Experiencing a rash can be a painful situation. When the rash is located on the earlobe, the pain may be close to blinding. Itching earlobes are often the result of some sort of inflammation that is caused by the presence of a substance that irritates the skin in some manner. There is a good chance that the substance has something to do with your earrings. Here re some tips on what to do when earrings cause a rash.
One of the main reasons that earrings can cause a rash is that the metal composition of the earrings creates an allergic reaction. The reaction may be to the plating on the earrings, or to the metal found under the plating. Many people suffer from a nickel allergy, for example. Nickel is often used as part of the formula for the plating on budget and mid priced earrings. The first thing to do if you have an infected earlobe is to remove your earrings. If in fact the metal is causing the rash, the condition will be much easier to treat if you remove the material that created the situation in the first place.
Next, try using an antiseptic on the infected earlobes. The purpose is to clean the area of any bacteria that may have accumulated. When earrings cause a rash, the tiny holes in the earlobe are especially vulnerable to swelling and inflammation. Cleansing the pores and treating the present infection will go a long way toward bringing about relief from earlobe itching. Depending on the severity of the rash, these two steps may be all you need to effect a recovery.
Earrings cause a rash because there is something about the material that does not agree with your body chemistry. The issue may be the post of the earring, or it may be something about the body of the earring that is creating the problem. Perhaps you do not have metal posts. If so, this means metal allergies are not the root cause of the swelling and pain. But there may be metal on the design of the earring itself, or one of the dyes used to color portions of the design that is causing the issue.
Generally, if earrings cause a rash, you can trace the origin easily by leaving off the earrings for a few days. Once the rash has cleared up, try using earrings with non-metal posts. If they seem to be all right, then you have identified the origin of the issue. If not, stop wearing earrings with any metal in the design. Just about all cases of earlobe itching can be traced back to metal content in some manner.
However, if many different types of earrings cause a rash, there may be something other than a nickel allergy at work. When even plastic posts seem to cause problems, there may be some underlying health issue that is manifesting itself in the form of a rash. In short, the earlobe itching and angry rash may not be about something happening with the ears, but is a sign of another health ailment. If removing the earrings and cleaning the area thoroughly does not lead to a reduction in the pain, see a doctor immediately.
