Many people believe they are allergic to jewellery. This is a terrible shame, and in many cases, people are missing out on the joy of wearing jewellery when actually the problem is elsewhere. Here are the facts as we know them:
Experts say that they have never yet known anybody who was allergic to pure gold. So 24 carat gold jewellery should be OK for everyone!
The most common cause of allergic reactions to jewellery is nickel contained in the alloy. Nickel is, or was, frequently used in white gold because it is inexpensive, hard, and has a strong whitening effect.
Better quality white gold alloys use palladium, which has excellent properties but is more expensive.
The use of nickel in jewellery is already restricted within the EU to 0.05%. However to get a hallmark from the UK assay office Silver Jewelery can't contain even this small amount of Nickel. If it has a hallmark then you are 100% sure it is Nickel free! If you have sensitive skin this is what you need to look for.
The next most common cause of allergies for jewellery wearers seems to be detergent, cosmetics or other chemicals, which lodge between the jewellery, usually rings, and the skin.
The best way to avoid any chemical reaction is to take off rings & any tight fitting jewellery before using any chemicals or detergents. Don't wash up, bath or shower in your jewellery. The detergents may cause a reaction & they certainly won't do your jewellery any good.
A few jewellery wearers still seem to be slightly allergic to yellow golds, nickel cannot be the cause because it is not used in yellow gold alloys. In most cases sufferers only experience problems with low gold content alloys such as nine carat, so upgrading to a better alloy such as 18 or 24 carat usually solves all problems.
Catherine D'Arcy is the founder of Corazon Latino, an online retailer specializing in handmade silver jewellery. To see their exclusive range of designs, visit Corazon Latino
