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Prevention
By Mayo Clinic staffThe best strategy to prevent developing nickel allergy is to avoid prolonged exposure to items containing nickel, especially jewelry. If you have nickel allergy, the best way to prevent an allergic reaction is to avoid contact with the metal. The following tips can help you avoid nickel exposure:
Wear hypoallergenic jewelry
Purchase jewelry made of materials that aren't likely to cause allergic reactions (hypoallergenic). Look for jewelry made from such metals as nickel-free stainless steel, surgical-grade stainless steel, titanium, 18-karat yellow gold, nickel-free 14-karat yellow gold or niobium. Avoid jewelry with nickel, as well as cobalt and white gold, which may also trigger allergic reactions. (Surgical-grade stainless steel may contain some nickel, but it's generally considered hypoallergenic for most people.)
Get rid of jewelry that contains nickel or has caused an allergic reaction. Be sure that your earring backings also are made of hypoallergenic materials.
Choose a piercing studio carefully
Many states or cities require piercers to be licensed by a government health department. Contact your state or local health department to find out what rules apply to your area and be certain to choose a reputable studio with licensed piercers.
Visit a studio before getting a piercing to make sure that the piercer:
- Provides a clean, tidy, professional environment
- Uses sterile, nickel-free or surgical-grade stainless steel needles in sealed packages
- Sells only hypoallergenic jewelry and can provide documentation of metal content
- Doesn't use a piercing gun, which may not be sterile or nickel-free and may cause other complications
Use substitute materials
Look for safer substitutes for common nickel-containing items:
- Watchbands made of leather, cloth or plastic
- Zippers or clothing fasteners made of plastic or coated metals
- Plastic or titanium eyeglass frames
- Davis MD, et al. Changing trends and allergens in the patch test standard series: A Mayo Clinic 5-year retrospective review, January 1, 2001, through December 31, 2005. Archives of Dermatology. 2008;144(1):67-72.
- Tips to remember: Allergic skin conditions. American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. http://www.aaaai.org/patients/publicedmat/tips/allergicskinconditions.stm. Accessed July 14, 2008.
- Weston WL, et al. Overview of dermatitis. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed July 22, 2008.
- Weston WL, et al. Patient Information: Dermatitis. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed July 22, 2008.
- Tattoos and body piercing. American Academy of Dermatology. www.aad.org/members/media/_doc/FactSheets_TattoosBody%20Piercing%20Fact%20Sheet.doc. Accessed July 30, 2008.
- Meltzer DI. Complications of body piercing. American Family Physician 2005;72(10):2029-2034.
- Position statement on body piercing (approved by the board of directors October 24, 1998). American Academy of Dermatology. www.aad.org/Forms/Policies/Uploads/PS/PS-Body%20Piercing%206-15-07.pdf. Accessed July 30, 2008.
- Do's and don'ts when considering tattoos or piercings. American Society for Dermatologic Surgery. http://www.asds.net/DosAndDontsConsideringTattoosPiercings.aspx. Accessed July 29, 2008.
- Torpy JM, et al. JAMA patient page. Body piercing. Journal of the American Medical Association. 2004;291(8):1024.
