A piece of jewelry is a great accessory to accentuate your style and fashion. It is something that you will always wear whenever you want to stand out from the rest. But, what if the jewelry causes an allergic reaction or even a skin infection?
Quite a significant percentage of the population is prone to an allergic reaction that is caused by the presence of nickel in the jewel. If you are one of them, then you must be appreciating the importance of nickel-free jewels.
Since the jewel does not have any elements of nickel, the chances of being affected by the allergic reaction are minimal.
What is Nickel-Free Jewelry?
Nickel-free means that the jewel does not have any traces of nickel.
Nickel is a metal that is used for making jewelry. It is known to be a serious allergen to a large percentage of the population. The metal also has some carcinogenic properties.
The metal has a silverish appearance and is responsible for giving some jewels a shiny luster. It is also used as a filler in most jewelry.
Medical experts advise against coming into direct contact with nickel due to serious health complications that it can cause. Especially if you are allergic to nickel.
Jewelry makers have taken this message seriously and are now making nickel-free jewels.
However, some jewelers only label he jewels as ‘Nickel-free’ while in the real sense it contains a small percentage of nickel.
Understanding the Nickel Allergy
Are you allergic to nickel? If your skin starts getting itchy whenever you have direct contact with nickel, then you are allergic to this metal.
However, this does not mean that every itch that you experience whenever you are wearing jewels is caused by nickel. Other metals or minerals such as gold are also allergens: You may be allergic to gold!
It takes some time fr the allergy to start manifesting itself. You will start noticing when the affected body parts such as ears become itchy or start turning red. Yes, your good-looking jeweler can be the main source of your discomfort.
Nickel remains to be the most popular allergen. Since yellow and white golds contain nickel, you are likely to experience an allergic reaction whenever you wear these ornaments.
Percentage of nickel in the jewelry
If you are allergic to nickel finding a nickel-free jewel can be quite a herculean task. This is because most of the jewels in the market contain this metal, even the ones that claim to be nickel-free.
To make it worse, most countries have not instituted effective measures for ensuring that the jewels are 100% nickel-free. So, it is all upon the jeweler’s goodwill to ensure that their jewels are nickel-free. In reality, how many of them can do so?
Some countries are quite strict on the percentage of nickel that should be in any jewel. This has seen the percentage of this mineral on jewels going down over the years.
Apart from the percentage of nickel, measures have been put to determine the actual percentage of nickel that gets into the body. This way, it will be easier to put tough measures that will cut down the volume of nickel in jewels.
Nickel-free jewelry eliminate inflammation
Have you been having a painful inflammation whenever you wear a certain piece of the jewel? There is a high chance that the inflammation could be due to the presence of nickel.
Wearing a nickel-free jewel will leave you with a different feeling. Our skin won’t be itchy anymore. However, you should ensure that the jewel is completely free of nickel. One way of achieving this is by buying your jewelry from a reputable jeweler.
Medical-grade titanium, sterling silver, and pure gold are just some of the alternatives that you can whenever your nickel-laced jewel causes itchiness.
How do you test jewelry for a nickel?
You are about jewelry but you are not sure whether it is nickel-free or not. Even if has been labeled ‘nickel-free’ you may still want to confirm that the information is true.
The goods news is you can conduct a nickel test on a piece of jewel. All you need is to buy a Nickel Spot Test solution. Put a drop of the solution on a piece of cotton then rub it on the jewel. Check the color of the swab after rubbing.
If the swab turns pink, this signifies the presence of nickel in the metal. The jewel can trigger an allergic reaction to someone who is allergic to nickel.
Hypoallergenic does not mean it is nickel-free
While looking for the best jewelry, you might have come across the term ‘hypoallergenic’. Does this term mean that the metal is nickel-free?
A jewel may be hypoallergenic but is not 100% nickel-free. The term may imply that the jewel has a very small percentage of allergenic metals. It may still contain traces of nickel or even cobalt.
If you are allergic to nickel and you wear hypoallergenic jewelry, chances are you will experience allergic reactions.
If you are allergic to nickel, don’t be blinded to buy hypoallergenic jewelry. Instead, look for one that is completely nickel-free and you will be safe.
Otherwise, if you are adamant about buying hypoallergenic jewelry, stick to pure metals such as copper, pure gold, and titanium which are quite costly. You should also confirm directly from the jewelers that the said metals don’t contain any allergens.
Does nickel-free jewelry tarnish?
There is a skewed opinion that nickel prevents jewels from tarnishing. This is just propaganda that is designed to push you into considering jewelry that contains nickel. The reality is tarnishing is not related in any with the presence or absence of nickel.
A piece of jewelry will tarnish or retain its pristine luster depending on how you are taking care of it.
Minimum exposure to nickel is healthy
You may not be allergic to nickel and this gives you some sense of security. You assume that you are now free to wear a jewel that contains nickel. It is time to discard that mentality.
