Chronically irritated/infected healed lobe piercing that I’ve had for decades

I’ve had my ears pierced for a very long time but I’ve had issues with my right ear lobe hole becoming tender, crusty, and itchy on multiple occasions. I treat it with antibiotic ointment and cortisone cream and it doesn’t really respond to them. One time I even developed an abscess and a doctor had to inject a steroid and put me on antibiotics. I do have a nickel allergy so I’m very careful to only wear sterling silver earrings. I make sure all my dangly earrings are light so they don’t yank my lobes down. In the past I’ve had bad reactions in both piercing holes to fashion jewelry or “hypoallergenic” jewelry so I avoid it all costs. Even stainless steel is an alloy with nickel so I don’t wear that. So why is it that I have this recurring irritation in only one lobe? Anyone else have this experience?