|
| Allergies Home » Types of Allergies » Metal Allergy |
|
Metal Allergy |
|
Metal allergy is caused when the body reacts to a metal, usually in the form of jewelery. Since the jewelry comes in direct contact with the body, there might be certain material in it which the body is allergic to. The body usually absorbs this substance and discards it naturally. In some cases this material is disposed of along with dead skin by the body. In these cases the body is able to get rid of this substance in the form of waste. In metal allergy, the body develops a sensitivity to the metals it comes into contact with.
The most common form of metal allergy is nickel allergy. In this case the body reacts to latex. A person who is allergic to a particular metal will also be allergic to any alloy of this metal. A person who has metal allergy should not wear jewelery containing that metal or pierce his body with an alloy of the metal. These piercings will take a long time to heal. In some cases the body may react drastically to the metal. This will lead to swelling and redness around the pierced area. The sore may be covered with dry and cracked skin. The skin will seem to withdraw from the sore. This is because it is reacting to the metal.
Stainless steel contains nickel. Hence people with a metal allergy will usually react to jewelery containing stainless steel. Niobium and titanium are good alternatives to stainless steel. Gold is not a good option for people who are allergic to nickel. This is because jewelery made of gold usually contains an alloy of nickel and other metals.
|
A person with metal allergy may try passivated jewelery. This option however depends upon how severe the allergy is. “MELISA” is a blood test which shows which metals a person may be allergic to. This test detects whether or not a person has Type-lV allergy to metals. A person who has Metal Allergy usually breaks into a rash if his body comes into contact with that particular metal. The rash is concentrated around the area which touched the metal. The skin in that area becomes very sensitive. In some cases, the rash develops a sensitivity to heat and sun's rays. It takes some time for this rash to subside. The best way to avoid a metal allergy is to avoid contact with that particular metal and its alloys. To know about Metal Allergy and other common types of dermatitis, browse through allergieshub.com .
|
|
|
|
|
