iWatch, FitBit and Other Wearable Technology Risks Contact Dermatitis

Wearable technology, such as the FitBit and iWatch have made our lives much easier.  Wrist-worn devices like the Up, Force and Flex also offer water proof wearability. How great is it to be able to keep track of your heartrate, the calories burned, your blood pressure and your GPS location with one little item that is strapped onto your wrist? What a great way to save time and effort!

Wearable Technology Could Save Our Health

Source: CheapNurseDegrees.com



The Fitbit Force has been a  popular trend of wearable tech that was recently recalled.
The Fitbit Force wearable is officially off the market as of mid-Mar 2014, due to complaints of skin irritation, blistering, and contact dermatitis. Over 1 million FitBit units sold in the U.S. and Canada since October 2013. Since then, nearly 10,000 complaints of blistering and skin irritation were reported to the Consumer Product Safety Commission.

“Based on our investigation, we are now confident that our users who experienced allergic contact dermatitis likely reacted either to very small levels of methacrylates, which were part of the adhesives used to manufacture Force or, to a lesser degree, nickel in the stainless steel casing,” read an open letter from Fitbit CEO and co-founder James Park.

Fitbit is offering a refund for customers who have experienced skin irritation caused by the device. Here is the company's full statement:

"We are looking into reports from a very limited number of Fitbit Force users who have been experiencing skin irritation, possibly as a result of an allergy to nickel, an element of surgical-grade stainless steel used in the device.

We suggest that consumers experiencing any irritation discontinue using the product and contact Fitbit at force@fitbit.com if they have additional questions. Customers may also contact Fitbit for an immediate refund or replacement with a different Fitbit product.

We are sorry that even a few consumers have experienced these problems and assure you that we are looking at ways to modify the product so that anyone can wear the Fitbit Force comfortably. We will continue to update our customers with the latest information."

One possibility for the skin irritations  is that users are wearing the Fitbit through the day, when sweat, soap and moisturizers are being trapped under the smartband, causing “contact dermatitis.”






The FitBit Help FAQ site has this statement:
Because Fitbit received reports of skin irritation from a small percentage of Force users, we have decided to stop sales of Force and conduct a voluntary recall. 

The iWatch Also Has Some User Complaints 

About Skin Irritation

 

Apple's iWatch Manual has the following statement:

Some versions of the watch and wristlets contain nickel and methacrylates. This is quite natural for a product of such type, and should not cause any problems, but if you are sensitive to these materials, you’d better reject magnetic wristlets.
If your skin becomes red, in case of edema, itch and other symptoms of irritation or allergic reaction, Apple recommends to contact your doctor before wearing the watch again.

Is There Any Other Explanation For 

Skin Rash Tied to Wearable Technology?

Some experts say that trapped moisture and bacteria are the most likely causes of the rash, not the nickel. Wearable technology like the Up, Force and Flex advertise their ability to be immersed in water.  So many users simply never take them off, even in the shower.


Dermatologist J. Todd Williams, M.D. explained, "there is one type of dermatitis called 'irritant' dermatitis that just comes from irritation from water/sweat etc..." So basically, a build up of moisture (and bacterial growth) is kept tight against the skin.  This can cause sores and rashes on those with particularly sensitive skin. These are likely the same people who  commonly experience similar reactions to watchbands, bracelets and rings. For instance, Williams says, newlyweds often complain of irritation from water being trapped under their rings while washing dishes. For the newlyweds, both experiences may be new: wearing the wedding ring and doing more domestic chores.



 The National Institute of Health says mild cases of allergic contact dermatitis can take days or weeks to disappear.  People experiencing  persistent rash and skin irritation should consult a dermatologist.

My Favorite Things for Nickel and Iron Oxide Allergy

Whew! What a week!  I just finished my first FULL WEEK of teaching Kindergarten (this year). Trying to get 23 four and five year olds how to be "civil" students is quite a huge task.  I never get used to the start of the school year in Kindergarten.  It truly makes me think of herding cats!





"How are we gonna get all these situations?"

Oh, Sorry!! I am off topic.
Yes, that is how my mind has been running all week.

