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Draping our necks, wrists, and fingers with aesthetic
decoration is a pleasure most of us delight, and take
pride in. Then, one day, an itching, reddening, or
unappealing stain shows up beneath our favorite pieces.
What can we do when our accessories turn on us?
Up to one in seven people suffer from jewelry allergies.
Anyone of any age can be affected, and knowing the
symptoms, treatments, and alternatives can save your
wardrobe, and your skin.
ACD (Allergic Contact Dermatitis)
• A
condition caused by allergic reaction to a material
having contact with the skin. Symptoms occur minutes,
to hours, from initial contact, and will subside within
days, if no further contact is allowed. Severity of
symptoms is relative to individual tolerance. Once
established, the reaction is typically permanent.
Symptoms
1. Itching, tingling, or burning around contact
site.
2. Rash, reddening, or blistering of the skin at
contact site.
3. Swelling and continual bleeding or puss production
at piercing locations.
Treatments
1. Remove any jewelry that causes you discomfort.
Abstain from wearing it until steps have been taken
to ensure your comfort, and safety.
2. Avoid scratching! Breaking the skin can allow
internal tissues to become infected. Symptoms can
worsen when introduced into the blood stream. Antibiotics
may be necessary to fully cure the condition at
this stage.
3. Seek a dermatologist's advice, and/or a metal
allergy test. Before beginning any treatment know
what you're dealing with and what steps to take.
4. Vitamin E, topically applied and taken internally,
accelerates healing of wounds, and boosts the immune
system. (For relief of existing symptoms only)
5. Aloe Vera, topically applied, rejuvenates and
softens skin. (For relief of existing symptoms only)
Common Culprits
Nickel
•
The number one cause of jewelry allergies. Nickel
salts are reactive with the salts in our perspiration;
when an individual is sensitive to this combination,
an allergic reaction results.
*Nickel is used as an additive
in most jewelry due to its effectiveness at sustaining
shape. Pure gold and silver are exceedingly soft,
and require metal alloy additives to make them durable
over time. Nickel, copper and zinc, alloys are most
common. Commercial testing kits can be purchased
to test for the presence of nickel in your jewelry.
(Copper and zinc rarely cause allergic reactions.)
*Common metals with nickel additives: yellow gold,
white gold, GF (gold filled) jewelry, GP (gold plated)
jewelry, silver, German silver, surgical/stainless
steel, costume jewelry.
*Common metals without nickel additives: copper,
sterling silver, platinum, niobium, and titanium.
Cobalt and Chrome
•
Typically found as additives alongside nickel, these
have been known to cause the same allergic reactions,
but are less common comparatively.
Surgical Steel •
Is it safe or isn't it?
Typically, surgical/stainless steel contains between
eight and twelve percent nickel. This nickel is tightly
bound within the interior of the steel, rarely wearing
through to the exterior layer where it might contact
the skin. This fact, along with price and availability,
make it a good, if not perfect, alternative for those
with nickel sensitivity.
Gold •
The extreme rarity of allergic
reactions to gold left physicians stumped for decades
as to whether gold allergies really existed. Yes,
a person can be allergic to gold. The symptoms are
similar to ACD and can include eczema. The only cure
is to avoid all gold, even dental fillings!
Discoloration
A bleeding of color from jewelry onto the skin, without
the presence of itching or blistering, is not an allergic
reaction. Body chemistry alone or a lack of quality
care in the trinkets themselves can generate this
incidence.
Copper •
Causes a green discoloration
of the skin when water, soap, or sweat stimulates
it. Body chemistry and level of contact allow variations
in the reaction. Keep offending pieces clean and dry
to avoid the staining.
Sterling Silver •
A black stain rubbing onto
the skin is common when silver is allowed to tarnish.
Tarnishing happens because of silvers sensitivity
to gasses in the air. Regular cleaning is the only
way to avoid this reaction.
*Platinum, stainless steel,
titanium, and higher Karat gold's are alternatives
for those with frequent discoloration problems.
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