Children’s Earrings – What Materials Are Appropriate?
It’s becomming more and more common these days for parents to have their children’s ears pierced at a very early age. As this has become more common, many jewelry makers are beginning to create children’s earrings in a wide number of styles. You can find anything from simple plastic studs to elaborate children’s diamond earrings.
Years ago, the only thing you could find were simple children’s stud earrings. Even those could be difficult to find. However, earrings for kids can be found at nearly any place that sells earrings.
If you are buying jewelry for a child, there are a few things to need to watch out for. One of the biggest things is the type of metal that is used in the jewelry. Kids’ skin tends to be more sensitive than an adult’s. For instance, a lot of cheaper jewelry is make with nickel. While this may be fine for an adult, it is more likely to irritate a child’s skin.
When shopping for kid’s earrings look for nickel free jewelry. Some brands will follow the standard set in Europe of no more than 0.05% nickel. Also watch out for accessories made out of silver. Nickel can be present in silver jewelry. Before you buy it, check the package or tag. It should tell you what metals were used. Don’t just rely on something being labeled as “children’s earrings.”
So, what types of materials are appropriate for kids?
If you don’t mind spending a little more, 18k gold is the best. 18k gold looks great, will last for many years to come and is safe for all but the most severe skin allergies. You could also try 14k gold. However, this will contain a higher concentration of other metals that can cause a skin reaction. 14k gold baby earrings are actually quite popular and will usually be just fine.
For kids with very severe skin allergies, the safest metal is niobium. Niobium is an inert metal that is commonly used in surgical implants. Niobium earrings can be more difficult to find. If your local stores don’t carry them, many online retailers do.
Plastic in another great material for kids jewelty. It won’t cause problems for those with sensitive skin and it is usually quite inexpensive. Inexpensive jewelry is great for kids since they are so great at losing earrings.
You can usually find a wide variety of children’s earrings that are made with any of these materials.
