With all the new earring trends coming out, it seems like those who struggle with sensitive ears are left out in the cold. While we would love to participate in the big and bold styles, finding options that won't leave us ripping them off in pain can be challenging.

Thankfully, many brands and styles cater to more sensitive ears and make your favorite trends more accessible. But how do we get to point A to point B? And how do we know our ears are sensitive/can we get this information without suffering an allergic reaction in the first place?

With these four steps, we hope to help give you some earring options for your sensitive ears and let you know how you can prevent an allergic reaction overall.

Step 1: Know what it means to have sensitive ears.

Ear sensitivity can be due to a multitude of reasons and can look different for everyone. For example, one person may be sensitive to types of metals while others may have had experience with sensitivity from piercing. Let's go over some of the ways your ears can show signs of an allergic reaction and what causes it.

• Metal Allergies

Being allergic to the metals and materials used in earrings is one of the most common reasons for ear sensitivity. The reason for this is, is that nickel is used in most jewelry to strengthen it to last over time. While this is great for the longevity of the jewelry, not so much for your ears. 

If you break out into localized rashes when you wear your jewelry, there is a good chance of nickel being present. Unfortunately, even the most minuscule amounts of nickel can cause a reaction, so it's best to steer clear of it. 

• Piercing Reaction

Reactions to piercings can be more harrowing than a simple metal allergy (which is uncomfortable, to begin with). If piercings do not heal properly, this can lead to pain, infection, and keloids. 

Keloids are external scar tissue that forms over injuries after healing. They can be either lumpy or smooth, and while they aren't harmful to your health, they can be cosmetically challenging to deal with, especially if they are more significant. All keloids form because your skin is reacting to trauma; the trauma, in this case, is your ear piercing. If this is an issue that has occurred to you or you want to avoid, looking for alternatives to piercings is a must. 

Step 2: Do your research

A significant way to prevent buying earrings that cause irritation or lead to scarring is research. 


When browsing for earrings, make sure that you research the company and the individual product to see if it includes nickel or any low-grade metal that will cause a reaction. Not only should you avoid those metals, but you should also actively seek out and invest in earrings made from high-quality metals that won't have a bad reaction to your body. We suggest looking for earrings that consist of the following:

• Titanium
• Niobium
• 24K Gold
• 24K Platinum
• Medical Grade Plastic

For issues of possible scarring, we suggest consulting with family members who may have pierced their ears and ask about any problems they may have come across in the healing process. If you have suffered from scarring or keloids after piercing or another situation that caused trauma to the skin, we highly suggest looking into non-piercing options for earrings. 


With the updates in innovations in technology and styles, there are many clip-on earrings styles that you can experiment with without suffering from discomfort.

Step 3: Choose your styles carefully

Besides looking at the metal of your jewelry and avoiding piercings, the style of the earring itself can cause sensitivity as well. While many earrings may look cute and make a statement, heavier earrings can weigh down and stretch your lobes, causing pain and irritation. It's best to start small when choosing earrings to avoid discomfort, and after you are comfortable wearing a particular look, you can scale up to other styles.


In terms of clip-ons, you must research what type of clip-on will be the best for you. If you need assistance searching for the perfect clip-on for you, take a look at our blog for information on all things clip-on earrings.

Step 4: Listen to Your Body!

This step is probably the most crucial advice that we can give to you! If you've gotten your ears pierced before and had adverse reactions to either the healing process or the metals used, then take inventory of what happened and look at other options for you, such as clip-ons. Ignoring what your body is telling you can lead to long-term/recurring issues with your ears later on. 


This also isn't just something that you need to be mindful of with pierced ears. Even if you wear clip-ons, it's still important to listen to what your body is telling you. Are the clasps comfortable? Are they leaving your ears sore? Are they pinching? No style is worth going through discomfort, and your body knows it! So love yourself, and give your ears the comfort and care they deserve.


You shouldn't have to suffer for fashion, and with so many choices out there, you deserve to have earrings that work for you!