I Decided To Think Of My Favorite Things 

For Nickel and Iron Oxide Allergies 

Naturally Nickel Free Jewelry

Donna Jo Wallace is the artist who creates earrings, necklaces, bracelets, and charms that are nickel-free.  Donna even offers custom design jewelry pieces.  She made custom earring charms for me, which I LOVE!

 

 

100 Percent Pure

I love the Fruit Pigmented Cosmetics offered by 100 Percent Pure! God was good to me in advance of my diagnosis of nickel allergy.  This site appeared in my Facebook news feed a couple of weeks before my allergy testing. I am so grateful that I now have some cosmetics I can wear.
NOTE: If you have exclusively nickel allergy, cosmetics may not be an allergy trigger for you.  But if you have IRON OXIDE allergies, like I do, you need to find alternatives to the big name cosmetics, as well as to the "natural" brands.

 I use Fig eyeshadow, which also can serve as my liner.  And Champagne is my lighter color.

I enjoy the Pomegranate lip glaze.  It is a bit light, but when I use a lip liner, it is just right. The circle sample makes it look more pink than it actually is. These lip glazes so NOT have the lasting power of regular lip sticks or glazes.  Sorry!  

 

 

 

 

Herbatint Hair Color

When I realized my Nickel/Iron Oxide Allergy was impacted by the hair color that I use each month, I was horrified.  I could not imagine going without coloring my hair! Even most of the "natural" hair coloring products include Iron Oxide.  So when my friend Terrie, the health food store owner, told me about Herbatint, I was very interested, but leery. I wasn't sure this product could do the job. 

I was extremely surprised at how wonderful Herbatint did the job! I wouldn't go back to the traditional hair color now, even IF I could! Even my beautician commented on the improvement of the condition of my hair, now that I am using Herbatint.  I get many more compliments on the shiny look it gives my hair.  

 

The Grain Brain by Dr. Perlmutter

Renowned neurologist David Perlmutter, MD, blows the lid off a topic that’s been buried in medical literature for far too long: carbs are destroying your brain. And not just unhealthy carbs, but even healthy ones like whole grains can cause dementia, ADHD, anxiety, chronic headaches, depression, and much more. Dr. Perlmutter explains what happens when the brain encounters common ingredients in your daily bread and fruit bowls, why your brain thrives on fat and cholesterol, and how you can spur the growth of new brain cells at any age. He offers an in-depth look at how we can take control of our “smart genes” through specific dietary choices and lifestyle habits, demonstrating how to remedy our most feared maladies without drugs.

My Kineseologist/Chiro recommended that I read this book after I told him about my diagnosis of Nickel and Iron Oxide allergy.  The basic reason is because this allergy is likely a result of inflammation of the brain due to gluten and too much sugar.  Perlmutter also writes about the importance of getting a LOT more healthy fats into our diet to promote health.

After eating Gluten-Free for 5 months, many of my most extreme areas of inflammation have cleared up tremendously!  I hope to continue a Gluten-Free diet from now on.


I have met quite a few other Nickel allergy sufferers who also discovered that Gluten-free living helps with their symptoms. So I am not alone.  In fact, I decided to focus on Gluten-free eating versus the Nickel Avoidance Diet.
Read more about my story toward Gluten-Free living here.

Note: I am STILL going to try to avoid touching items with high Nickel and Iron Oxide content.

Pamela's Dark Chocolate Chunk Cookies

I know, I know!  These are NOT sugar-free.  But when I need a cookie and chocolate fix, these do just fine!

Coco Roons (Costco) 

Oh........My...........Gosh!!!! These are just so good!

Ugly Gloves

When I just can't avoid touching nickel, I still enjoy my gloves.  These gloves allow me to handle paper, turn pages, pick up pens, write, and so on.  I just can't answer my cell phone, or work on the computer keyboard with them.  But they work just fine when I need them.

OK, I guess I've cheered myself up by thinking of my favorite things.  Maybe I need to burst into song..............

Nickel Exposure Side Effects and Warnings

Many, many years ago, I wore clip on earrings on a daily basis.  The earrings were basic costume jewelry, cute and inexpensive.  I had an ongoing irritation on my earlobes.  Sometimes it was red and itchy, while other times it was crusty and oozing.  I continued wearing the earrings.


