Nickel Allergies?

Nickel Allergies?

• December 16, 2015

Nickel allergy is one of the most common causes of allergic contact dermatitis — an itchy rash that appears when your skin touches a usually harmless substance. Nickel allergy is commonly associated with earrings and other jewelry, particularly jewelry associated with body piercings.The best strategy to prevent developing nickel allergy is to avoid prolonged exposure to items containing nickel, especially jewelry. If you already have a nickel allergy, the best way to prevent an allergic reaction is to avoid contact with the metal.

However, it’s not always easy to avoid nickel because it’s present in so many products. Home test kits are available to check for nickel in metal items. The following tips may help you avoid nickel exposure:

Wear hypoallergenic jewelry

Purchase jewelry that’s made of materials that aren’t likely to cause allergic reactions. Look for jewelry made from such metals as nickel-free implant grade titanium, 18-karat yellow gold, or nickel-free 14-karat yellow gold. At Lucky Rabbit we want to give you the best chance to heal by minimizing irritation and doing what’s right for your body! We offer a full line of gold and titanium hypoallergenic jewelry.  We suggest if you have an allergic reaction to any metals that you avoid jewelry with nickel, as well as cobalt and white gold, which may contain nickel and trigger allergic reactions. Surgical-grade stainless steel may contain some nickel, but it’s generally considered hypoallergenic for most people. Which is why we only carry implant grade titanium, niobium or gold jewelry.

Get rid of jewelry that contains nickel or has caused an allergic reaction. Be sure that your earring backings also are made of hypoallergenic materials.

Make sure your piercer doesn’t use a piercing gun, which may not be sterile or nickel-free and may cause other complications, such as a bacterial infection.

Considering these options can help make your piercing heal quicker, safer and make you happier with your piercing experience!