Health experts have warned against exposure to nickel can be harmful to your health. Nickel is rated among the carcinogenic metals meaning that it can cause cancer.
An article published by the Center for Disease Control outlines the dangers of nickel to human beings, animals, and the environment.
So, even if you are not allergic to nickel, you should still consider buying nickel-free jewelry. This way, you will be able to avoid a myriad of health complications that are associated with this metal.
The nickel-free jeweler is stunning
Will I be foregoing the looks when I buy nickel-free earrings? This is a question that you may be thinking about before buying a piece of nickel-free jewelry. Just because a piece of jewelry does not have nickel does not mean that it is not eye-candy.
Nickel-free jewelry is also beautiful and looks stunning. You won’t be sacrificing anything. In any case, you will be able to enjoy the beauty of the jewelry without worrying about your health or safety.
The only difference is nickel-free jewelry is more original than the others since it has very minimal filler materials. Still, on the aspect of looks, nickel-free jewelry comes in many different patterns. They can have a powerful impact when it comes to accentuating your style and fashion.
Nickel-free jewelry is not always metal
Hurrah! You have just found a piece of nickel-free jewelry. But, it feels different! Its material does not feel as hard as other jewels. Is this normal?
Yes, not all nickel-free jewelry are metals. Some are made of plastic-but, not ordinary cheap plastic. High-quality medical-grade plastic material can also be used for making nickel-free jewelry. This type of plastic is recommended since it does not have any negative effects when it comes into contact with the human body.
If you want to take a break from the metal-based jewels and still want it to be devoid of nickel, consider this medical-grade plastic. Not only is it strong but also it posses the beauty that is expected of any other jewelry. This is in addition to the fact that you will be able to avoid nickel.
Is Titanium a nickel-free jewel?
Once you discover that you are allergic to nickel, you will automatically count most metal-based jewels since almost all of them contain nickel. However, there are still few metals that don’t have nickel and one of them is titanium.
Titanium jewelry won’t trigger any allergic reactions because they do not have any trace of nickel. All the grades of titanium are recommended safe for human use. This explains why they are the preferred jewels for body piercings.
However, you should be careful when it comes to the titanium alloy jewels. An alloy that contains titanium and nickel or even titanium and cobalt cannot be rated as nickel-free. This means that it can trigger an allergic reaction. Choose a titanium alloy only if it does not contain nickel.
Is sterling silver nickel-free?
Sterling silver is another popular jewel. Most people love it because of its elegance. But is safe for someone who is allergic to nickel?
Sterling silver is 92% pure silver and other metals take the remaining portion. Copper is just one of the metals that can be used for making a sterling silver alloy. You should not worry about such a combination since pure copper does not have elements of nickel.
However, a good percentage of jewelers won’t hesitate to add a nickel to make up for the remaining 8%. this is mainly motivated by the low-cost o nickel. If this is the case, the silver jewel won’t be nickel-free. Jewelry made from such a material can cause an allergic reaction when worn.
Keep in mind that there is a big difference between sterling silver and plated silver. The later contains nickel while most sterling silver doesn’t have.
Is brass nickel-free?
Brass is popularly known for its plating role. It covers other metals protecting them from mechanical and chemical damage. It is an alloy of copper and zinc.
It is quite hectic to find a brass jewel. However, you can find jewels that are plated with brass.
As a metal alloy, brass does not contain nickel. This means that you can wear jewelry made from it if you are allergic to nickel.
However, you should avoid brass if you are sensitive to either copper or zinc metals. Continue looking for alternative jewels that won’t have any detrimental effect on your health.
Is white gold nickel-free?
White gold image: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/1759287340253540/
White gold has a reputation for causing an allergic reaction in some people. This is a clear sign that it contains some nickel.
Keep in mind that white gold is rarely 100% pure. It is an alloy of gold combined with other metals, including nickel. So, if you are an allergic nickel, buying a white gold jewel won’t be a nice decision.
Is yellow gold nickel-free?
Yellow gold is one of the most valuable jewels. It is also super-soft making it impossible to be molded into different shapes. This explains why it features different alloys.
Unlike the white gold, yellow gold is nickel-free. The most common metal alloys that are added to it include silver and copper.
However, you may still find some jewelers adding nickel to gold since it is cheap and easily available. This is why it is always advisable to buy from reputable jewelers as they don’t engage in such hideous practices.
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Conclusion
I hope that you have gained valuable information about nickel-free jewelry. As we have seen, there is plenty of jewelry options that don’t contain this metal. All you need is to open your eyes and scrutinize each jewel that evokes your interests.
The most critical step that you should take when looking for a nickel-free jeweler is choosing the right jeweler. This s vital since some jewelers may claim that the jewelry is nickel-free yet in reality, they have laced it with nickel.