A couple of years later, I got my ears pierced and figured my problems were over.  DUH!  While I had some improvement, I found that I had trouble whenever I wore gold plated earrings.  I had to wear 24k gold.  Life went on, and I usually wore 24k gold earrings.  Every once in awhile, I'd wear costume jewelry and suffer for a few days after.


It never crossed my mind that I was intensifying an allergy with each exposure.  About 10 years later, I started coloring my hair, and have never stopped since then... it's been decades! I had little bouts of blisters on my scalp after coloring my hair.  At one point, I told my Kineseologist/Chiropractor about the blisters.  He said I needed to make some changes immediately.  The doctor gave me a phone number for a beautician who takes special care in this treatment.  The beautician generously talked with me about adding Poly-Sorbate 80 to my hair coloring as a protection of the scalp from the chemicals. So I've done that for at least 10 years.

But when my eye problems exploded, with a diagnosis of chronic conjunctivitis and ocular rosacea, all these past little annoyances became a focus as an irritant to my eyes.  And following a nasty allergy panel on my back, lasting 5 days, the diagnosis was severe allergies to nickel and iron oxide.
 Turns out all the jewelry exposure and the hair coloring exposed me to toxic amounts of nickel and iron oxide.  Now drastic changes were facing me.

Prolonged exposure to heavy metal allergens like nickel and iron oxide will intensify the allergic reaction.  The sooner we eliminate exposure to the metals, the better we can manage the allergies in the future.  ANY nickel allergy can become a more severe condition if continues to be irritated. 

 

Nickel Allergy Side Effects and Warnings (from Clark's Nutrition)

• Nickel exposures may result from cigarette smoke, airborne particles from combustion of fossil fuels, and contact with stainless steel kitchen utensils, stainless steel and nickel-plated articles, and inexpensive jewelry. People working in or living near industries and facilities that manufacture and use nickel may have higher than average exposure. Nickel impurities may be introduced during the manufacturing of food, drugs, and dietary supplements. Nickel alloys are often used in dental and medical procedures. Certain foods contain high nickel levels.
• The level of nickel toxicity depends on its chemical form. Insoluble nickel compounds (metallic nickel, nickel sulfides, and nickel oxides) are associated with a higher risk of cancer than water-soluble nickel salts (chloride, nitrate, sulfate). Nickel carbonyl is the most toxic form of nickel. Inhalation of nickel carbonyl over time may cause cancer of the lung and nose. Taking it by mouth may lead to serious complications, including death.
• Long-term exposure to nickel compounds is associated with lung and nasal cancer in humans, and it induces tumors in experimental animals. The International Agency for Research on Cancer has classified nickel compounds as carcinogenic to humans.
• Skin contact may lead to nickel-induced contact dermatitis. In rare cases, skin reactions may occur at a site on the body other than the point of nickel contact, and asthma may occur. Exposure to nickel-containing dust may cause heart and lung diseases. Nickel exposure may cause variable degrees of kidney and cardiovascular system poisoning. Ingestion of high levels of nickel sulfate has been associated with nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, headache, blurred vision, dizziness, coma, and kidney poisoning.
• Use cautiously in patients with diabetes, blood sugar disorders, cancer, heart rate abnormalities, liver disorders, kidney disorders, or immune or autoimmune disorders; in patients taking agents for any of these conditions; and in patients taking blood vessel-widening or -constricting agents, or agents metabolized by cytochrome P450 enzymes.
• Use cautiously during radiotherapy, or in combination with cis-platinum, trans-platinum, and mitomycin C, as nickel may enhance their cytotoxicity and genotoxicity.
• Avoid excess nickel exposure or consumption.
• Children should avoid excess nickel exposure, as early-life exposure to nickel may induce malformations and late-onset diseases. Body piercing should be done using nickel-free studs, especially in children, to prevent nickel hypersensitization.
• Pregnant and lactating women should avoid excessive exposure to nickel, because it can cross the placenta and has been demonstrated to be harmful to the fetus, and it may cause spontaneous abortion.
• Long-term skin contact with nickel should be avoided, due to the risk of developing contact dermatitis. Gloves should be worn by workers that handle nickel objects.
• Patients that are highly sensitive to nickel are advised to strictly avoid nickel exposure, including nickel-containing foods and dental material. Patients with a known allergy to other metals, especially palladium, cobalt, and aluminum, should also limit nickel exposures.
• Breathing nickel fumes or dusts should be avoided due to the risk of cancers of the lung, nose, larynx, and prostate, and cardiopulmonary diseases.
• Avoid in combination with disulfiram therapy in patients with nickel dermatitis, due to the risk of liver toxicity.

