Nickel Allergy
By: Paul FryattTotal Views: 153, Word Count: 686,
Nickel is a silvery white metal which could be found in nature. It’s generally mixed with other metals to produce alloys. For instance, nickel iron which is used to manufacture stainless steel is the most common alloy of nickel. Other nickel alloys are used to make costume jewelry (i.e. watchbands, earrings, necklaces, rings, bracelets) coins, zippers, buttons, handles, utensils etc.
As you could see nickel is found in several common, everyday items. Although you might be exposed to nickel in the environment of your workplace, it’s much more likely for the normal population to come into contact with nickel through direct skin contact.
This is vital as nickel appears to be very frequent cause of allergic skin rashes, with nickel allergy being more common among women than men. Apparently, ear piercing which women are more likely to do than men has put vulnerable individuals at a higher risk of becoming more easily sensitized to nickel.
A nickel allergy is a reaction which develops after primary or brief or frequent or extended exposure to nickel or items containing nickel depending on the person’s vulnerability. Extent of reaction also differs by individual. Specifically, nickel allergy is a contact allergy, which is an allergic skin reaction in response to being exposed to a nuisance or contact allergen like nickel.
This allergy could occur at any age and characteristically manifests a few days after first contact as eczema which appears as a dry, itchy and pigmented skin rash with watery blisters. The affected area is generally restricted to the site of contact, although it could also be found on other parts of the body. Once you develop this allergy, it’s generally a chronic condition, often being life.
Causes of Nickel Allergy
- Nickel allergy, like other allergies is acquired. This allergy is at times initiated by ear piercing.
- This allergy could develop at any age and once you become allergic to nickel, you are likely to have it for several years.
- Some individuals are greatly allergic to nickel and might get a rash from even brief contact with nickel containing metals while others break out only after a long period of skin contact with nickel.
- This allergy is particularly common in women. It frequently prevents them from wearing jewelry. All jewelry comprises nickel; however, the percentage of nickel is less in 14 or 18 karat gold jewelry than in costume jewelry.
Treatment
- Nickel allergy rashes generally clear up once contact with metal containing nickel is stopped and a cortisone medicine is applied to the rash.
- Preventing nickel contact rashes means avoiding skin contact with nickel containing metals. If you feel that you need to wear jewelry which has nickel content, compromise; wear the jewelry for only short periods of time, applying a cortisone cream to your skin before putting on the jewelry.
- If your ears are pierced, you could obtain hypoallergenic earrings from different companies.
- There is no way to desensitize an individual with this allergy with pills, shots or any other method as this allergy stays on for years, although at times it slowly becomes less severe.
Lastly, when piercing your ears or other body parts, make sure that you do it only with a stainless steel needle to avoid this allergy.
About the Author
Paul Fryatt, M.D. has been in this profession from last 24 years. He made great achievements in his profession. He made an initiative to open a Family Allergy Clinic in 1985 to help his patients who were not reacting to traditional allergy treatment programs. Moreover he has explored the treatment to overcome allergy symptoms to reclaim quality of life through his convenient, no-shots therapy
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