Are Cheaper Jewelry More Likely to Contain Nickel?

Filed in archive Metal Allergies , Skin Allergies on May 26, 2008

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Is the price of a piece of jewelry an indicator whether the metal used contains nickel and may thus cause rashes in individuals allergic to nickel? In some countries in Europe, perhaps, but not in the United States. According to a report published online in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology:

"In the early 1990s, the European Union Nickel Directive was passed in an effort to decrease the prevalence of nickel sensitization in consumer and occupational products in Europe, with results indicating the directive is working. However, no such regulations exist in the United States to limit nickel exposure, leaving millions of people at risk for dermatitis from common goods, such as earrings."

For the study, the researchers tested 277 earrings from 34 different stores and artists in San Francisco and found about a third of them positive for nickel. However, the frequency of allergic reactions observed was not correlated to the country where the earrings were manufactured, nor to the selling price.

For example, none of the 44 earrings priced between $5 and $8 in one accessory store tested positive for nickel, but numerous earrings priced between $15 and $25 in another accessory shop did.

If you have nickel allergies, be sure to wear jewelry that are labeled as nickel-free, or opt for jewelries made of stainless steel, platinum or gold (allergy to gold is also been known to exist, but is a relatively rare condition).