Choosing the right jewelry for people who have sensitive
skin can be pretty tricky and nerve-wracking. Sensitive skin is prone to
redness, irritation, and itchiness, and wearing jewelry that contains allergens
can cause some serious skin reactions.
Does this mean that you have to stop wearing jewelry
altogether? No, you just need to know some tips and tricks.
Keep reading to find out everything you need to know about
how to wear jewelry with sensitive skin.
Typical signs of sensitive skin
Before you label your skin as sensitive, you need to know
some of the typical signs of sensitive skin. Keep in mind that there isn’t a
definitive checklist that defines sensitive skin so the best way is to pay
attention to your skin’s reactions.
Some of the most typical signs of sensitive skin include
redness, itchiness, dryness, flaking, and a tendency to develop rashes and
breakouts.
Your skin is easily irritated by different environmental
factors or products, which include jewelry.
Discover what type of jewelry causes irritation
If you believe jewelry irritates your skin, you need to
figure out which types of jewelry are the culprit. In most cases, nickel is the
number one culprit for skin irritation but you can be allergic to almost any
metal. That’s why paying attention to how your skin reacts to certain jewelry
is crucial.
Your skin can react in many different ways. For instance,
the most common type of reaction is jewelry rash. Your skin will become red,
irritated, and itchy, and you might also notice bumps and blisters.
Once you discover the culprits, stay away from them. That’s
the best way to avoid the allergens within the jewelry.
Nickel
As mentioned, nickel is a notorious allergen. Despite that,
this metal is commonly found in jewelry. Nickel is often used as an alloy
component to add durability and strength.
People who have a nickel allergy experience skin redness,
itchiness, and other similar skin reactions.
Brass
Because it’s made of copper and zinc, brass can cause
allergic reactions. Copper can cause skin allergic reactions in some
individuals, usually skin discoloration. In some cases, brass jewelry can also
contain a bit of nickel which can worsen the irritation.
Gold-plated jewelry
Gold-plated jewelry is a great way to get high-end-looking
jewelry for less. However, if you have sensitive skin, this is not an option
for you. Gold-plated jewelry is made of copper or brass and only coated with a
thin layer of gold. Once the gold wears off with time, it will expose the base
metal, which will increase the chances of irritation and allergies.
Best types of jewelry for sensitive skin
When picking out jewelry suitable for sensitive skin, the
choice of metals is crucial. Certain metals pose a lower risk of triggering
allergic reactions or skin irritation.
Some of the top metals to consider include gold, platinum,
titanium, sterling silver, and stainless steel. Blomdahl is a brand that offers numerous
hypoallergenic jewelry options so check them out if you’re in search of
skin-friendly jewelry.
Gold jewelry
Gold, or 24-carat gold to be precise, is a hypoallergenic
metal. However, pure gold is rarely used for jewelry. Instead, you can opt for
jewelry that is 14k gold, 18k gold, or higher, as it contains a higher
percentage of pure gold and a smaller amount of other metals.
Platinum jewelry
If you’re looking for metals that are skin-friendly and not
easily tarnished, your best option is platinum. Platinum is a precious metal
that has a naturally white appearance.
It’s a hypoallergenic metal which makes it ideal for people
with sensitive skin. On top of that, it’s very durable.
Titanium Jewelry
Another popular type of jewelry suitable for sensitive skin
is titanium. This metal is known for being lightweight, durable, and
hypoallergenic. Due to its biocompatibility, it's unlikely to cause allergic
reactions or skin irritations.
Sterling silver jewelry
Pure silver, just like pure gold isn’t used for jewelry because
it’s too soft. However, sterling silver is a great alternative to pure silver.
Sterling silver is an alloy made mostly of silver and some
other metal (usually copper). Even though copper is known to irritate, sterling
silver jewelry is mostly made of silver which means that most people can wear
it without any issues.
Stainless steel jewelry
Stainless steel is yet another great option for
hypoallergenic jewelry. This metal is durable, tarnish-free, and waterproof.
Overall, stainless steel jewelry is very unlikely to cause skin reactions.
Bottom Line
Having sensitive skin can be challenging. Thankfully, now
you know that you don’t have to give up wearing jewelry, you just need to find
the right pieces for your skin.
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