7 Powerful Jewellery Choices for Sensitive Skin That You Can Wear Comfortably!

Itching, redness, swelling, and pain in the area of the ear due to wearing earrings do not depend on the choice of earrings at all. It can depend on the metal they consist of. In case you have sensitive skin, hypoallergenic jewelry will greatly help you. The main reason of developing allergic reaction to jewelry is nickel. It causes allergic contact dermatitis, which can be caused by earring rings.

Maybe, you already know about this trouble. You wear new earrings during several hours, everything is fine, but soon there appears an itching feeling. And sometimes, it happens only the next day.

Which jewelry should I choose for my sensitive skin?

Let's find out.

What Causes Jewellery Allergies?

An allergic reaction to jewellery happens when your skin is sensitive to some kind of metal or other substance in the jewellery.

The most frequent source of this type of reaction is nickel, which is commonly found in earrings, rings, necklaces, bracelets, watches, and clasps of jewellery. The allergic reaction caused by this agent is called allergic contact dermatitis.

Symptoms are as follows:

• itching in the affected area (jewellery)

• irritation and redness

• a rash

• cracked and dry skin

• swelling

appearance of blisters in case of extremely severe allergic reaction.

The problem is that there may be no immediate reaction to this substance. The consequences of being exposed to nickel may only occur hours or even days later.

This is the reason why allergic reactions are usually misdiagnosed and blamed on one's skincare regime, soap used, and environmental conditions.

7 Best Jewellery Materials for Sensitive Skin

1. Titanium Jewelry

Titanium is the first material I would consider if your ears are highly sensitive.

This material is lightweight and often used in body-piercing jewelry. Many medical and piercing professionals tend to use titanium since it may be a great choice for those who need to avoid contact with nickel.

If earrings are your biggest concern, titanium studs will serve as an excellent solution.

Always search for titanium jewelry with grade and metal composition listed rather than the description "skin-friendly."

2. Nickel-Free Stainless Steel

Stainless steel is also good to wear, but there is a thing to know about it.

Not all stainless steel jewelry means "nickel-free" automatically.

If you suffer from a nickel allergy, it is better to buy jewelry made of nickel-free stainless steel or at least clearly labeled jewelry.

Nickel-free and surgical-grade stainless steel belong to the list of materials that could be good to wear for those avoiding nickel according to Mayo Clinic.

It is especially useful when you want to buy:

• Earrings

• Chains

• Rings

• Bracelets

• Watch jewelry

The most important thing is to know exactly what you are buying.

3. 18K, 22K, or 24K Yellow Gold

Another choice if you have a sensitive skin is high-karat yellow gold.

According to Mayo Clinic, 18K, 22K, or 24K yellow gold is the best choice when you need to stay away from nickel

.Why should you care about karat?

Gold itself is too soft and, thus, needs some additional metals for its strengthening. In lower-karat gold, there is more of other metals.

In case your skin reacts badly to wearing some jewellery, find out the exact composition of the metal. "Gold plated" is not equal to "gold"!

4. Platinum Jewellery

This one will suit you if you want a luxurious item.

Platinum is very durable by nature and is often suggested to those people who need to stay away from popular types of metals. According to Mayo Clinic, platinum may also be considered by metal allergy sufferers.

Platinum may suit you in such cases:

• Rings

• Wedding rings

• Earrings

• Necklaces

Its main disadvantage is clear – the price.

But if you wear the same ring on a regular basis and other metal irritate your skin, the expensive purchase may be worth it.

5. Sterling Silver

For some individuals, sterling silver can be a good option.

However, avoid making your purchase on impulse.

Sterling silver is not a hundred percent silver. Often, it has been mixed with other metals to strengthen the material. Therefore, if you know yourself to be allergic to some types of metals, make sure you investigate what metals have been used before buying anything.

Some people do fine with sterling silver; others might find it irritating.

This depends only on your individual case.

6. Nickel-Free White Gold

Sometimes, white gold may seem to be just the thing you need for a piece of jewellery that looks silver-like. There is a problem though.

Often, white gold has nickel in its composition.

Therefore, one should not always assume that any jewellery item made out of white gold will be safe for sensitive skin. Cleveland Clinic warns that white gold has nickel, and higher karats yellow gold does not have it.

While choosing a ring, one should ask the jeweller about:

Is this white gold nickel-free?

 Which metals have been used in the alloy?

7. Niobium Jewellery

Another material that should not go unnoticed is niobium, particularly if the problem concerns earrings or piercing jewellery.

This is the material that is widely used in body jewellery and may prove helpful in case you want to exclude nickel.

