Articles

Are Titanium Earrings Suitable for Newbies Who Had Their Ears Pierced?

by Lily C. wholesale products adviser

Earrings worn by those with newly pierced ears are often made of 14- or 18-carat gold, platinum, surgical steel or titanium. Among these options, titanium provides the best value in terms of value its price versus the ability to protect those tender piercings. Why?


NEWLY PIERCED EARS ARE OFTEN ULTRA-SENSITIVE

Newly pierced ears need to be protected from a slew of possible mishaps starting from infection to parts of the ear actually tearing off. There are a million do's and don'ts, among them the need to continually wash your hands with anti-bacterial soap and water every time you touch the ear. There are also restrictions don't sleep on your side, don't twist or scratch or tug on your ear, so on and so forth. And as always, one needs to be alert for the first sign of redness, swelling or irritation, a trip to the physician may become necessary.

One of the biggest problems with newly pierced ears is the possibility of allergies. The American Academy of Pediatrics estimates that over 10 million children suffer from nickel-allergy contact dermatitis every year. Earrings are usually the biggest offender in this regard. Newly pierced ears tend to be extraordinarily sensitive, so any earring you choose should be made out of hypoallergenic material to prevent an allergic reaction at the site of the piercing.

TITANIUM: AN IDEAL HYPOALLERGENIC MATERIAL

Titanium is a naturally occurring element. Unlike some other metals, which must be used in combination with other minerals to make them strong enough for practical use, titanium is used in its pure form. It is in fact the hardest natural metal known to man, beating gold, silver, platinum and steel. Titanium earrings are not made of any alloy. Most importantly, they do not contain nickel, a metal often used to strengthen other metal alloys, and which often triggers allergic reactions. Nor do they have copper or lead.

Platinum, the densest among known metals, as well as the most durable, is also hypoallergenic. However, the price of platinum is significantly higher than titanium or white gold, making it a less attractive options for newbies who may not be sure of style and other considerations when choosing an earring for their newly pierced ears.

The other alternatives are not so pure. 24-karat gold cannot be used due to its softness. 14-karat gold has 58% gold and 42% alloys, including nickel and zinc. White gold, an alloy developed to imitate platinum, is still only 75% gold and 25% nickel and zinc.

Surgical steel is the closest alternative to titanium. Steel is by definition an alloy, so many versions of surgical stainless steel do contain nickel, along with chromium. It's often advertised that if you choose the proper material, the nickel does not interact with exterior elements, meaning that the chances of an allergic reaction are reduced. However, despite such assurances, the fact remains that surgical steel _does_ in fact contain impurities, such as nickel, that can set off an allergic reaction. There is no such fear with Titanium.

OTHER ADVANTAGES OF TITANIUM

Titanium has many other advantages. Newbies often complain about their earrings feeling too heavy. That's only normal, they are not used to carrying around the extra ounces. Titanium is as light as aluminum, which is about as good as it gets weight-wise. Plus, it is strong but not brittle, so the metal won't break off. Titanium is also beautiful - lustrous and scratch resistant an ideal material for jewelry.

PRICE IS KING

Among the various metals suitable for newbies, platinum is at par with titanium in terms of being hypoallergenic, as well as many of the other characteristics such as strength, beauty and durability. However, it is a rare and precious metal, and as such significantly more expensive than comparable white gold or titanium.

Surgical steel is perhaps the cheapest option, but as discussed above, you cannot discount the possibility of getting an allergic reaction from its nickel content.

14-karat or 18-karat (white) gold provides value in terms of looks vs. being hypoallergenic. However, gold presents a conundrum in that the purer it is, the softer it becomes. So, while 14-karat gold may be the ideal material for new earrings, it will endure some rough use. But the amount of nickel present in the alloy is significantly higher, raising the risk of allergies.

All told, titanium is the perfect earring for newly pierced ears. It's a pure, hypoallergenic, beautiful material. At the same time, while more expensive than steel and 14-carat gold, titanium is much cheaper than platinum.

IN CONCLUSION

Once newbies get used to their earrings, a number of options open up. But for that first one, you cannot beat titanium for a combination of price, beauty, durability and total safety.


Sponsor Ads


About Lily C. Innovator   wholesale products adviser

10 connections, 0 recommendations, 67 honor points.
Joined APSense since, March 18th, 2020, From hangzhou, China.

Created on Sep 4th 2020 02:26. Viewed 659 times.

Comments

No comment, be the first to comment.
Please sign in before you comment.