allergies! always the allergies!
So, most of my friends know that I am one of the lucky ones who lives with allergies. Nothing too shocking - no food allergies or drug allergies, at least none that I know of! I am allergic to the typical environmental triggers - ragweed and mold - as well as mild pet dander allergies, particularly cats.
You guys also know that I got my ears pierced in Africa. Lately I've been struggling with my left earlobe - it seems like there is an infection or something in there, and it hasn't been healing properly. I went online to try and figure why, and learned that I may have developed an allergy to the nickel used in cheap earrings. All of my earrings were purchased in Africa, so that's definitely believable.
Yesterday, I took out my earrings and switched to an extra pair of (allegedly) sterile piercing studs that I purchased in Ghana. I figured they were as good as anything else that I have.
I woke up this morning, and my earlobe was WORSE with the piercing studs! My earlobe had swollen and was painful to the touch. It wasn't grotesquely swollen or anything, but my left earlobe was definitely larger than my right earlobe. I was so angry and frustrated! I wasn't even sure if I should take the earrings out of my ears entirely, because I was afraid that my earlobe would not return to its normal shape and size if I let the holes close!
I researched the nickel allergy more, and learned that I need to stick with hypoallergenic, stainless steel, solid gold, sterling silver, or plastic jewelry. That pretty much eliminates all the studs I got in Africa. I wasn't sure what to do!
Then, praise God, I remembered a pair of earrings laying in my desk drawer. Those earrings were given to me several years ago by a dear friend, but before I had my ears pierced. I don't think my friend noticed that my ears aren't pierced, but I know the gift was given out of love, so I tucked it into a drawer, intending to one day convert it into a pair of clip-ons. So I dug those earrings out. They are pewter, which isn't quite hypo allergenic, but I switched into them and within ten minutes, the swelling in my ears was significantly decreased!
So - I guess I'm long overdue for a fun shopping trip at Claire's. But, all in good time, you know? Yay for the fact that my ears are getting better!
You guys also know that I got my ears pierced in Africa. Lately I've been struggling with my left earlobe - it seems like there is an infection or something in there, and it hasn't been healing properly. I went online to try and figure why, and learned that I may have developed an allergy to the nickel used in cheap earrings. All of my earrings were purchased in Africa, so that's definitely believable.
Yesterday, I took out my earrings and switched to an extra pair of (allegedly) sterile piercing studs that I purchased in Ghana. I figured they were as good as anything else that I have.
I woke up this morning, and my earlobe was WORSE with the piercing studs! My earlobe had swollen and was painful to the touch. It wasn't grotesquely swollen or anything, but my left earlobe was definitely larger than my right earlobe. I was so angry and frustrated! I wasn't even sure if I should take the earrings out of my ears entirely, because I was afraid that my earlobe would not return to its normal shape and size if I let the holes close!
I researched the nickel allergy more, and learned that I need to stick with hypoallergenic, stainless steel, solid gold, sterling silver, or plastic jewelry. That pretty much eliminates all the studs I got in Africa. I wasn't sure what to do!
Then, praise God, I remembered a pair of earrings laying in my desk drawer. Those earrings were given to me several years ago by a dear friend, but before I had my ears pierced. I don't think my friend noticed that my ears aren't pierced, but I know the gift was given out of love, so I tucked it into a drawer, intending to one day convert it into a pair of clip-ons. So I dug those earrings out. They are pewter, which isn't quite hypo allergenic, but I switched into them and within ten minutes, the swelling in my ears was significantly decreased!
So - I guess I'm long overdue for a fun shopping trip at Claire's. But, all in good time, you know? Yay for the fact that my ears are getting better!
posted by Tidy Bowl at
11:24 PM
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