Just like titanium, it is advisable to purchase it from reliable dealers who have clear descriptions of their materials.

Choice of Jewelry for People with Sensitive Skin

This is not the only step in the process of selecting jewelry.

You have to consider not only wearing of jewelry but also the production of it.

When purchasing jewelry, you need to keep in mind the following things:

- Composition of the metal

- Is this jewelry free of nickel

- Information provided by the seller about the material of the jewelry

- Composition of the clasp and backing of the earring;

- Is this jewelry plated.

These points have to be considered when selecting jewelry.

Sometimes it might seem to you that there is a lack of harmony in composition of the main metal of your ring or bracelet and other elements.

For instance, your earring can be made of titanium, however, the backing of this earring can be made of some another metal which is contacting with your skin.

Is Hypoallergenic Jewelry Completely Safe for Avoiding Allergy?

No.

This does not mean that you will not have an allergic reaction.

As a rule, this means that the jewelry was made in such a way that the chance of having reaction became smaller.

You should pay more attention to the composition of your jewelry rather than its hypoallergenic nature.

For instance, if you are allergic to nickel, you should buy the jewelry which does not contain nickel.

The experience also matters in this question. You should not wear the jewelry which makes your skin itch.

Jewellery That Cannot Be Worn by People with Sensitive Skin

In the case where a person experiences rashes from wearing jewellery, one needs to take into consideration to stop wearing metal that has an unknown composition.

One can even consider avoiding wearing:

Cheaper and cheaper costume jewellery with unknown metal composition

Jewellery without metal details information

Objects causing itch after a couple of hours or days of wearing

Damaged objects leading to the appearance of metal

White gold jewellery, in the case, the seller cannot prove its absence of nickel

People usually get problems with nickel when wearing jewellery like earrings, rings, necklaces, bracelets, clasps.

Tips on How to Make Jewellery Comfortable

There are several things that one can consider doing.

Jewellery should be kept clean and dry. There may be moisture trapped between the object and the skin, for instance, between rings and bracelets.

Also, one should give his/her skin time for relaxation in case of any irritation.

One can do the following:

• Remove jewellery when sleeping

• Remove rings before swimming/bathing

• Follow the manufacturer’s recommendations on how to clean the jewellery

• Make the irritated skin free from any jewellery contact

• Do not scratch the rash

As per Cleveland Clinic, people need to avoid metal causing irritation and keep the skin moisturized.

How Do You Know If You Have a Nickel Allergy?

You won’t need to make guesses all the time.

In case you often get a rash from wearing certain pieces of jewelry, a dermatologist will find out about your situation and he or she may advise you to conduct patch testing.

During the patch test, small portions of the substances, which are possibly the cause of the rash, are placed on the skin. Mayo Clinic says that patch testing is an essential test when identifying allergic contact dermatitis.

That may be helpful when several different products cause such rashes.

Quick Guide to Jewellery for Sensitive Skin

The most important point is simple. Don't choose jewellery only because it looks good.

Check what touches your skin.

For many people, switching from unknown metal jewellery to well-labelled hypoallergenic jewellery can make wearing earrings, rings, and necklaces much more comfortable. Mayo Clinic specifically recommends avoiding nickel and choosing materials such as nickel-free stainless steel, titanium, higher-karat yellow gold, nickel-free white gold, and sterling silver.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which kind of jewelry is best for people who have sensitive skin?

Such types of jewelry are considered to be titanium, platinum, stainless steel without nickel and high-karat yellow gold.

Will hypoallergenic jewelry be safe for people with nickel allergies?

Sure, but one should remember about the composition of the metal itself, as "hypoallergenic" does not mean that there are no elements of the metal which could cause you allergy.

Am I able to wear 18K gold jewelry if I am allergic to something?

Probably, 18K yellow gold can be fine for people with sensitive skin. However, one should check the alloy of this gold jewelry as there are a lot of metals in one.

What kind of earrings shall I buy if my ears are sensitive?

Nickel-free and/or suitable surgical-grade stainless steel earrings can be really helpful for you. If you know that you are allergic to nickel, pay attention to the amount of it in the product.

Why are my ears itchy when I wear my earrings?

The problem can be caused by nickel and other materials of the jewelry or the irritation, moist or anything else, which contacts your skin. Consult a dermatologist in case it happens regularly.

Am I able to have new jewelry allergy suddenly?

Sure, you can have this problem if you are allergic to some material (nickel) and you contact it regularly.

The easiest way out of this situation is not to make a guess.

Find out the metals, find out the parts of the jewelry, which will contact your skin. Do not use any jewelry regularly if it causes you allergic reaction even though you like it.