http://www.clarksnutrition.com/

Whew! When I found this list, it was a bit frightening! There is more at risk than simple rashes and skin irritation.  The words kidney poisoning, cancer and carcinogenic are very serious health risks connected with nickel exposure.  Those of us with nickel allergies honestly must pay careful attention to the early and subtle warning signs.  

Limit exposure to the heavy metals that you are allergic to, so you can reduce the chances of experiencing hypersensitization. 

 

 

Are Nickel & Iron Oxide the same thing?

I must admit that I am not a chemistry student.  Nope, in college, I took Physics instead.  So I don't have a big understanding of the periodic table and how elements work together, what comes from what, and so on.

When my allergist discussed the results of the 5 day allergy test, she said I was severely allergic to nickel and iron oxide.  I didn't know if nickel and iron oxide were different names for the same thing. Every time I would Google this question, the results were all directed toward the chemist.  I couldn't understand what those sites were stating. I kind of gathered that nickel and iron oxide are somehow connected, yet different.  

 

Here is an example of the results for a search for how is nickel iron similar to iron oxide:
http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/cm501881a

 BUT the great part is that the author uses the phrase "nickel iron oxide"

Mixed nickel iron oxide nanomaterials have great potential for use in fields as wide-ranging as optics, water oxidation catalysis, and biomedical applications

So it seems that nickel and iron oxide are the same thing.

Well I recently found some answers to my questions about nickel and iron oxide. 

Iron is a metallic element with the chemical symbol Fe, and is one of the most prolific and commonly occurring mineral substances on Earth. Scientists estimate that is found in approximately 5% of the planet’s crust, and exists in its core, too. Iron turns to iron oxide when it comes into contact with oxygen, either on its own or in combination with other elements like water. When the mineral is exposed to water and air for extended periods of time it will usually produce rust, which is a reddish-brown oxide.

           http://www.wisegeek.org/what-is-iron-oxide.htm

 Nickel is classified as a transition metal. Transition metals are elements between Groups 2 (metals) and 13 (non-metals) in the periodic table. The periodic table is a chart that shows how chemical elements are related to one another. Nickel is closely related to iron, cobalt, copper, and zinc. These metals are close to nickel in the periodic table.

http://www.chemistryexplained.com/elements

Some people have combination allergies (ME!)

People with nickel allergy may also be allergic to iron oxide, gluten, soy, latex, aluminum, and other items.  If you have an allergy to nickel, you might also check to see if you are allergic to iron oxide.

When do I risk exposure to Nickel?

Nickel is used for nickel alloys, electroplating, batteries, coins, industrial plumbing, spark plugs, machinery parts, stainless-steel, nickel-chrome resistance wires, and catalysts. It is also found in objects used daily: zippers, watchbands, jewelry, musical instruments, belt buckles, razors, and kitchen utensils.

 

 

When do I risk exposure to Iron Oxide?

Many cosmetics include Iron Oxide, as a way to provide the coloring agent. Face makeup, hair color, ink pens, erasable markers, paint, tattoo ink, laptops, magnets, fertilizer, and more.
http://householdproducts.nlm.nih.gov/cgi-bin/household/brands?tbl=chem&id=449

So if you have nickel allergy, have taken care to eliminate daily exposure, but STILL have skin irritation, THEN take a minute to consider whether iron oxide is also an irritant. That is the case for me, and it turns out my iron oxide allergy has been an equal contributor to my chronic conjunctivitis and rosacea.  And my whole daily routine with cosmetics has changed as a result.

I would love to hear about your experiences with skin allergies.  Just leave a comment below.

