Earlobe Pain

Earlobe Pain

Your new silver earrings with copper inlays were Perfect with that outfit. And even though they made your earlobes itch after a couple of hours, you kept on wearing them for a couple of more. So today you're gingerly fingering two tender, red, weeping earlobes.

Blame your angry earlobes on nickel, which is in virtually all jewelry. One in ten women is allergic or sensitive to this common metal, according to William Epstein, M.D., professor of dermatology at the University of California, San Francisco, School of Medicine. But if you notice the reaction--known as dermatitis--and treat it before mere inflammation becomes real infection, you can easily do a favor for your inflamed earlobes.

Remove your earrings. You won't "build up resistance" to the nickel that's causing your skin to rebel--so once you've taken off the offending earrings, keep them off. "Once you're allergic to something, assume you're always going to be allergic to it," says Hillard H. Pearlstein, M.D., assistant clinical professor of dermatology at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York City.

Try a lobe bath. Clean your lobes with hydrogen peroxide, says Nancy Sculerati, M.D., assistant professor of otolaryngology and director of pediatric otolaryngology at New York University Medical Center in New York City. Mix equal parts peroxide and water. (Rubbing alcohol also works, but it tends to sting, she says.) Pour the solution over the earlobe, or apply it with gauze, and let the runoff drip into a sink. Don't apply the liquid with cotton balls if the ear is weepy, says Dr. Sculerati, because the cotton will stick to the earlobe.

Stop the itch. To soothe itchy rashes that are oozing or weeping, use Domeboro powder, which you can get in a drugstore, according to D'Anne Kleinsmith, M.D., a cosmetic dermatologist with William Beaumont Hospital near Detroit. Mix the powder with water at half the recommended strength, says Dr. Kleinsmith.

Dip a washcloth or gauze pad in the solution and hold it on the ear for a minute or so. Let the ear dry, then repeat once. This will have a "drawing" effect on the earlobe and will help dry up the dermatitis, says Dr. Kleinsmith. Recommended frequency: Use the compresses three times a day at first, then taper off treatment during the next three or four days. As soon as the oozing or crusting stops, stop using the compresses, Dr. Kleinsmith says, or you'll dry your skin too much.

Fight the itch with cream. Mild dermatitis might meet its match if you fight it with 1 percent hydrocortisone cream, available without prescription at most drugstores. Dr. Epstein suggests applying some cream directly to the earlobes, following the package directions. If this doesn't help, he says you may need a prescription for a stronger steroid treatment.

Keep both hands on the table. "Pay attention to your hands," says Dr. Epstein. If you pick or pull at your irritated earlobes, the dermatitis could worsen into a low-grade infection, he says. You'll know it's on its way when the earlobe thickens or becomes sore.

Apply antibiotics. For mild, superficial infections, limited to a tiny earlobe area, you can buy Neosporin or Polysporin antibiotic ointment, says Kenneth H. Neldner, M.D., professor and chairman of the Department of Dermatology at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center in Lubbock. Keep the earlobe clean with antibacterial soap, and use an antibiotic ointment two or three times a day, he says. The infection should go away in a few days. If it doesn't, see a dermatologist.

Keep those openings unclogged. If your earring holes become clogged with dry skin or oil, douse them once a day with a mild astringent such as Sea Breeze, witch hazel or alcohol, suggests Dr. Pearlstein. This will help prevent waxy, dried body oil (sebum) from coagulating in the holes.

Go for the gold. When your dermatitis has cleared up and you're ready to try on earrings again, buy high-grade gold or pure silver, suggests Dr. Neldner. One warning before you empty your bank account, however: There's no guarantee this will solve your problem, because even 18-karat gold contains nickel, says Dr. Pearlstein.

"You may be able to wear pearl, ceramic, glass or plastic earrings with gold posts or surgical steel posts and be just fine, though," says Dr. Kleinsmith.

Coat them with polish. "You can try painting the backs of bother-some earrings with clear nail polish," suggests Dr. Kleinsmith. The lacquer creates a barrier between the metal and your skin. Use Almay or Clinique nail polish, which contain no formaldehyde, to reduce your chances of having a reaction to that common allergen, she says.