Relationships June 22, 2017
Nickel-free jewelry is a girl's best friend. That's how it goes right?
When it comes to jewelry, the cheap choice isn’t always the best choice. This can be said for style, but even more so for women with metal allergies.
Here’s all you need to know about nickel-free jewelry.
While having allergies to other metals is possible (of course), nickel allergies are by far the most common. This usually surfaces as an itchy rash where the metal touches the skin.
Though this skin reaction is certainly an annoyance, it is not typically considered to be dangerous.
Jewelry is the most common source of nickel allergies, but other sources include cell phones, glasses and zippers. However, some other sources include cell phones, glasses, and zippers. And because women tend to wear more jewelry, they suffer more from this allergy.
It is safe to assume that nickel is present in almost all jewelry except those made of surgical steel, pure platinum and 18 or 24 karat gold.
However, it is likely to be in literally everything else. And there’s a reason for that. Nickel is one of the cheapest metals, so it is often usually used as a base metal. Then, if jewelers use gold or silver coating on their items, then they can sell a cheaper product.
Nickel allergies are actually very common. Ten percent of the world’s population is allergic to nickel. Additionally, jewelry containing no nickel whatsoever is hard to come by. It can also be noticeably more expensive.
Consumers typically want the cheapest product, despite how prevalent this allergy is. Thus, this puts many people at risk of a reaction.
Saying something is “nickel-free” could just mean that the coating of the jewelry doesn’t contain nickel, but the base metal still can. In the U.S., there are no guidelines for classifying jewelry as hypoallergenic.
But to be sure that what you’re using will be fine for your skin, you can go to a lab and get a nickel spot test or one of the tests through Nickel Alert provide. Also, before you test your jewelry, make sure to clean it properly!
If your nickel allergy is severe, a good option would be to buy outside of the United States. The European Union, for example, limits nickel in products that come in prolonged contact with skin.
So, your best bet may be to buy from Europe or at least make sure your “nickel free” jewelry is certified.
When something is hypoallergic, it essentially means that the metals still potentially contain small amounts of nickel. Some metals that are considered hypoallergenic are gold, titanium and stainless steel.
Basically, the purer the metal the less nickel it contains. And this level of purity is typically reflected in the price of the jewelry.
For the average person, low levels of nickel aren’t problems, but the risk of having a reaction is still there. Thus,if you are highly allergic to nickel it is crucial to buy from certified nickel-free distributors.
Absolutely not.
There are a ton of great options for true nickel-free jewelry products. And what’s more, they don’t have to break the bank either. Yay.
Here are our favorites:
This is a 100% certified nickel-free belt and jewelry company based out of the U.S. Did we mention that most of their jewelry is handmade? They even include a nickel testing kit with every purchase.
This is a nickel free accessory brand with grassroots values. Debra Lynn Dadd is a researcher, writer and advocate who preaches non-toxic living.
These products provide a less expensive option for verified quality products.
Remember what we said earlier about buying from Europe? This is what we meant. This company has 100 percent nickel-free jewelry, including base and hardware.
They have partnerships with various dermatology organizations to ensure safety. Not to mention, they have some cute and inexpensive earring options too.
At the end of the day, always be sure to check if your jewelry is truly nickel-free, buy “smart” from certified distributors and, above all, shop ’til you drop.
