When I was diagnosed with nickel and iron oxide, I knew I would have to find out more about these metals. At that point, I learned that nickel is found in many items in my everyday life.
"Oh my gosh, how can I avoid nickel?"
Nickel is a very versatile and useful metal compound which helps to strengthen other metals. It can be mixed with softer metals to make them more durable. It's silvery-white color makes it easy to polish up to a high shine and it is resistant to corrosion. That is why it’s used so widely in our world and is quite hard to avoid.
What's amazing is that six hundred million people are allergic to nickel. If you are one of these people you now know you’re not alone, along with Jeremy Clarkson of Top Gear fame who also has a nickel allergy. But the good news is that by learning more about it
So today's post is a brief collection of quotes from the experts. I just believe they have more accurate information than I could summarize. Let's look at what is nickel allergy:
Nickel allergy is one of the most common causes of allergic contact dermatitis — an itchy rash that appears when your skin touches a usually harmless substance.Mayo Clinic
Nickel allergy is commonly associated with earrings and other jewelry, particularly jewelry associated with body piercings. But nickel can be found in many everyday items — from coins to zippers, from cellphones to eyeglass frames.
Nickel allergy can affect people of all ages. A nickel allergy usually develops after repeated or prolonged exposure to items containing nickel. Treatments can reduce the symptoms of nickel allergy. Once you develop nickel allergy, however, you will always be sensitive to the metal and need to avoid contact.
Nickel is a trace element that is found in soil, water, air and in the biosphere. It is used in manufacturing stainless steel. Nickel is the most common cause of metal allergy. Nickel allergy is a chronic and recurring skin problem.
Nickel salts are used for the electroplating industry: automotive,
home
appliances, electronics, aerospace, etc.
Nickel allergy is actually not caused by nickel in itself. Rather, it is the nickel salts which are formed under the effect of perspiration which is in contact with the piece of jewelry or other metal item. This phenomenon results in corrosion of the metal object.Indian Journal of Dermatology Venereology and Leprology
Females are affected more commonly than males. Approximately 10-12% of the female population and 6% of the male population are estimated to be allergic to nickel. Women are mostly exposed to nickel via non occupational sources, such as jewelry. Men are most commonly exposed to nickel via occupational sources.
I've realized that no matter what I do, I am going to come in contact with nickel on a daily basis. So it seems that by becoming aware of which items typically contain nickel, the better I will be at avoiding as much contact as possible.
And then when I MUST handle something that has nickel, I will avoid touching my face and eyes. I will also work to wash my hands after coming in contact with nickel. That way I can limit further skin contact by accidentally touching my face or handling food following contact with nickel.
It all comes down to being aware of what items contain nickel, and then doing the best I can to follow up once I've had contact with it. Gotta do the best I can, and keep living my life. :)