Piercing Safety, Allergic Reactions, & Infections

 

 

Certain factors may increase 

your risk of developing a nickel allergy

Having ear or body piercings. Because nickel is common in jewelry, nickel allergy is most often associated with earrings and other body-piercing jewelry containing nickel. If the first jewelry you wear after a piercing contains nickel, your body is constantly exposed to the metal during the healing time. And people who have piercings often wear jewelry every day. The more piercings you have, the greater your risk of developing a nickel allergy.
                                   Source: MayoClinic

 

 

 Tips for Getting Piercings

1. Work with professionals who follows local health department guidelines. That is the best way to prevent infection. Professionals also use procedures to prevent against the transmission of blood-borne diseases, like tetanus or HIV. 

2. Use a properly licensed piercing studio. Your state, county or city health department will have information on licensing requirements for piercing studios.

Avoid  DIY piercing. Doing it yourself or having an untrained friend perform the piercing is unsafe, since you don't have sterile tools and antiseptic procedures are required to minimize the chances of infection.

3. Make sure the piercer uses appropriate equipment. Piercers should wash their hands between piercings and wear a fresh pair of protective gloves for each piercing. Avoid ear-piercing guns because they cannot be sterilized properly (unless they use a disposable piercing gun).  The jewelry used with piercing guns is relatively blunt, causing unnecessary damage to the piercing. When the wrong type of piercing tool is used, corrosion causes the release of nickel ions, which can leach onto the skin. The same goes for studs used while the ear lobes are healing.

4. Make sure that the piercer sterilizes all non-disposable equipment. Professional piercers use an autoclave (a sterilization machine) to sterilize equipment. Piercers should sterilize larger equipment with a commercial disinfectant or bleach solution after each use.

5. Expect your piercer to use hypoallergenic jewelry. Surgical steel, titanium, niobium or 14 or 18-carat gold are appropriate for a new piercing. Avoid nickel, which commonly causes allergic reactions.

General Treatment After Piercing

Suggested Materials:

• Sea Salt
• Mild Anti-Bacterial or Antimicrobial Liquid Soap/Wash (Like Provon or Satin)
• Cotton Balls
• Cotton-tipped Swabs
• Small disposable cups (2-4 ounces)

Cleaning Your Piercing:

1. ALWAYS wash your hands thoroughly. Never touch your piercing or jewelry with dirty hands.

2. Saturate a cotton ball with warm water, and gently wipe away any crusty deposits that have gathered around the piercing site. Throw the cotton ball away.

3. Apply a generous amount of liquid soap to your fingertip, and rub onto the piercing site and jewelry. Make sure you get the soap everywhere. Rotating the jewelry is not necessary as long as you work the soap around the piercing and jewelry completely.

4. Rinse the piercing and jewelry several times with warm water, ensuring that all soap has been removed.

5. Dry your piercing with a clean paper towel and then dispose of it.
                                Source: About.com - Piercing Aftercare

Other Healing Aids To Use After Piercing:

• Coconut oil (has antibacterial properties)
• Tea Tree Oil/Melaleuca Oil (antibacterial properties)
• Lavender Oil (antibacterial and soothing properties)
• Saline Solution made with Sea Salt (NOT iodized salt)

How to Treat An Infected Piercing

If these symptoms last for 2 or more days, it is probably infected:

• Red, inflamed streaks or marks on the skin that radiate out from the piercing site.
• Increased pain, redness, swelling, heat, or tenderness around the piercing site.
• A thick yellow-green pus-like discharge coming from the piercing site. It's normal to see a bit of oozing or bleeding from the piercing which is a sign of healing, but be alert for pus combined with swelling and redness.
• Swollen or tender lymph glands above or below the piercing. With an ear piercing, you may feel sore and swollen glands in your neck around your jawline.
• Fever. If you're otherwise healthy (no cold or flu), and you develop a fever, this is cause for concern.

Piercings can become infected shortly after the piercing occurs. AND it can also happen years after the piercing. Regardless, contact your doctor to get treatment for the infection.

Infection or Allergic Reaction?

Signs of an allergic reaction versus an infection include burning sensation on the skin, an expanding wound, and a clear yellow discharge.

PLEASE NOTE: Once you experience an allergic reaction with a piercing, the allergic reaction will always be a possibility. And each time you expose your piercing to that same allergen, the reaction will increase. 

For instance, if you are allergic to nickel, each time you wear jewelry containing nickel, the allergic response will be worse. So the key is to eliminate exposure of the allergen in order to limit allergic responses.

Read about safe metals for piercings here

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!