Up to 50% of American Women experience an adverse
reaction
to fashion jewelry. A Massachusetts firm offers relief.
PEMBROKE, MA (May 1994)-I found out about "Sensitive
Ears" the hard way. I bought Teresa (then my Fiancée, now my wife)
a beautiful earring and chain set. She became teary eyed when she opened
it, and said "Honey it's beautiful but I can't wear it." She then
explained that she developed a severe itch and rash after wearing anything
but 24K Gold.
Teresa is by no means alone. In fact, what's an inconvenience for Teresa
is an outright health hazard to others. Up to half of all women suffer,
to some degree, from Contact Dermatitis-an allergic reaction to the nickel
used in the manufacture of most fashion jewelry. Denise Berger of New York
City says that "earrings would not only give me a case of contact dermatitis,
but would swell my lymph nodes behind my ears to the point where my whole
chin would become swollen and very painful." Dare Bailey of Lexington,
North Carolina lived with "twenty plus years of itching, burning, swelling,
and scaling." In the worst cases, bleeding and even infection occurs.
According to Dr. Alexander Fisher , a practicing Dermatologist and author
of Contact Dermatitis, "metal allergies can become active in
a person following the trauma to the skin such as the ear piercing process."
He strongly recommends that ears be pierced "only with a stainless
surgical needle", and that "only earrings with pure stainless
steel be worn."
Under the trade name of "Simply Whispers", Roman Research of Pembroke,
MA markets a line of "Nickel-Safe" earrings for dermatitis sufferers.
According to Roman President Sharon Ryan, "most earrings that claim
to be hypoallergenic merely use stainless steel posts. The ear still comes
in contact with enough nickel to cause a reaction. Simply Whispers contain
only Surgical Grade Stainless Steel, 24K Gold Electroplate, and safe enamels-in
other words, we create a product that is totally nickel-safe." Vice
President Dale Southworth adds, "when ear piercing as a fashion statement
took off in the late 70's, we were the first to see both the problem and
the solution."
A catalog and free introductory pair of Simply Whispers earrings can be
obtained by calling 1-800-451-5700, or by writing to: Roman Research, c/o
Simply Whispers, 33 Riverside Drive, Pembroke MA 02359-1910.