Allergies to jewelry, ie contact dermatitis can be caused by earrings, necklaces, bracelets, zippers, rings, glasses with metal frames, watches.
These allergic reactions are most often caused by nickel and the symptoms are similar to the symptoms of eczema, small worm pimples appear that are very itchy, itching occurs due to itching and then scabs appear, all of which is very unpleasant and looks ugly. The ears may even be swollen. All this further intensifies the sweating that is inevitable in the summer.
Allergic reaction to jewelry
The first reactions to jewelry in people who have problems with contact dermatitis can occur after a few hours, but even after 48 hours, and the treatment can last from a few days to two weeks when wearing jewelry is absolutely impossible.
One of the most common challengers is nickel!
Nickel allergy is the most common contact allergy, which affects about 10% of the population, and which can be brought under control by appropriate behavior. Every fifth woman today has this allergy. Girls and women with hypersensitive skin have an increased risk of getting allergies.
Nickel melts easily in water, which is one of the reasons why a large number of nickel allergies occur in the summer, when there is increased sweating. Sweat causes the nickel to dissolve and an allergic reaction occurs.
It is a metal that is often found in jewelry, glasses, watches, buttons, cans, dishes and, unfortunately, still in many cosmetic preparations.
Fashion jewelry is mostly made of cheap alloys
Fashion jewelry is mostly made of cheap alloys that almost always have nickel in them. How much nickel melts on the surface of jewelry is decisive for the appearance of an allergic reaction. There are protective varnishes that prevent the melting of nickel, which again, with frequent wearing of jewelry, easily falls off and contact with nickel occurs again. Due to that, allergy also occurs to jewelry that has been worn without problems for a long time.
According to the directive of the European Union, it is forbidden to sell products that have nickel on their surface. However, despite the law, you can still find things on the market, especially jewelry, which release nickel from themselves and lead to the appearance of allergy symptoms. Nickel is also found in many foods, but allergic reactions to nickel in food are rare. The immune system of a person suffering from allergies reacts to foreign substances for the body (allergens), to which a healthy body does not react at all.
Contact dermatitis: The body’s reaction to an allergen
In order for an allergy to occur, the body must first react sensitively to a contact allergen, in this case metal. Eg. Nickel usually leads to sensitization only after several months of contact, which means that the allergy does not occur with the first wearing of jewelry.
Contact allergic dermatitis is manifested by allergic contact eczema with redness, itching, blisters. The skin around the eczema may be swollen. Eczema can become chronic because the inflammation spreads from the original place, the skin becomes dry, dandruff, itching and pain.
The reaction is generally limited to the points of contact between the allergen and the skin. Unlike many other allergies, nickel allergy does not produce antibodies, but the so-called T cells of the immune system are responsible for the allergic reaction.
Diagnosis and treatment of contact dermatitis
The diagnosis is made by a doctor based on the symptoms and an allergy skin test.
There is probably a genetic predisposition for allergies. If both parents are allergic, the probability that the child will get an allergy is between 50 and 70%. The only way to prevent allergies is to avoid allergens.
Acute allergy therapy
The treatment of acute allergy is mainly creams with glucocorticosteroids, which act very quickly, so they are usually used only for a few days. In this case, no side effects of glucocorticosteroids are expected. If it is eczema on the hands, the cream can be applied in the evening. In that case, you will wear cotton gloves and leave the cream to act overnight. You should include anti-pollution skincare into your daily routine.
Jewelry allergy therapy
Antihistamines work against itching. Cold compresses and cooling lotions help further.
Therapy only helps to fight the symptoms, not the cause. The chances of contact allergies disappearing depend on how much contact with the substance that causes them can be avoided.
Jewelry allergy: SOLUTION
The solution to this problem would be to wear jewelry made of precious metals, but unfortunately it is not as luxurious as jewelry made of jewelry, nor does it fit into today’s fashion, nor do women love it as much as jewelry made of jewelry, so many, despite allergic reactions, do not give up no jewelry or no problem.
To solve this, before you put on some jewelry, such as earrings, apply some anti-allergy cream to your skin, which, if you don’t wear the jewelry for a long time, will prevent the skin from reacting violently.
Another way is to wipe those parts of the earrings that are in direct contact with the skin with alcohol, and then coat them with colorless nail polish. This will prevent contact dermatitis, and it is necessary to do it only occasionally because the nail polish does not wear out immediately.
When it comes to necklaces, bracelets, rings and glasses, you cannot use this procedure because it involves large areas and because it would damage the appearance of jewelry, so the only way to alleviate contact dermatitis is to react preventively with creams and wear jewelry as little as possible , so put it on just before going out and take it off immediately upon return.
