A lot of people are confused when they buy pairs of earrings and they get plastic earring backs with plastic disc instead of regular butterfly backs. Some people will try to remove plastic from earring back. However, the discs that come with the plastic earring backs are there for a very good reason: it is to improve the grip of the ear on the earrings and to reduce the ‘wear and tear’ of the ear lobe.
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Are You Supposed to Remove Plastic from Earring Back?
I think it depends, each product design has its reason. The plastic disc is supportive that holds your heavy earrings in place and prevents your earlobe from sagging. In case, you seldom wear large or heavy earrings, or you feel very uncomfortable with using earring backs with the disc, you can take off the supportive plastic disc.
What is the Plastic Backs on Earrings Good For?
The benefit of Using Earring Backs with Plastic Disc
1.Silicone lifters are hypoallergenic
They’re safe to use for many skin types. Silicone in itself is also highly durable, so you can expect replacement bullet clutches to last as long as the original earring backs that come with your earrings when you buy them.
2.Earring lifter for heavy earrings
Earring backs for heavy earrings are a good idea because the plastic backing discs help spread out the weight of the earrings, and reduces skin sagging. It is important to protect your ear lobes from preventing sagging especially if you like wearing heavier earrings like drop earrings and the like.
3.Matches many sizes of the earring post
It can match with many earring posts easily without the need for excess effort when wearing the earring backs. So no matter what kind of earrings you have at home, you can match your spare earring lifters to them, easily. You wouldn’t have to worry about them not matching the earring posts. A lot of proper engineering has gone through high-quality earring backs, ensuring proper and comfortable fit every time.
RELATED POST:Â How To Keep Earring Backs From Falling Off
Check out more earring back replacement
Are You Supposed to Take the Plastic Off Earring Backs?
When You Should Take the Plastic Disc Off?
1.Bulky – this type of earring backs are larger than normal backings, such as butterfly earring backs. If you think it is too big/ bulky, you can take it off.
2.Plastic got stiff – some plastic discs will get stiff if they had been used for a long period or not keep well. If the plastic disc got stiff, you can remove it.
3.Plastic change color – New plastic is transparent color, but it will sometimes turn yellow after used for a period. then you can remove the plastic disc if its appearance is affected.
4.Uncomfortable/ too tight – this earring back is a bit tight that can secure your earrings from falling off. If you think it is too tight that makes you uncomfortable, you should take it off or get other earring back replacements as well.
Why You Should not Remove the Plastic Disc?
1.You have droopy ear – wearing heavy/drop earrings for a long time but without using this type of earring lifter, the earlobes may be extended. Therefore, keep using earring disc can protect and help slower extending your earlobes.
2.Hold heavy earrings in place – wear with this earring discs can help to hold the earrings in place and keep the earrings from falling off.
3.You have different kinds of earrings – Earring backs with the plastic disc can match with different kinds of earrings, both heavy earrings, and light earrings.
How to Remove the Plastic Discs from Earring Backs?
Now let’s say that due to one reason or another, you want to remove plastic backing for your earring. How do you do it?
Method 1 – Pop the plastic off earring backs (simplest)
The simplest method of removing them is just popping them out. Here are the steps:
- Get an earring backs plastic disc and place the narrow side of the earring back on the wall.
- Place both of your thumbs on either side of the plastic or give the plastic disc a good push. If the plastic disc has been slipped onto the earring back, it should be able to just slide back the way it came in. Now don’t worry if you aren’t able to do this the first time, because those plastic discs are supposed to be tight on the earring backs. Just keep pushing, but don’t push so hard that the earring back becomes deformed.
- If all goes well, the plastic or silicone disc will pop out. Repeat the same process for the next earring back with a plastic disc.
Method 2 – Using a scissor cut the plastic disc
There are some instances when the plastic disc just won’t come out. This is fine, and this may be because there may be an extra layer of metal that is preventing the plastic disc from popping out. So what you need to do when this is the scenario is to get a small pair of scissors or a sharp pair of nail cutters. Start from just one side and cut all the way through.
If the plastic disc does not pop out on its own accord, you may need to keep cutting until the disc is completely severed from the earring back. You can give the plastic disc a nice pull to separate it enough to free the earring back.
When should you remove the plastic disc? You can remove the plastic discs if you feel uncomfortable tightness with your earrings. Some people just don’t like the look of having plastic earring backs, so they remove it. This is a valid concern too since jewelry is all about having the right look. Still, we encourage people to keep their earring backs because it protects piercings from overweight earrings.
If you have earrings that easily pull down your ear lobes, you need to use earring backs with lifter support. In time, the small piercings that we barely notice are going to enlarge to the point. They will look pretty obvious even when there’s no weight on them.
We can prevent this scenario by using plastic discs when we wear our earrings. Some people may not like them, but they will help you maintain the size of your piercings and to prevent sagging.
Where to Buy Earring Back Replacements without Plastic Disc?
Actually, there are so many types of earring backs to match different kinds of earrings, if you are looking for earring back replacement without a plastic disc, check out our earring back replacement collection!
More posts related to earring backs:
How to Remove Stuck Screw Back Earring?
What Are The Best Earring Backs?
How To Keep Earring Backs From Falling Off?