Jewelry for allergy sufferers: what to choose if you are allergic to metals?

Allergy to jewelry is quite rare. However, its appearance can become extremely unpleasant, especially for women for whom rings, watches or necklaces are part of their everyday look. However, a metal allergy does not apply to all alloys and does not mean that you need to completely abandon jewelry. Check out what to look out for when choosing jewelry for allergy sufferers! What is a metal allergy?

Metal Allergy - Symptoms

Allergy sufferers struggle with only one disease when wearing jewelry. It's called contact eczema.. Occurs as a result of skin contact with a sensitizing substance and is manifested by single scattered and itchy papules, blisters, rash or redness. This is the initial stage of an allergy. If we do not refuse to wear our favorite ring, lumps, during this period develop into larger erythematous or follicular lesions. Swelling and redness most often appear on the wrists, neck, and ears.

In order to reduce the effects of allergies, you can contact a dermatologist who will recommend the use of antihistamines. However, it will be more profitable to abandon the metal that sensitizes us and replace the jewelry with one that does not cause allergic reactions in us.

Nickel is the strongest allergen in jewelry

The metal that is considered the strongest allergen in jewelry is nickel. As an accessory, it can be found in earrings, watches, bracelets or chains. It is combined with gold and silver, as well as with palladium and titanium, which are equally allergenic - but, of course, only for those people who show strong allergic tendencies. Nickel has been shown to be one of the few elements it also increases the sensitivity of children under the age of 12. Sensitivity to this metal occurs in both sensitive and healthy individuals, and nickel allergy sufferers are often allergic to objects made of other metals. This applies, among other things, to cobalt or chromium. It is worth noting that an allergy to chromium is an allergy that is extremely strong and annoying in its course. So let's avoid jewelry with the addition of these metals - thus base precious metals that have many additives. When choosing a ring, you should choose products made of high-quality gold and silver with a possible admixture of titanium, which do not have too strong an allergic effect. You should also avoid any tombac jewelry, which is an imitation of gold.

Jewelry for allergy sufferers - gold and silver

Gold rings and silver rings include products that are most often recommended for allergy sufferers. None of these metals causes allergic reactions, only impurities of other metals present in the jewelry alloy do this - therefore, it is worth knowing the differences between 333 and 585 gold. the higher the standard of gold and silver, the better. However, be careful with old silver items. They may contain allergenic silver nitrate. However, this applies to jewelry made before 1950. Allergy to gold in itself is extremely rare, and if it occurs, it is only when wearing wedding rings or rings. It also affects women more than men. Allergic reactions among high-grade gold jewelry were not observed.