Do you get rash, itching at your at the place of your ear lobe, watch strap or belt? If this is true, you must be having nickel allergy. Nickel is the most common metal which causes allergy. Nickel is found in most jewelry, common every day items such as eyeglass frames, utensils, paper clips etc.
What causes Nickel Allergy?
Nickel allergy is caused when your body mistakenly reacts to nickel as a harmful substance. Nickel allergy occurs mostly in women. This may be because they wear more jewelry. You can also develop nickel allergy if you are exposed to nickel for a prolonged period, as in body piercing, jewelry etc.
Wet contact of the skin with nickel metal can also cause allergies. This is because water, sweat etc. can cause the nickel ions to enter the skin and can cause allergies. People who work in places which require constant contact with nickel metal should be careful.
Nickel Allergy Symptoms:
Nickel allergy usually occurs at the place of contact of the metal with the skin. However, the allergy can also occur at other parts of the body.
Nickel allergy starts with an itchy feeling at the site of the contact. The skin becomes red, inflamed. Rashes or dry patches of skin resembling a burn can also occur. In severe cases, there would be blisters and draining of fluid. These reactions are also termed as allergic contact dermatitis.
Nickel Allergy Testing:
If your doctor suspects you to have nickel allergy, he may recommend patch testing. In patch testing, a small amount of allergen (nickel) is applied as patches on the skin. The patch is removed after 2 days. If you have nickel allergy, the skin under the patch would be inflamed.
Patch testing is considered safe as very low amounts of allergens as used
Nickel Allergy Treatment:
For treating nickel allergy, your doctor can prescribe medications such as corticosteroid cream, oral corticosteroids, or oral antihistamine. Moisturizers can also relieve dry and itchy skin.
How to Prevent and Manage Nickel Allergy?
Here are the following tips to prevent and manage nickel allergy:
- Be careful while undergoing body piercing: If you are opting for body piercing, make sure it is done only with stainless steel or nickel-free needles. The body piercing studio should be clean, tidy and a reputed one.
- Purchase/wear jewelry carefully: Wear hypoallergenic jewelry, such as jewelry made of nickel-free stainless steel, titanium, stainless steel etc. Jewelry made of 18-carat gold, 14-carat nickel free yellow gold is also recommended. White gold, gold plated, rolled gold jewelry should be avoided
- Substitute materials: Instead of nickel products, try buying products with substitute materials such as leather, plastic, cloth, plastic-coated materials. For example, you can buy a leather watchband instead of a nickel one.
- Be careful of nickel sources: Nickel is found mostly in jewelry and day-to-day articles and you should be careful of these sources. Nickel is found in watchbands, eyeglass frames, coins, keys, pens, tools, hairpins, belt buckles, zippers, snaps and bra hooks. It is also found in jewelry such as rings, bracelets and necklaces
Nickel allergy can be prevented by avoiding prolonged contact with the metal. However, if your parents or relatives have nickel allergy, you are also have probability of developing allergy to nickel. Hence, by being aware of nickel sources and staying away from them, you can manage nickel allergy.
