Nickel allergy? These earrings are eligible!

Maybe you know the feeling: after wearing earrings your ears feel uncomfortable: it itches, tugs and maybe even bleeds a bit. Not a nice feeling. Sometimes the earrings may just be too heavy or had dirt on them - but sometimes there can be a lot more to it than that! Jewelery lovers have certainly come into contact with the term “ nickel allergy ” in the course of their “accessories career” – maybe even (unfortunately) in the truest sense of the word.

Earrings in particular are often the trigger for jewelry allergies. But why is that actually the case? If you are wondering what nickel is, how a nickel allergy becomes noticeable and what you should look out for when buying earrings , then we have good news: because fejn has the answers and will tell you everything you need to know about earring nickel allergy must.

Nickel - what is that anyway?

Nickel: A term that goes back to the discoverer Axel Frederic Cronstedt and has therefore existed since the 18th century. But what is actually behind it? A chemical element and a silvery-white metal, nickel occurs naturally on earth. However, pure nickel is only found in the earth's core and in meteorites. It is usually extracted from the earth's crust in the form of ores containing nickel. Since nickel is particularly shiny, can be forged, rolled and pressed and does not react with air or water at room temperature, the metal has blossomed over the years into a popular (fashion) jewelery alloy.

However, with consequences: Because in Germany, nickel is one of the most common triggers for contact allergies such as earring nickel allergy: About 15% of the population reacts sensitively to the metal. phew!

Nickel allergy in the ear: This is how it makes itself felt

Whether you are one of the above 15% with an earring nickel allergy can not only be determined by an allergy test at the doctor's. Because as number one among contact allergies, nickel causes a number of unsightly symptoms - mostly on the skin around the area to be worn. In the case of an earring nickel allergy, for example in the ear hole. The most common allergic skin reactions associated with an earring nickel allergy include itching, redness, swelling or minor bleeding. If the allergy is more pronounced, it can also lead to ear piercing. Pretty mean!

If you notice one or more of the symptoms listed when wearing earrings containing nickel, this can indicate a contact allergy. Also good to know: In many cases, the signs go away as soon as you take off jewelry containing nickel, such as earrings. If you observe this "phenomenon" in yourself, the chances are unfortunately good that you too are affected by a contact allergy such as earring nickel allergy.

And how does that happen? If there is an earring nickel allergy, the immune system reacts with the so-called nickel ions, which are released through sweat when worn and penetrate the skin. Your body then mistakenly classifies the small amounts of the substance as harmful and overreacts. And he's not entirely wrong: in larger quantities, nickel can actually be dangerous. That is why the EU regulation limiting the use of nickel has existed since 1994. Good news for jewelry lovers with earring nickel allergy.
By the way: The earring nickel allergy and a corresponding allergic reaction can still occur years later. Even if you haven't had any problems with wearing it before. This is because contact allergy is preceded by a sensitization phase in which your body learns to classify the substance as dangerous. The result: a nickel allergy. This sensitization phase can last for different lengths of time – for some people it can even be years.

What to do against earring allergy?

If you suffer from an earring nickel allergy and want to avoid an allergic reaction, you should make sure that you wear jewelry that is nickel-free if possible. But beware: the term "nickel-free" does not mean worry-free. Because jewelry that only has a nickel-free coating is often advertised as nickel-free. The pieces of jewelry made of silver, gold or brass are not made of pure metals, but of an alloy. And that's basically a good thing: Because the alloy is a mixture of different metals to make the jewelry more durable. Pure gold or silver would be too soft to be worn as jewelry. Conversely, this means: Depending on the alloy, pieces of jewelry made of these precious metals can also trigger a contact allergy such as the earring nickel allergy.

Earrings: Those with allergies should choose these

Which earrings for nickel allergy? For jewelry lovers with earring nickel allergy: Keep your eyes open when buying jewelry! It is therefore better to check with the manufacturer of your favorite jewelery which materials the alloy used is actually made of. At fejn you can rely on the high quality of jewelry. Our silver jewelry, for example, meets all important EU regulations that strictly regulate and control the use of nickel. And that's good for your earring nickel allergy: because our products, like earrings, are considered allergy-friendly and can also be worn by urban heroines with sensitive skin. Yay!

If you want to be absolutely sure that no nickel particles have made their way into your jewellery, you can use titanium accessories for earrings without nickel. This precious metal - which has also been tried and tested in medical technology - is normally completely free of nickel and is therefore perfect for people with a particularly pronounced allergy to nickel in earrings. This is because it can also be worn as jewelry in its pure form or with a minor aluminum alloy. The perfect allergy earrings for severely affected people are therefore made of titanium.