Hypoallergenic VS. Nickel Free

What is "Nickel Free"?

I don't know about you, but "nickel free" is a confusing term. Did you know  that jewelry marked nickel free is still allowed to contain a very small amount of nickel??  It is a very tiny amount, and requires extremely sensitive instruments to measure that amount, but it is there.


The European Union's (EU) Nickel Directive places limits on the amount
of nickel that is released to the skin via jewelry and other products. This way of measuring is very different from the U.S. way of measuring the percentage of nickel that exists in an alloy's composition.  Here are the Nickel Directive's "migration limits":

• 0.2 micrograms per cm² per week for post assemblies inserted into pierced ears and other pierced parts of the human body
• 0.5 micrograms per cm² per week for other products intended to come into direct and prolonged contact with the skin.

Read the EU Nickel Directive here

  Great Britain (UK) has adopted the EU Nickel Directive as the country's standard. Jewelry artists and marketers must comply with the EU Nickel Directive, in order to sell products to customers in the UK or EU.

 

 

The US does not yet have a standard for allowed amounts of nickel in jewelry. If the US sets a standard, we can only hope it will be the same as the EU Nickel Directive.

What does "Hypoallergenic" mean?

 "Hypoallergenic" means "below the normal level" of allergenic reactions. This name originated in the cosmetics industry in the 1950's, and the jewelry industry adopted the term soon afterwards.

 

 

Sometimes we mistake the meanings of

"Hypoallergenic" and "Nickel Free"

It is easy to confuse both terms as being synonymous/the same thing. But make sure to know the difference, especially if you are allergic to nickel OR a jewelry artist.

Hypoallergenic does not mean it is nickel free. In fact, hypoallergenic has NO legal or medical definition related to jewelry.

The safest approach is to find out which specific materials are used in jewelry and cosmetics. The vague term "hypoallergenic" is not to be taken as a guarantee of materials included in the jewelry or cosmetics.

How to Shop for Jewelry 

If You Have a Nickel Allergy 

The best approach is to shop for jewelry that gives you a list of the products used to make it. Try to buy items that are 100% pure, containing just one type of metal. That way you are assured that nickel exposure is completely avoided. As long as the U.S. lacks a directive, search out jewelry made from the following metals:

• Niobium
• Titanium
• 304 stainless steel
• 304L stainless steel
• 430 Stainless Steel
• Argentium sterling silver  
• 14K yellow gold 

 Information in this post came from:
http://www.rings-things.com/resources/nickel-free.html

Another great resource comes from Dermatologist.com  which also points out about half of the toys in America contain nickel.


In general, I understand why the phrases "hypoallergenic" and "nickel free" originated. It mainly is an easy term that allows brief labeling to be accomplished for logos and such.

BUT those of us who are allergic to nickel or other alloys MUST make it our job to know exactly what those terms mean, and to protect ourselves from unexpected exposure.



Looking for safe jewelry that does NOT contain nickel?
Read my previous post here.

Nickel Free Earrings & Jewelry

What is "Nickel Free"?

The term "nickel free" can be confusing since jewelry marked nickel free is still allowed to contain a very small amount of nickel ... but, it is such a tiny amount that it takes extremely sensitive instruments to measure it.  Regardless, if you have an allergy to nickel, you need to know what you are getting in your jewelry products.

Remember, reducing your exposure to nickel will lower your negative reactions in the future. Even if you risk an evening with some earrings containing nickel, you risk a stronger flare up of allergies in the future.

Looking for Nickel Free Jewelry 

in the U.S. in Comparison to the E.U.

Nickel Free or EU Nickel Directive? Since there isn’t a formal U.S. definition of nickel free, and alloys vary, a good way to find items that are very low nickel, is to search for items that say they meet the EU Nickel Directive.

Another method is to avoid alloys entirely, and focus on elemental metals such as niobium and titanium. For more information about the term “nickel free”, see our Nickel-Free Metals Information page.

Good Metals to try: Carefully check out these metals and links to see which metals are likely to work best for you. Niobium,Titanium, 304 stainless steel,  304L stainless steel, 430 Stainless Steel, Argentium sterling silver,

Learn more at these sites: 
 http://www.rings-things.com/blog/2013/06/03/surgical-steel-and-hypoallergenic-metals/comment-page-1/

http://www.naturallynickelfree.com/NaturallyNickelFree-handmade_jewelry_for_sensitive_skin/Metals_Info.html

I've found some great sources for jewelry that is safe for all of us who struggle with nickel allergies. Thank goodness for the internet, so I can find these artists so easily!!!

 

http://shop.naturallynickelfree.com/   

Mary Jo Wallace is the artist who works with niobium, argentium, titanium,brass, bronze, & pewter.  Make sure to check out her blog, too.

http://www.hollyyashi.com/guides/metal-allergies.html  

niobium, sterling silver, gold fill, gold overlay, copper, and brass

 

 

 https://www.etsy.com/shop/NonitaJewelry?section_id=16007128&ref=shopsection_leftnav_7  

Nonita jewelry :Niobium & Titanium jewelry

 

 

http://zevaa.com/

Only the ear-hooks are hypoallergenic. The other parts are made of different types of metals.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

http://www.poppylovesparis.com/  

Some jewelry is here, along with a lot of jewelry making supplies. Just make sure the item says, "nickel free"

 





 http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=sr_ex_n_1?rh=n%3A7141123011%2Cn%3A7147440011%2Ck%3Aargentium+silver&bbn=7141123011&keywords=argentium+silver&ie=UTF8&qid=1425841036





 

http://www.simplywhispersstore.com/

 

I am considering whether it is worth the effort to learn to make my own jewelry. Here is one resource for nickel free findings and jewelry supplies, just be sure to look up niobium and truly nickel free products, because alloy products are also shown here :

http://www.rings-things.com/

Another alternative is to use Invisible Plastic Earring Pin posts like these:

<<Buy them here





Well that is all I have so far.  I am sure so discover more resources in the near future.  Do you have any other resources for finding Nickel Free Earrings & Jewelry?  Please contact me or write it in the comments below.


