Metal Allergies

An allergy is a mistake our bodies make. Someone who has an allergy has a reaction to something that the body thinks will cause harm. That something does not cause harm in folks without the allergy, but the body's reaction to it is what causes the harm. Someone with a metal allergy usually has a local (not systemic or body-wide) reaction on the skin which has come into contact with the metal. The symptoms are redness, itching, and sometimes a blistery rash. The rash is only at the point of contact, it is not a rash all over the body. Also the degree or severity of allergic symptoms can range from very mild to more profound. And an allergy can start at any time in one's life; just because a person never had any allergies, doesn't mean they will never develop any allergies. Some people have a genetic predisposition to form allergies.

The most common allergy to metal is to nickel, but any metal can produce an allergic response in an individual. More women than men have metal allergies, probably because more women wear metal jewelry. Metal allergies seem to occur more often if the metal has come into contact with an area of skin which is open, as in newly pierced body parts-ears, nose, belly button, etc. In the adult population 10% have an allergy to nickel. However gold and silver rarely cause allergies. Also pearls and precious gemstones do not cause allergies.

And metal allergies sometimes seem worse in the summer. This is because perspiration can react with certain metals and cause a reaction. Nickel dissolves easily in the presence of sweat which contains salt.

Sometimes, however, the allergic reaction to jewelry is not due to the metal, but comes from detergents or other cleaning compounds which have collected in the jewelry. This usually occurs with rings, which are usually not taken off. This problem may be solved with rinsing the jewelry well, but a better preventive would be to remove jewelry before using chemicals, and to wear gloves. Sometimes the chemicals can react with metals and cause a metal to leach out and contact the skin and cause an allergic reaction.

If you have a piece of jewelry that causes redness and itching, you may apply three or more coats of clear nail polish to the piece to form a barrier between you and the metal. The nail polish may need to be re-applied before if wears off.