About Nickel Allergy
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Do you get a painful rash from the jewelry you love?
If so, you may have a nickel allergy. In addition to causing a painful rash and a lifelong allergy, nickel is a common allergen that can have various chronic health effects. Anyone can benefit from choosing jewelry that is nickel-free.
Nickel is one of the most common causes of Allergic Contact Dermatitis. It appears in both women and men, and it can occur at any age. In general, the more exposure you have had to nickel, the more likely you are to become allergic.
Causes of nickel allergy vary, but the allergy commonly begins when ears are pierced, possibly at a very young age. The nickel enters the bloodstream through the fresh wound, which is your piercing. The rash itself will not appear until days, months or years later. It can even be difficult to sort out the symptoms of the rash from a possible earring infection. Nickel exposure is also common in many industrial workplaces, and it is present in many everyday items such as cell phones, paper clips, zippers, and more.
Continuing to irritate your allergy will only make it more severe. This is how allergies work. After an early exposure you may get a mild reaction, but each time the exposure is repeated, your reaction gets more intense. This is just the result of antibodies doing their job - to fight off an intruder, which in this case is your jewelry.
Nickel is frequently used in jewelry because it is strong, shiny, and cheap. It has been used over the years, and is now so entrenched in the industry, it is unlikely that it will ever be completely removed. There are nickel free options in jewelry, but unfortunately it is up to the buyer to become educated and learn what to look for.
Once you have a nickel allergy, it will be with you for life, and the only way to avoid the rash entirely is to avoid nickel. Wearing jewelry is not quite as optional as people might think, though. It is part of our social world, and is a part of how we define ourselves in the workplace or among friends. You should know, however, that nickel in jewelry is entirely avoidable.
It is not at all uncommon for people to observe that the rash spreads on your body over time. What began as an "earring rash" years ago, may be triggered later on in other areas of the body, by necklaces, watches, and more. Some people eventually become so sensitive to nickel they have to change their diets or choose their cookware carefully.
The source of a nickel allergy can be remarkably difficult to track down. In the beginning, a little itch near your jewelry may not seem especially alarming to you. Even if you decide to set your jewelry aside and identify it as the source of your itch or developing rash, you may never quite know what it was that caused your discomfort. You also may not realize that you are already showing the visible signs of a lifelong allergy.
I would like to encourage you to try jewelry again. It's not really as hard as you think - you just have to know what you’re looking for. Nickel in jewelry is avoidable, and preventing the allergy by avoiding nickel in the first place is the best thing of all. All of the jewelry I make is nickel-free all way through. You don't have to be afraid of your own skin any more.
©2010-2024 Naturally Nickel-Free. All contents and material on this website are copyrighted by Naturally Nickel-Free unless otherwise stated. All Rights Reserved. Disclaimer: None of the information on this or any of my pages is intended to be medical advice. If you suspect that you have a medical condition, such as a nickel allergy, please seek the advice of a medical professional.
