"As a result of everything making my skin itch, I only wear Gold jewelry." Many people have this reaction when wearing some types of jewelry. This condition is commonly referred to as dermatitis and is a consequence of an allergic reaction to some metals. The Nickel found in many types of jewelry is the cause of most forms of dermatitis. Allergies to Nickel are quite widespread. One out of every seven people is likely to suffer from a Nickel allergy. More women than men tend to suffer from Nickel allergies. This may be attributed to the fact that women tend to wear more jewelry than men and are therefore more likely to be exposed to skin contact with Nickel. What jewelry metals then don't contain Nickel?
Let's first examine Gold jewelry. Rarely will jewelry made from 14K yellow Gold cause an allergic reaction to those that have sensitive skin. However, white Gold may irritate those with sensitive skin. White Gold contains Nickel and other "white" metals to produce its Silver coloring. 10% of the population has a reaction to white Gold. An alternative to solid Gold jewelry is Gold-filled or jewelry deemed "GF." Gold-filled jewelry is made by heat-bonding a layer of Gold around a base metal. Gold-filled differs from Gold plate by the amount of Gold applied. Gold-filled jewelry has a layer of Gold that is 75 to 200 times thicker than most Gold-plated jewelry.
For those that love the look of White Gold, but have allergies, Fine Silver or Sterling Silver is a great alternative. By classification, Fine Silver is 100% pure Silver. Most Silver jewelry is not made from Fine Silver. However, if it is hammered or work-hardened, it is just fine and will last a lifetime without much care. Plus it won't tarnish, since it contains no Copper. In general, most Silver jewelry is made from Sterling Silver. Sterling Silver is designated 92.5% Silver. The other remaining 7.5% is made up of Copper. To make the Silver more durable, Copper is alloyed with pure Silver. Sterling Silver is a great alternative for people with Nickel metal allergies, since Copper is commonly used in Sterling Silver. By law, all Sterling Silver must by hallmarked with a .925 symbol. Some artisan jewelry may not have this hallmark, but by law, all manufactured jewelry must.
Another great choice of metal to consider if you have Nickel allergies, is Copper. Almost all Copper jewelry is made from 100% Copper and isn't alloyed with any other material, including Nickel. Another metal commonly used in jewelry is Stainless Steel or Surgical Steel. As the name implies, Surgical Stainless Steel was designed to be used in the human body. Conversely, Nickel is used in Stainless Steel making up to as much as 8 to 12% of the alloy. Since the steel alloy does contain Nickel, caution should be taken when considering Stainless Steel jewelry if you have skin allergies. Since Platinum contains 95% Platinum and 5% Iridium, Platinum makes a great alternative for those with skin allergies. The last of the "safe" metals is Titanium. Titanium jewelry is both hypoallergenic and hard-wearing. It's one of the best metals for those that suffer from Nickel allergies.
These types of metals and jewelry should be avoided if you commonly have reactions to the jewelry you wear. Nickel is commonly found in most Fashion and Costume jewelry. German Silver or Nickel Silver is another commonly used metal in Fashion Jewelry and should be avoided. German Silver does not contain any Silver. In fact, "Silver" only refers to the color of the metal, and is no way related to metal compostion. This "Silver" color is produced through the alloying of tin, lead, zinc, or Nickel. If you do buy a piece of jewelry and are concerned that it may contain Nickel, commercial test kits are available online. Do a little research upfront and ask the right questions, so that you will be able to wear fashionable jewelry without risking an allergic reaction.
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