Nickel allergy

Nickel allergy is one of the most common allergies in the world. Allergies to jewelry with nickel or other nickel-containing items occur in as many as 17% of adults. How to treat a nickel allergy? What should you know about it?

Allergy to nickel and other types of jewelry
Have you noticed that you've developed some discomfort after wearing new earrings or a necklace? Did a new nickel bracelet suddenly make your skin itch? Redness or itching of the skin where it comes into contact with jewelry is among the worrisome signals. If your skin turns red, itches and burns, it may indicate an allergy to nickel or other jewelry material. Nickel allergy is quite common, although few people actually have any idea about it at all. As soon as you notice any skin changes after wearing a certain type of jewelry, you should stop wearing it.

Jewelry made of allergenic material can cause an unpleasant sensation and discomfort for the wearer. The most common is contact eczema, which will persistently itch after contact with the sensitizing material. First, small papules "pop up", which are itchy and fine. Only later may outbreaks of swelling or erythema appear, with blisters. In such a case, one is certainly dealing with an allergy. Very often one can be allergic to: gold, silver, nickel.

Nickel is usually found in gold-plated and silver-plated jewelry, but also in white gold. An allergic reaction to nickel is red and burning skin, itching or festering holes in the ears (after nickel earrings). Sometimes it takes hours or days for symptoms to subside after the jewelry is removed. Nickel allergy usually occurs in women who wear nickel jewelry (chains, necklaces, rings, watches, earrings, etc.). If you are not sure whether you are allergic to nickel or not, you should get yourself an allergy test. Then you will be sure if you are one of the people who should not wear jewelry with a nickel admixture.

Allergy to nickel jewelry - tests.

If you want to avoid symptoms by wearing jewelry with nickel, unfortunately, it will not be possible entirely. You should observe which type of jewelry sensitizes you. When in doubt, never decide to buy low-end jewelry - it will certainly have a lot of skin-sensitizing components. Studies show that people from more economically developed countries are most likely to be allergic to jewelry.

If you want to be sure whether you are allergic to nickel or not, it will be worthwhile to undergo a medical diagnosis. The doctor will take a medical history, after which he can perform a test for the allergen. The basis for the test is allergic symptoms such as:

• skin rash in the areas of nickel jewelry worn,
• itching and burning in the area where nickel jewelry was worn,
• abscesses on the skin in contact with nickel.

The doctor will conduct a patch test. The allergen is applied to the skin of the back, using chambers on a hypoallergenic patch. It is left there for two days. After peeling off the chambers, the skin reaction is assessed. Sometimes it can be about 168 hours after applying the patch to get a reliable result.

Nickel allergy - what else can it be caused by?

Nickel is a component of many alloys, being slightly golden or silver-white in color. It is very often used as an element of jewelry. In addition, it can also appear in everyday objects. So it turns out that not only earrings, necklaces or rings with nickel can be allergenic. The list of nickel-containing items also includes: pants belts, cutlery, scissors, doorknobs, pants buttons, zippers, coins, keys, pens, eyeglass frames.

When an allergic reaction occurs, the most common is redness and itching in the ear, neckline or neck area - of course, if it's a jewelry allergy. There may also be redness on the abdomen where it comes into contact with, for example, a pant buckle.

How to treat nickel allergy?

Risk factors for developing a nickel allergy

Nickel allergy occurs depending on several factors. Among the most important of these are:

• Gender - allergy to jewelry overwhelmingly affects women. The more jewelry they wear, the greater the risk of developing an allergy.
• Age - children are more likely to develop allergies than adults.
• Genetics - hypersensitivity to nickel can be hereditary.
• Occupation - people who come into contact with nickel (e.g., cashiers, metal workers, machinists or hairdressers) are particularly prone to sensitization.

How to treat a nickel allergy?

The basis, of course, will be to avoid jewelry containing a nickel admixture. If your earrings or ring contain the element, you should not wear them. However, once an allergic reaction has developed, symptom-relieving treatment should be applied. The most helpful are:

• Antihistamines - it is histamine that is released during an allergic reaction. The drugs will therefore inhibit it, quieting allergic symptoms.
• Oral glucocorticoids - it is worth using them when the allergic reaction will be aggravated to a strong degree.
• Ointment with glucocorticoids - they will effectively soothe areas with symptoms of allergic reaction.

Of course, these days it will be hard to completely avoid products that contain nickel. It's a ubiquitous ingredient in many items, especially jewelry. For this reason, the task is very difficult. The most important thing, therefore, will be to follow a few important rules.

1. Try to replace products with nickel with substitutes that do not have the allergenic element. You can instead of metal bracelets, for example, opt for those made of plastic or natural leather. Likewise, you can successfully replace metal buttons with other materials.
2. Choose only hypoallergenic jewelry, which will not tend to cause allergies. Such jewelry can be made of surgical steel, gold and silver of appropriate samples (such as 14K gold and 925 silver). You will be able to check such jewelry more easily today especially since the European Union regulates the nickel content of certain jewelry items, such as watches and earrings. A recognition of the material is used so that nickel allergy does not just appear.
3. When visiting your doctor, try to inform him of your nickel allergy. The situation should be similar with a visit to the dentist. Unfortunately, but many dentures or implants, for example, have nickel. If you are allergic to it, you need to mention this to the medical staff - depending on what condition you have. This is important to avoid huge health complications later!
4. It's also important to eat properly - especially since some foods have nickel in them. Read what's on the packages and avoid foods rich in nickel. Unfortunately, but this type of food can aggravate jewelry allergy and, thus, the course of nickel allergy.
5. If you work at a cash register, for example, and come into contact with nickel (coins), create a suitable protective barrier for yourself. Try to use protective gloves to shield the skin of your hands from contact with nickel, which is a component of coins.

How to choose jewelry so that it is not allergenic?

Unfortunately, but it is not possible to cure yourself of allergic reactions. If you are sensitive to nickel or another metal, it will not be possible to change this. What you can do is avoid items that trigger allergies. So choose jewelry from reliable sellers, and avoid those from street vendors or popular chain stores (for a few zlotys). If you do, opt only for jewelry with a high purity of gold or silver. A very interesting alternative will also be to buy earrings made of wood or titanium, which will be a safe option for female jewelry lovers.