EARRINGS WITHOUT THE ITCH Most women with pierced ears have, at one time or another, experienced itching, flaking, swelling, soreness or inflammation. These are symptoms of metal sensitivity, the chemical reaction to metal alloys (nickel, primarily) used in modern pierced earrings. Some women suffer to be in style; others simply stop wearing pierced earrings. Questions arise: What kind of earrings are safe? Will really expensive earrings prevent the problems? Where can I buy earrings that are guaranteed safe? Roman Research, the manufacturers of Simply Whispers earrings, claims it has the answers. It makes fashionable, hypoallergenic earrings priced at $5.98 and up. There's a money-back guarantee for 60 days if you're not completely satisfied. Simply Whispers uses only pure metals, 24-karat gold and safe, lightweight surgical stainless steel, in a safe design. All of these metals are chemically passive. Painted earrings are enamel baked onto surgical stainless steel, and semiprecious gems are also mounted on surgical stainless steel. You say you've bought earrings advertised as being hypoallergenic and had problems? In most cases, it's because of raw brass clasps, harmful alloys and thin gold-alloy or silver-alloy plating used to minimize costs. So-called "premium" earrings of 14-karat and 18-karat gold still contain up to 25% metal alloys known to trigger dermatitis. Pure 24-karat is known to be hypoallergenic but is very expensive. Surgical stainless steel plated with pure 24-karat gold has been proven hypoallergenic and is much less expensive. A friend who had temporarily stopped wearing pierced earrings because of inflammation and soreness was asked to try a pair of Simply Whispers synthetic birthstone earrings priced at $12.98. She was able to wear them successfully all week with no irritation or discomfort. -The DETROIT NEWS, May 6,1984