Hypoallergenic Jewelry? What does that really mean?

This topic is still a very challenging one to me. I’ve always had allergies to some kind of jewelry and still to this day I don’t know, specifically, which metals trigger my allergies. What I know though is that Nickel is one, if not the worst, of the culprits. When I was little, I only wore gold/silver plated jewelry (nickel free) or pure silver/gold. As I grew older, my fondness for the long/fashion earrings came along and I couldn’t help it. I worn many different brands of fashion jewelry without even questioning its quality, and I always ended up hurting myself. I would wear them every day, to go to school, to the store, to the beach…in short, everywhere! But sure enough, not even an hour would go by and I had to take them off. My ears would itch unbearably! FRUSTRATING! But it never kept me away from wearing them. You know how it goes…women will endure pain to look pretty! Thankfully, as we get wiser, we start to care more and more about quality and comfort becomes a must when it comes to dressing up.

For all the people who suffer from metal allergies, they say it is caused mostly by Nickel alloys. When you have a nickel alloy siting against your skin, the natural sweat/oils from the skin oxidize the metal. As a result of the oxidation, a thin layer of nickel salts form on top of the jewelry. Those nickel salts enter the bloodstream and irritate the skin causing the allergic dermatitis that are characteristic of metal allergies. Often, people are surprised when a nickel allergy suddenly develops after years of wearing a ring or other piece of jewelry without any apparent problems. However, the reason that this can suddenly occur after long periods of problem-free wear is because when a piece of jewelry containing nickel gets older, it typically begins releasing more nickel than when it was new. My husband, for example, developed a terrible allergy to his wedding band after eight years of use. A 18k pure gold its causing a horrible itching on his finger. And we are talking about a solid ring.

Luckily, nowadays, we can find options out there that will offer both, beauty and comfort, so we don’t have to hurt ourselves just to look beautiful. But wait, I have to be careful here, because even metals that are nickel free might be causing you to have some break outs. There are many sellers out there who are advertising their jewelry as Hypoallergenic, a term that deserves some explanations. Hypoallergenic means “below normal” or “slightly” allergenic. The term was coined by the cosmetics industry in the 1950’s, and became a popular marketing term for jewelry soon afterwards.

Since many people are allergic to nickel, “nickel free” and “hypoallergenic” are considered synonyms. Again, I have to repeat myself here, acquiring a nickel free piece of jewelry doesn’t mean you will be free of allergies. However, if nickel is the problem, you most likely won’t have any issues. The Jewelry Industry worldwide, has been attempting to develop Hypoallergenic products, at a lower cost, by mixing different types of metals aiming to come out with something that will work for their allergic customers. A task that is very challenging, since low cost and precious metals are incompatible. But considering that every person reacts differently when in contact with certain kinds of metals, we should not state that nickel free Jewelry is Hypoallergenic in a broad sense, even though that might be the case for many people.

As a Jewelry seller, I am always concerned about the quality of the pieces. I get to know all my partners’ processes in making their product and I am always following the improvements in the Industry. All my Jewelries are made out of Brass (a metal alloy composed of Copper and Zinc), free of nickel in its composition. They then, receive a thin layer of Palladium followed by either 18k Yellow Gold, White Rhodium or Black Rhodium, which makes them less prone to cause allergies. For many people, these kinds of jewelry will solve their problem – which is my case; I wear them every day without any issues. They might be a little bit more expensive but they certainly will be worth it. All my earrings are also lightweight which will cause less friction and therefore will provide more comfort while in use.

I hope you enjoyed this little brief on Hypoallergenic Jewelry. I am neither an expert on metal composition nor a specialist on metal allergies. I'm an enthusiast, I love earrings and I'm always avid for information. I would love if you could share any knowledge that you might have. :)