Do you have a mysterious, itchy rash that appeared out of nowhere? It could be an allergic reaction — especially if it’s located where you wore a piece of jewelry.
Skin allergies develop when your skin comes in contact with something it’s sensitive to. Also called contact dermatitis, these chemical sensitivities can be triggered by almost anything — from cigarette smoke to surfactants in soap — and one of the most common skin allergens is nickel.
Fashion and costume jewelry often contain nickel, and wearing nickel jewelry can cause an uncomfortable and unsightly rash to develop on your skin. Our team at Allergy & Environmental Treatment Center LLC can help. Here, we describe the signs that you’re allergic to your jewelry and what you can do about it.
Jewelry allergies are usually caused by exposure to nickel. Nickel is found in all types of fashion and costume jewelry, including earrings, body piercings, rings, bracelets, and necklaces.
If you have a nickel allergy or sensitivity, signs of it often appear within a day or two after wearing nickel jewelry. You might notice:
Symptoms vary from person to person, but they’re often confined to the part of your body that came into contact with the nickel. For example, a rash may develop on your neck after you wear a necklace with nickel in it.
While jewelry is one of the most common causes of nickel allergy symptoms, lots of other items also contain nickel. You could develop a nickel sensitivity from:
It’s important to note that nickel allergies can develop at any point in your life. That means you could wear a piece of jewelry for years without issues and then suddenly develop an itchy rash when you wear it.
If you have a skin rash and you think it might be from your jewelry, schedule an appointment with our team at Allergy & Environmental Treatment Center LLC. We can identify the cause of your symptoms and develop a treatment plan to clear your skin.
We examine your skin and review your medical history. If it looks like you have an allergy, we do an allergy test to confirm your diagnosis.
Once you develop a nickel allergy, you’ll always be sensitive to the metal, and you may develop symptoms if you come in contact with it again. The best way to treat nickel allergies is by avoiding contact with items containing nickel.
Choose jewelry that’s nickel-free and hypoallergenic. Consider switching to nonmetal materials for items like eyeglasses, watch bands, belt buckles, and other things that touch your skin frequently. If you have to come in contact with nickel, wearing gloves or creating some other type of barrier can help prevent a reaction.
To treat your existing symptoms, our team may prescribe a topical cream or an oral medication to reduce inflammation. Regularly moisturizing your skin can also help calm skin after an allergic reaction.
Find out what’s causing your skin rash so it can start healing. Give our Scottsdale, Arizona, office a call at 480-634-2985 or book an appointment online today.
