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The Tini Edit
An informative and entertaining blog for all things jewelry, style, and life.
Clean Jewelry: Metals 101
Understanding Earring Allergies
Earring allergies are real and really painful. If you’ve ever experienced itching, redness, or swelling after wearing earrings, you know how frustrating it can be. Just the facts: earring allergies are caused by metal. We created this handy infographic with information sourced from the National Institute of Health to show the metals that are often used in earrings and how likely they are to cause an allergy. This chart highlights which metals commonly cause allergic reactions and why Tini Lux’s choice of materials can make a difference for sensitive ears.
This chart shows, in order, the percentage of people that had reactions to metal in medical studies reported by the NIH:
Information sourced from the National Institute of Health
The Metal Allergy Breakdown
Take a second to look at that again because it is shocking, we know. Everyone knows nickel allergies are very common, but gold and silver are right up there with it. Gold reactions and silver reactions occurred in more than 15% of people.
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Nickel: Nickel is notorious for causing allergic reactions. It’s commonly found in both fashion and fine jewelry due to its low cost and durability. Many people with sensitive skin react to nickel, which is often used as an alloy to strengthen other metals.
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Gold and Silver: A.k.a. "Fine Jewelry" Although gold and silver are often considered hypoallergenic, they can still cause allergic reactions in a significant number of people. More than 15% of individuals in the studies reported reactions to these metals. This highlights that even precious metals can be problematic for some.
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Cobalt and Chromium: These metals are also used in various types of fashion jewelry and can cause allergic reactions. Both cobalt and chromium are known allergens, and their use in jewelry can lead to discomfort for sensitive individuals.
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Platinum and Titanium: These are metals we classify as "clean metals." At the bottom of the chart, you’ll see platinum and titanium, which are the safest metals for the human body. Less than 0.6% of people are known to be allergic to titanium. This makes titanium an excellent choice for those with sensitive skin or known metal allergies.
If you are having reactions to your earrings and can't figure out why, nickel may not be the culprit after all, it may be gold or silver.
Why Tini Lux Chooses Titanium
At Tini Lux, we are committed to providing beautiful, high-quality earrings that are safe for even the most sensitive ears. Here’s why we choose titanium:
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Hypoallergenic Properties: Titanium is highly biocompatible, meaning it is less likely to cause allergic reactions. This is why less than 0.6% of people have reported allergies to titanium, making it a safer choice compared to other metals.
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High-Quality Standards: We use ASTM F-67 and ASTM F-136 titanium, which are medical-grade standards for titanium. These grades ensure that the titanium used in our earrings is pure and free from contaminants that could potentially cause allergic reactions.
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Durability and Comfort: Titanium is not only hypoallergenic but also lightweight and durable. This makes it a comfortable option for daily wear and ensures that our earrings can withstand regular use without compromising quality.
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Stylish Designs: Tini Lux offers a range of elegant and stylish earrings made from titanium. Whether you prefer classic studs or more intricate designs, our collection provides a variety of options that cater to your personal style while prioritizing your comfort.
Earring allergies are not just caused by metals like nickel, but also gold, silver, cobalt, and chromium too. All of which are commonly used in both fine jewelry and fashion jewelry.
By opting for clean metals like ASTM F-67 and ASTM F-136 titanium, you can minimize the risk of irritation and accessorize comfortably.
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What Does It Mean to Have Sensitive Ears?
What does it mean to have sensitive ears to jewelry?
What metal is best for sensitive ears?
What earrings are good for sensitive ears?
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Tips and Tricks to Wearing Flat Back Earrings
When looking for earrings that you can truly wear everyday and never have to take out, flat back studs are the best option. Instead of traditional earring backs, non-allergenic flat backs provide all day comfort and wear due to the earring back laying smooth against your ear.
Wearing flatbacks will eliminate the hassle of your hair getting caught or the pain of a towel snagging on the back of your ear. The comfortable earrings are especially ideal for those with any upper cartilage or inner ear piercings.
Although it’s personally one of my favorite piercing placements, everyone with a tragus piercing can relate to the daily struggle of having to intricately adjust your headphones to ensure they are safe and snug in your ear (iykyk).
Our internally threaded flat backs are crafted with ASTM F–136 implant grade titanium, providing endless comfort for even the most sensitive ears.
If you’ve decided to enter your flat back era, it can be difficult to initially figure out how to put them in. On all of our flat back product pages we’ve created a convenient and helpful video demonstrating how to properly put in the everyday studs. You can check that out here and feel free to treat yourself while you’re at it. For even more convenience, keep scrolling to read the helpful tips below.
Our virtual ear stacker is a one of a kind visual tool that allows you to envision how the titanium flat backs will look on your ear.
Flat Back Tip #1
Wear a regular stud in the hole for a few hours to keep the hole more open.
Flat Back Tip #2
Only attempt to put the new flat back earring in after a hot shower when your skin is more pliable.
Flat Back Tip #3
Put Vaseline or similar product around the piercing and on the flat back so that it will go into the ear easier.
Flat Back Tip #4
Use the regular earring post that is in your ear as a guide to get the flat back into the piercing (see video). It may take some gentle force to push the earring into the piercing, but using a regular stud as a guide will help significantly.
