It is common to develop a reaction to jewelry that produces a rash on the skin that looks like red blotchy blisters this type of reaction is known as allergic contract dermatitis and is an occurrence that is caused by the body’s allergic reaction to the alloy nickel that is found in most jewelry especially gold. Gold jewelry is never 100% gold and is always mixed with other metals commonly nickel and this substance will come in contact with the skin due to the sweating of the area causing the gold to corrode and the nickel to be exposed.



Can you purchases nickel free gold jewelry?

Gold is a popular precious metal when it comes to buying jewelry it is both valuable and beautiful. Few people know that 100% gold or 24 karat gold is rarely used in the making of jewelry as it is too soft to be worn and would never hold its shape and wouldn’t be very durable. To make the metal stronger craftsmen mix the metal with various other alloys including copper, zinc and nickel so they can shape the piece and it will hold its shape over time. It is the nickel that produces the white color in white gold and the copper that produces the pinkish hue in rose gold.


So it is not possible to buy white gold jewelry that will be nickel free but is possible to buy other types of gold like rose gold and yellow gold that can be made without nickel. You must buy from reputable jewelers to ensure that the product is indeed nickel free as you don’t want any nasty rashes developing if it can be avoided. They key here is that the lower the karat the higher the mixture of other alloys including nickel so anything above 14 karat gold will be a safe option as it will contain less nickel then the lower karat options. The higher the karat the safer eh chances of allergic reaction but this also comes with a higher price tag.



Why does the body react to Nickel in this way?

The process of making gold jewelry involves the mixing of various alloys to strengthen the gold as mentioned before. Copper and Zinc are minerals that are found naturally in the blood and so the body recognizes these materials and friendly substances. Nickel on the other hand is a foreign substance that in some circumstances the body will recognize as a foreign property and fight against it thus causing an allergic reaction on the skin. The nickel comes in contact with the skin through corrosion of the metal sue to acidity and sweat on the surface of the skin. People are not always allergic to nickel and this allergy can develop in a person later on in life after wearing gold jewelry for years without any bother and vice versa the allergy can just disappear as quickly as it developed.


If a rash develops you will know if it is an allergy contact dramatis to nickel as it will produce a red itchy rash on the skin around the area were the gold was worn. The rash will persist for several days even after the gold is removed. You will need to see a dermatologic or your local pharmacist for advise on how to treat the rash an over the counter cream is usually sufficient in these cases but exposure to gold should be avoided after that.


Other Nickel free options of jewelry will include copper jewelry, nickel free silver and the most popular for watch wearers is Titanium this metal is very durable and will not get scraped or tarnished over time it is an excellent option when buying a watch as the wrist area is the most exposed to scraps and bangs. Remember any gold items you want to purchases in future should be for a reputable source and nickel free ensured you must be vigilant on this and any jewelry bought for children should be hypoallergenic and nickel free incase there is an allergy that you don’t know about yet.