Ear piercing question

Hi,
I took my daughter to get her ears pierced for her 6th birthday (about 10 weeks ago.)  We chose 14k white gold studs.  She woke up the next morning with tiny, bumpy hives all over her ears and on her scalp right in front and behind her ears.  The ears were definitely not infected; there was no pus or swelling or redness on the lobe.  I took the earrings out and let the holes close and the hives went away.  I assume she is allergic to white gold.  Does anyone have any experience with metal allergies and, if so, what are the best options to try when she wants to get them pierced again?
Thanks!

[Dr. Kokil Mathur]

Hi
Thanks for writing to the forum!
Yes, metal allergies are possible. White gold is an alloy made with nickel or palladium. Nickel allergy is common. It would be better to use pure gold next time when you get her ears pricked.
Hope this helps. Please let me know if there is any thing else and do keep me posted. Take care!

[FurballsMom]

I don't have serious metal allergies, but my cousins do.  I didn't know that white gold had nickel alloy in it.  That's good to know.  I am sensitive to the cheap ear wires, which are nickel.  If I make or find earrings that I really like, I switch out the ear wires to sterling silver.  My friends know I make jewelry, so they will often ask me to switch ear wires for them, too.  I have the tools and the ability, and it's not difficult.  I just have them buy the metal findings for themselves, since I don't have the money.  

I do just fine with the gold-filled ear wires and the sterling silver ear wires, but I know my cousins probably can't use anything but pure gold or pure silver.  Their metal allergies are as serious as your little girl's metal allergies obviously are.  My one cousin closest to my own age was actually wearing earrings one time when I saw her.  They were pure gold, that's why.  A friend of mine only wears pure gold earrings, because of the gold allergies.  So, she doesn't have many pairs of earrings.  She can wear silver, too, but she wears a lot of gold.

Since I have had plenty of eczema and contact dermatitis during my lifetime, I know that contact dermatitis from metal allergies is miserable.  I sure am glad I'm not as sensitive or allergic to cheap metals as your daughter, my cousins or my friend is.  I have enough life experience to be able to say that I can feel for your daughter.

Have you seen those all nylon earrings in boutiques in the shopping malls?  They're all nylon, including the posts.  They're not used for the ear piercing, though.  Good quality metals must be used for piercing the ears.  When I was little, they used surgical steel.  I know you daughter can't use the surgical steel, because my cousins with the metal allergies reacted badly to surgical steel, too.  That was what was available when I was that little.  The nylon earrings seem to be made only for little girls, not for adults.  Have you seen those sticky earrings that are meant to temporarily stick to the ears that are also sold for little girls?  Maybe one of these options would be fun for your little girl to try.  

Both the nylon earrings and the sticky earrings have been available for many years, so I imagine you must have seen these, if you have gone into those mall boutiques, if you can even stand to go into the malls these days.  I can't stand to go into the shopping mall in my area because it's just a toxic soup in there from all the perfume and fragrance stores and candle stores that are in the mall.  It's so intense it makes me very sick.  I have chemical sensitivities, but the toxic soup is so strong in the local shopping mall that most of my friends can't stand it either.  So, all the businesses that only have stores in the shopping mall are stores that won't be getting my business.