of 316L stainless steel which is safe for use on the body, surgeries, and body implants. Its safe use results from the fact that SSS doesn’t tarnish and it will not react with your body fluids. The alternative to SSL 316L is 316LVM which is also tarnish-free, non-corrosive, and its finish is smoother since the metal’s production takes place in a vacuum.
Caution: Despite its safety in surgeries and its overall hypoallergenic perception, surgical stainless steel has a very low nickel content. If you are extremely sensitive to nickel, avoid SSS.
- Titanium
If surgical stainless steel fails, your next-best and most effective alternative is titanium or surgical implant titanium. Titanium is regarded as the only biocompatible/ hypoallergenic metal. Though expensive, it’s very durable, and it’s very safe for use after a new piercing.
- Niobium
Though jewelry made of niobium costs more stainless steel jewelry, it’s cheaper than titanium and most importantly, hypoallergenic. Make sure you choose niobium that’s labeled 999 Niobium or 99.9% Niobium.
Examples of Earrings to Wear
- Surgical steel earrings – these earrings are available in different colors, shapes, and sizes
- Biocompatible polymers made of Tygon and other medical-grade materials.
- Glass-fused quartz glass that’s lead-free and inert
- 18K gold earrings
- Platinum earrings
- Titanium earrings
- Niobium earrings
- Pod Studs – these are gentle on the ear and ideal for single piercings
- Ankole studs – these are the best starter earrings. They are uniquely designed, and you won’t have to replace them until your ear heals. Also, their small size is perfect for new piercings.
- The Geo Spinel Studs – these are mostly 18k gold earrings, and they are not only beautiful but also hypoallergenic.
Metals and Materials to Avoid
- Sterling Silver
Sterling silver might feel like the metal you actually wear after a new piercing, but it isn’t. It is a silver alloy made of silver and copper (or nickel).
So, while the addition of copper enhances the durability of silver, you might react with it.
Also, sterling silver tarnishes when exposed to the air. Once it’s oxidized, especially in contact with body fluids and tissue, the tarnish will cause a bad reaction with that open wound.
- Costume Jewelry
Avoid any costume jewelry after a piercing. Most costume jewelry has high nickel contents, and some have been said to contain lead.
So, if your piercing is new, just say bye to costume jewelry. Avoid gold-plated/ gold vermeil sterling silver too.
- Low and High Karat Pure Gold
Low karat pure gold contains some other metals like nickel and copper, and you want to avoid such earrings because of potential nickel allergies – No one wants an itchy raw wound!
On the other hand, high-karat gold, for example, 24K gold is too soft, and it could easily have nicks which will harbor dirt that will cause infections.
18K gold alloyed with palladium and other unreactive metals are better after new piercings. Note that white gold with a rhodium plating would be an excellent choice if must wear gold earrings after a piercing.
Conclusion
Since piercing jewelry gets in direct contact with your internal tissues, you need to watch the materials used to make the jewelry. Follow the information above to be safe.
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Tiger is a fashion&jewelry lover. He is also a fashion jewelry manufacturer that help thousands of small business to grow and also do business with some big fashion jewelry brands. He is a truly metal expert and he will share some information you are looking for.