I had my ears pierced when I was five and I was allergic to everything BUT gold. But my ears were so infected by then we just gave up and let them heal closed.
I got my ears pierced AGAIN for my last birthday and one has healed but the other is really fucked up. It hurts! I'm about ready to just go with one earring.
My pediatrician diagnosed me with acute asthma as a child. That might have something to do with it.
Never have been very fond of cigarette smoke. I have TWO grandparents that died from lung cancer in the last year(one a long-time smoker and the other worked in a lumber mill). If cigarette smoke increases my chance of getting that by even 3% I don't want to have anything to do with it.