Please "like" my page on Facebook, Living With Nickel & Iron Oxide Allergies.   Hope to see you there!

The Basics: Foods with Nickel

 When you are diagnosed with severe nickel allergy,  it is important to seriously consider using a nickel-free, nickel-avoidance diet. 

When I first heard the diagnosis of having a nickel allergy, I thought, "No big deal. Just avoid wearing cheap jewelry." But nickel is also found in the foods we eat and affected by the way we prepare it. YIKES!

I have been heavily doing my research to learn which foods have a high content of nickel. Every website has different foods and conflicting information.  The list of items below is based upon a nickel allergy flyer my dermatologist gave me:

Severely allergic individuals may choose to avoid foods which are rich in nickel. Dietary intake of some foods has been shown to aggravate dermatitis, especially hand dermatitis.  Your doctor may instruct you to avoid some foods which typically contain higher amounts of nickel, including asparagus, chocolate, peanuts, beans, peas, rhubarb, cabbage, oysters, spinach, herring, tea,  mushrooms, whole meal flour, pears, sprouts, corn, raisins, onions, tomatoes, and baking powder.

Wow! Some of those items are biggies that show up frequently in my diet: chocolate, beans, cabbage,  tea, onions, and tomatoes.

Image from http://jeanetteshealthyliving.com

nonickel.com provided the following 

list of foods to avoid for nickel allergy:

Grains:   Whole wheat bread, multi grain breads, multi grain cereals, wheat bran, wheat germ, whole wheat pasta, oats, oatmeal, buckwheat, seeds, rye, millet

Vegetables:  Beans, lentils, peas, soy products (tofu, soy sauce, soy beans) sprouts, brussel sprouts, asparagus, broccoli, cauliflower, spinach, canned vegetables, red kidney beans, chickpeas, cabbage, corn, mushrooms, onions, carrots
Fruits:  Canned fruit cocktail, pears, bananas, canned fruits, tomatoes, raisins, rhubarb, dried fruit

Meats:  Shellfish, herring, mackerel, tuna, processed meats with fillers or coatings, canned meats and fish

Beverages:  Tea, chocolate milk, beer, red wine 

OTHER SOURCES OF DIETARY NICKEL TO AVOID:

• Chocolate and cocoa powder (especially dark chocolate)
• All nuts (walnuts, peanuts, almonds, hazelnuts, soy nuts)
• All seeds (sunflower seeds, linseed) 
• Licorice
• Baking powder
• Gelatin 
• Marzipan 
• Margarine 
• Commercial salad dressings
• Vitamins containing nickel
• Canned foods in general
• Stainless-steel cooking vessels used for cooking acidic foods
• The first quart of tap water drawn from any faucet in the morning.  

WAYS TO PREVENT YOUR BODY FROM ABSORBING THE NICKEL YOU EAT

• Take a vitamin C supplement with each meal.
• Eat a high iron diet

>>I'm still researching the "high iron diet". Often those types of foods are on the avoidance list. And isn't iron what I'm trying to avoid?

Penn State Hershey Dermatology published the following tips to help with nickel allergy:

 Various food items and drinks can aggravate nickel dermatitis even though the nickel content of these foods may be low. These include beer,wine (in particular, red wine), herring, mackerel, tuna, tomato, onion, carrot, and certain fruits, in particular, apples and citrus fruits (juice). These vegetables can usually be tolerated when cooked.

The first liter of water taken from the tap in the morning should not be used in food preparation, as nickel may be released from the tap during the night. Nickel-plated kitchen utensils, such as egg beaters and tea balls, should be replaced.

Acid foods such as stewed fruits and rhubarb cooked in stainless steel utensils should be avoided. The acids in the foods can cause nickel to be released from the utensils. Canned foods should be eaten only in moderation.

Hand dermatitis that is affected by nickel in food will also be made worse by other conditions. Prolonged physical contact with nickel-plated items should be avoided. Other substances that can irritate sensitive skin, such as soapy water, household cleaning agents, raw fruits and vegetables, garden soil, and oil products used in repair work, should also be avoided.

Honestly, I haven't moved into the kitchen tool replacement at this point. If I do it, I will try to avoid nickel exposure in my foods, versus avoiding hand contact with tools containing nickel. It all depends on how your body is reacting with your  nickel allergy. Since I am already washing my hands frequently, avoiding touching my face, and my eyes seem to react the most, touching nickel in kitchen tools is not my biggest area of concern.

Other resources:

http://www.livestrong.com/article/314347-low-nickel-diet/

Milton S. Hershey Medical Center

http://www.melisa.org/metals-disease/metals/nickel/

 

 

Having a nickel allergy involves a lot of research, financial investment, and thought. But once the learning curve is over, I hope it will be a regular part of life.

I would love to hear about your experiences with having a nickel allergy. Please leave comments below.