Do You Have A Jewelry Allergy?
- Sarah Baldwin
- Aug 28, 2021
- 4 min read
Updated: Aug 15, 2024
An allergic reaction to jewelry usually occurs when your skin comes into contact with certain metals present in your jewelry or piercings. This reaction is commonly known as contact dermatitis, and its main symptom is a red, itchy rash. While this rash isn’t contagious or life-threatening, it can be very uncomfortable.
Most jewelry allergies are caused by nickel or cobalt. These are used as the base metals for many inexpensive pieces of jewelry. It takes repeated or prolonged exposure to these items before a person develops a nickel allergy, and patients with sensitive skin should avoid products containing nickel and cobalt as much as possible.
Causes of a Jewelry Allergy
People can be allergic to any metal, but nickel and cobalt allergies are the most common. The exact cause of this allergy is unknown, but it may develop due to your immune system’s sensitivity to nickel.
Ordinarily, your immune system will only fight off bacteria, viruses, and other toxic substances. However, a nickel allergy indicates that your immune system sees this metal as a harmful substance as well. It may take repeated exposure before your body develops an adverse reaction to nickel, but once it happens your immune system will always respond negatively whenever you come into contact with it.
Aside from wearing cheap jewelry, here are other factors that may increase the risk of developing contact dermatitis:
Working with metal: If your occupation causes you to come in contact with metal frequently, you are more at risk of developing an allergy. The risk is increased if you’re exposed to wet metals, such as when you sweat or come into contact with water.
Family history: If you have family members who are sensitive to certain kinds of metal, the chances are high that you will inherit the same type of allergy.
Being female: Since females traditionally tend to have more piercings, they are more exposed to metal allergies when compared to males.
What Are The Symptoms of an Allergic Reaction?
A jewelry allergy typically begins 24 to 48 hours after being exposed to the item. These symptoms may last for as long as 2 to 4 weeks, and will usually only appear where the metal came into contact with the skin.
The symptoms of a jewelry allergy may resemble a reaction to poison ivy. More specifically, the symptoms that result may include:
Itching or irritation
Redness
Tenderness
Swelling
Warmth
Bumps
Rashes
Dry patches that resemble a burn
Blisters and draining fluid
Are There Any Risks with A Jewelry Allergy?
When wearing cheap jewelry results in rashes, the rash may become infected with bacteria. This may happen when the skin becomes moist, or if it becomes broken and raw due to scratching. It’s best to see a skin specialist for treatment if your skin becomes crusted, yellow, weeps, or smells odd. The infected rash will not improve until it’s treated.
Treating an Allergic Reaction to Jewelry
There is no permanent cure for an allergy caused by metal. The best thing that can be done is to avoid certain metals, especially those found in jewelry. Here are some steps you may take to help treat your skin after an allergic reaction:
Remove the jewelry responsible for the allergy. If you suspect a particular piece of jewelry is causing the problem, it’s best to stop wearing it and observe how your skin reacts.
Apply a steroid cream on the surface of the rash to help it heal. Your skin specialist may prescribe corticosteroid cream, nonsteroidal cream, oral corticosteroids, or an oral antihistamine. Medication will help reduce the symptoms and relieve the irritation.
Emollient creams or soothing lotions such as calamine lotion, petroleum jelly, or mineral oil can help ease the itching. It’s also important to moisturize regularly since the allergens have disrupted your skin’s natural barrier.
A wet compress can help soothe your blisters and relieve the itching. You can soak a clean cloth in tap water, then apply it onto the affected area of the skin.
Avoid over-the-counter ointments like antibiotic creams, as these may contain ingredients, which can worsen an allergic reaction.
Phototherapy is another treatment you can try for patients whose allergies do not get better with topical or oral steroids. A phototherapy procedure involves exposing the skin to a controlled amount of artificial UV light.
Tips For Wearing Costume Jewelry
When you are diagnosed with some form of allergy to metal, it’s essential to stay away from jewelry and other accessories containing that metal.
However, this is easier said than done as many jewelry products contain metals like nickel. Silver or gold plated jewelry contain nickel alloys underneath. Any gold jewelry less than 18K, such as white gold, will also contain a mixture of metals to provide structure to soft, pure gold.
Purchase hypoallergenic jewelry
If you’re allergic to a specific metal, be sure to check that the jewelry you plan to buy does not contain that metal. Look for hypoallergenic jewelry such as titanium, platinum, rhodium, palladium and 18K gold. Avoid buying jewelry plated with another metal or made of mixed metals like white gold.
Some stores offering hypoallergenic jewelry include:
Create barriers for your skin
Creating barriers will help you reduce the risk of an allergic reaction while handling metals. For example, use gloves if you’re working with metals. You can also purchase hypoallergenic creams (like NIK-L-BLOK barrier cream) specifically made to block the contact of metals with the skin.
Test jewellery with metal testing kits
Test your metal items to see if they contain nickel or cobalt. See below for testing kits.
