How to Treat Jewelry Allergies

Contact dermatitis (an inflammation of the skin caused by an irritating substance) is often the result of individuals with an allergy to nickel or other metals. Nickel is often used in jewelry as an alloy to add stability to soft metals such as silver. The reaction is most usually not to the pure silver or gold, but to the metal additive.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Recognize the Signs of Jewelry Allergies

1. Watch for skin rash and itching at the site of the jewelry. The reaction usually stays at the location of contact, but can spread to surrounding tissue.
2. Pay attention to a tingling, itchy feeling after the jewelry has been worn for 20 minutes. A nickel allergy can manifest quickly and become a red rash or watery blisters within a couple of days of contact.
3. See a dermatologist (a physician specifically trained to diagnose and treat skin disease and allergies). It's important to have an accurate diagnosis before beginning treatment.

Learn Ways to Treat Jewelry Allergies

4. Keep jewelry from touching the skin by using earring sleeves or a clear protective coating such as that found on the Jewelry by Rhonda Web site (see Resources below).
5. See a dermatologist for medication to treat contact dermatitis caused by jewelry allergies. Treatment may include topical corticosteroids to reduce inflammation.
6. Realize that in case of an infection resulting from the allergic reaction, antibiotics may be required to treat the area.
7. Resist the temptation to scratch itchy areas around jewelry sites. Scratching can break the skin barrier and allow bacteria to enter the irritated skin. Once this occurs, infection can spread rapidly to the surrounding tissue.
8. Wear stainless steel, solid gold or 925 sterling silver jewelry. This eliminates jewelry with nickel content.
9. Reduce the risk of an allergic reaction to jewelry by using stainless steel or high-quality 18K gold studs for ear piercing. Allow the skin to heal completely before attempting to wear any other kind of earring. If an allergy develops, discontinue wear.

Tips & Warnings

• Look for jewelry with a "nickel-free" tag to avoid most types of allergic reactions to jewelry.
• In some instances, applying clear nail polish to jewelry provides enough protection to keep the nickel away from the skin.
• Once you have an allergy to the nickel in jewelry, it will most likely last a lifetime.
• Sweating increases the chance of developing contact dermatitis from wearing jewelry containing nickel.