Jewelry Allergies: How to Know If You Suffer from Them and What to Do If The Allergy Strikes
It’s a sad fact of life that some people suffer from allergies that can be triggered by their jewelry. It can take a while to identify the cause of the irritation, especially if the reaction is mild. While, in some cases, this could mean that the sufferer has to be very selective about the type of jewelry they wear – or avoid all jewelry altogether- there may be ways to get around your allergy so that you can still rock the accessories you want to.
Allergies should always be taken seriously, and where you have had a reaction or suspect you’ve suffered one, it’s important to talk to your doctor or healthcare professional for advice. In the meantime, keep reading to find out how to know whether you may have an allergy to your jewelry and, if so, what steps to take if you experience a reaction.
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Symptoms of a Jewelry Allergy
If you are allergic to the metal (or other material) that your jewelry is made of, then you’ll be most likely to notice symptoms that include itching, redness, and a rash on or near the part of the skin that was in contact with the jewelry. You may also experience dry patches of skin, swelling, and blisters.
As noted above, it’s important to get any potential allergic reaction checked out by a medical professional, and if the reaction is severe, seek help immediately.
What Causes the Reaction?
While it’s possible for people to be allergic to metals such as silver, gold, etc., by far the biggest offender when it comes to a jewelry allergy is nickel.
The metal nickel is regularly used as a base metal in cheap jewelry, which is then covered in silver or gold; so, you may think you have been having a reaction to a pair of gold earrings when in fact, your allergy is being triggered by the nickel present in them.
Copper, stainless steel, and brass can also trigger an allergic reaction and are also used in the manufacturing of metal alloys: which means that they may be present in your jewelry and cause you an issue.
