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Have you ever found marks on the skin where you have worn rings, necklaces or earrings? They could have been caused by nickel allergy. Here’s what you need to do to avoid nickel allergy ♦

Receiving a beautiful ring as a gift and not being able to wear it: the fault lies with the allergy. It often happens that a jewel, perhaps a favorite, turns out to be an enemy of the skin. The most common cause is nickel dermatitis, also called contact dermatitis, nickel allergy. The problem can arise at any time and at any age. Even jewelry that up to that moment has never caused irritation, can suddenly turn out to be harmful. Each individual human body reacts differently to nickel depending on tolerance and sensitivity level. Among other things, there are rare cases in which the allergy is also manifested by wearing gold or silver jewelry: but the most frequent cause is, also in this case, the nickel content present in bijoux. Pure gold and silver are metals too soft to be transformed into frames. Nickel has often been added, like zinc and copper, to make gold and silver more resistant and allow it to give the desired shape. In addition, the nickel gives a shiny effect. Zinc and copper do not damage the skin, which is instead more and more nickel.

The dangerous metals. Keep in mind that 14-karat or 18-karat gold contains a greater amount of different metals than 24-karat gold, the only one that is completely pure. In short, the purer the gold, the less allergies it causes. Nickel is also used in jewelry in alloys with platinum and white gold. But platinum jewelry is quite expensive and, statistically, there are fewer cases of allergies, as it is rarer. In addition, platinum and white gold are also often reinforced with palladium, a metal that does not cause allergies. However, it is more expensive.

Often the allergy is caused by the contact of the metal with the most sensitive layer of the skin, such as the hole in the nose or ear. Nickel penetrates through the skin into the bloodstream of the body. At this point the cells react to the nickel. Another cause that can give rise to allergies is sweat. When it is hot and the jewelry is worn for a long time, the skin sweats. Perspiration comes into contact with the metal of the jewelry, dissolves the nickel, and forms nickel salts. The salt reacts on contact with the skin and causes the allergy. It is commonly believed that women suffer more than men, but the number of men wearing jewelry is far less.

Symptoms. Nickel allergy can cause blood loss, or swelling and the production of pus. In most cases, however, there is a constant itching or burning around the area where the skin has been in direct contact with the jewel. More rarely, allergic people find a blue tint on their finger after removing a ring, or a rash or red spots on the skin. Nickel allergy sufferers end up wearing only stainless steel jewelry. In fact, this metal also contains nickel, but it also does not leave it as it is hermetically held, it rarely comes in direct contact with the skin.

Another enemy are the traces of soap and water under the jewels. The cleansers break the protective shield of the skin and allow the nickel to come into direct contact with the deeper layers. Earrings and rings are more likely to retain water droplets after a bath. Taking off your jewelry before washing is a useful precaution, especially when doing housework and hands being washed countless times. Detergents or other cleaning products that get under a ring can cause allergy. Unfortunately, there are no cures: dermatologists offer some medical treatments, but they are usually only effective for the short term. After some time, regardless of the treatment, the allergy reappears.

How to avoid allergy. If you really don’t want to do it, or if you forget to remove the rings, pass a layer of transparent nail polish inside the jewel: it can help avoid direct contact with the metal. Another precaution to avoid allergies can be to apply talcum powder before wearing the jewelry: in this way, humidity is avoided. Furthermore, those who fear an allergic reaction must be careful not to wear tight earrings, rings or chains: if the air passes through the jewel it is less likely that contact with the skin causes a reaction. Alternating jewelry more often reduces the risk. Finally, remember to keep the jewelry clean and dry. Those who are very sensitive to nickel can choose lacquered or palladium-plated jewelry.

Do you want to know what nickel is?
It seems the original name of this metal, nickel, derives from the Swedish word Nickel, diminutive of a proper name, Nicolaus. And in the tradition of the Nordic country Nicolaus was a name given to people of little value, but also to goblins. But metal has nothing to do with Henry Potter’s wizarding world. Nickel, or nickel, is a metal that was already used in the Bronze Age, over 3500 years ago, in the Middle East and China. In the West, nickel came into common use in the mid-eighteenth century, when Baron Axel Frederik Cronstedt, attempting to extract copper from a mineral, niccolite, obtained a white metal which he called nickel, a name that derives from the German Kupfernickel, that is, false copper, or from nickel (elf, little devil in German).

Why is it used?
Nickel is a white, silvery metal. It belongs to the iron group and is therefore hard, but also malleable, easy to work with. It is also appreciated in jewelery for the properties it gives when alloyed with gold, platinum or silver, especially because it gives strength and is resistant to corrosion.

Nickel, in addition to being present in many jewelry alloys together with gold, is used in a wide range of products. So if you have signs of allergy on your hands, maybe it’s not your earrings, but cutlery, watches, scissors, lighters, cell phones, doorknobs and even coins. And if you have marks on your neck, it is not certain that the cause is the necklace, but perhaps glasses, food and pots…

The first thing to do, in short, is to check with which metals you come in contact often.

But, be careful: maybe you do not know that nickel can also be hidden in cosmetics, personal hygiene products (such as hair dyes, toothpastes, shampoos, nail polishes). In this case hunting nickel is easier. Read the label well: the presence of nickel must be declared by the manufacturer, even if you may find it written in small letters. Finished? No: who is really very allergic also risks at the table. In fact, some foods naturally contain nickel, even if in very small quantities. In any case, if your allergy does not disappear, eliminate these foods.

Here are the forbidden foods:

blueberries, oats, buckwheat, walnuts and hazelnuts, broccoli, potatoes, baking powder, apricots, cabbage, spinach, peanuts, carrots, tomatoes, oysters, figs, onions, asparagus, lentils, whole wheat flour, beans, liquorice, cooked and raw pears, mushrooms, corn, lettuce, peas, almonds, tea, lobster, margarine, cocoa and chocolate, avocado.

Fortunately, according to experts, only less than 20% of nickel allergies are caused or worsened by food. But if this is the case you have to eliminate these foods altogether for at least a month or a month and a half before you see a difference. In any case, do not worry, you do not risk starving.

Here are some foods without nickel:

radicchio, endive, fennel, aubergines, courgettes, peppers, cucumbers, beets, watermelon, melon, citrus fruits, peaches, bananas, strawberries, grapes, milk and dairy products, 00 flour, rice, meat, fish (but not mussels, clams, sea urchins and crustaceans), brewer’s yeast.

Last advices if you suffer from nickel allergy:

• • When you open the tap, run the water for a few minutes to remove any traces of nickel released from the pipes.
    If you are cooking a cake, use baking soda instead of baking powder to rise.
    Choose pyrex pots, glass, aluminum, unglazed pottery, silargan, teflon. This type of crockery prevents the release of nickel from cutlery or other utensils you use.