Reasons for gold allergy May 13, 2019 – Posted in: Advice, Advice – Tags: , ,

Questions about gold allergy are popping up quite regularly on social media. Users are complaining that their jewelry is causing pesky skin reactions — people with sensitive skin report seeing black smudges or having irritated skin on the ring finger. Most of them are not allergic to gold but can be allergic to other metals that are present in a gold ring. Because gold itself is a very soft metal, it’s always alloyed with different types of metal. If we used only 100% pure gold, then the ring would quickly lose its shape. That is why all gold jewelry, has a certain percentage of other metals such as copper, silver, nickel, zinc, etc. Either of these alloys could cause an allergic reaction. Most of the people that can’t wear jewelry are allergic to nickel and today many gold alloys can be found that are nickel free. If you’re one of the unlucky ones, don’t despair! Ask your jeweler if they offer jewelry made of nickel-free gold alloys too. Saying that one has a gold allergy is therefore not entirely accurate.

The other option is that the smudge was caused by cosmetics. It’s extremely rare that the cause for this inconvenience is the quality of the gold that is being worn. In some cases, the detergent, soap and cosmetic cream could start to build up under the ring. Because your skin is in constant contact with these chemicals, it could become itchy and a bit red. Prevent this by simply removing your rings, before using soap or detergent, and make sure you thoroughly dry your hand. A good idea is to make the ring slightly loose. That way, your skin will stay drier and will accumulate less dust and other powders. Using these simple tricks you will be able to lessen or completely avoid the reactions caused by a gold allergy.

A cure exists for each of the mentioned problems. It’s neither yours nor the jewelers’ fault if you have a reaction to your jewelry. Good and reputable jewelry companies will do their best to remedy the problem. If you know that your skin is extremely delicate, make sure you mention that beforehand. A good goldsmith will know exactly what kind of gold you should wear and will do all his best to ensure you do not have any issues. It’s also a good idea to have a word or two with your doctor, just to be on the safe side. Take an allergy test, which will pinpoint the root of the problem. According to a study conducted published in JAMA Network Open there is an increasing number of adult-onset allergies. This means that a gold allergy can appear at any point in your life.

gold allergy