How to identify and combat your jewellery allergy?

Killer Question: How to identify and combat your jewellery allergy?

huibing

30 Jun 2017

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Be selective
Of course, seeking out nickel-free (or whatever metal you’re allergic to) and hypoallergenic pieces are the easiest way to prevent a reaction. Look for jewellery above 14-karat or made of surgical-grade stainless steel for earrings, as your delicate skin around the ears are more prone to reactions. Other popular picks are platinum, rhodium and palladium, but generally any hypoallergenic metal would do.
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Create a barrier
But, what if you have a cherished piece of jewelry that you simply cannot get rid of? A way to prevent reactions is to create a barrier between the metal and the skin. A popular pick is to apply (a few coats of) clear nail polish on the metal, but plating the metal is a viable option as well. Remember to reapply it from time-to-time as the coating can easily rub off!
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Avoid exposure
In cases where coating or plating your jewellery is simply not possible, try to avoid prolonged exposure to the item and, while wearing it, avoid contact with water. The latter is especially important when you are dealing with the sea as salt water can make reactions worse.
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Rethink your leather
Leather pieces should also be avoided. Chromium is used when leather is tanned - it is favoured because it is a lot quicker and results in softer leather. Instead, search for vegetable-tanned leather if you have noticed any discomfort with your leather jewellery.
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Be careful with other things, like the food you eat
More than that, when you recognise you are allergic to a certain metal, understand that it can affect your everyday life. Nickel, for example, can be found in high amounts in soy products, so be careful when picking your lunch options too.

Is that green tinge nothing to worry about, or is it a sign that something is wrong?

Allergic reactions come in all shapes and sizes, but it’s easy to automatically associate it with the food you eat. Occasionally, there will be mentions of allergies to bee stings, but a reaction to jewellery is not usually easily identified, nor talked about in detail.

How to identify

Seeing your skin turn green after wearing your favourite vintage necklace can be worrying. Fortunately, that is not a sign of an allergic reaction. This is what happens when the acids on your skin (or the ingredients in the body cream you’re using) react with the metals, causing the metal to oxidise. Sweating also quickens the process of oxidation because of the amount of moisture released.

While this mean that the green stain is largely harmless, take note if your skin shows other signs of distress. Some common symptoms include swelling, itchiness, and your skin turning red, but it varies from person to person. Extreme signs like a burning sensation, blistering, and even bleeding may also happen if you’re allergic to your jewellery. These symptoms are likely to take a long time to dissipate once you’ve removed the item as well.

What you might be allergic to

Allergic reactions occur when your immune system attacks a harmless substance to stop its path into your body. For jewellery allergies, it is not much different.

Nickel allergy is the most common, with nearly 20% of people experiencing either blistering or dry skin when this metal comes into contact with their skin. Most of the time, nickel is mixed with other metals, so your jewellery might have trace amounts of it, which your skin might be sensitive to. Nickel easily dissolves, forming salts that easily enters the skin, causing reactions.

Copper and cobalt are two other metals that have been known to cause allergic reactions. Copper is favoured for producing a lovely red tint that gives rose gold metal its iconic shade, while cobalt is used to increase the durability of jewellery.

Reactions to silver and gold are two rarer forms of allergies, but that doesn’t mean it’s not possible. Gold allergies can be more severe, as the reaction may last up to a month from contact.

Okay so, now what? If you’re looking for tips, scroll back up and check out our top five tips to help you with this problem!

Lee Hui Bing

Photos: Getty Images

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