No doubt jewellery makes one pretty. You are prettier if it’s the exquisite type but you could be in pains if you are allergic to it.
Allergy and jewellery? Yes! Reaction to jewellery can cause a lot of damage to your skin and you would not want to see your neck looking blotched, reddish and full of rashes.
Nickel is the main culprit to jewellery allergy. Why the more amount of nickel in a piece of jewellery, the more level of allergic reaction to it. Mind you, pure gold and sliver are no exceptions either.
I spoke to some ladies who are allergic to jewellery. Hear them;
Deborah – I cannot wear any jewellery that is not gold, it is that serious, initially most of my friends thought I was faking it not until they saw it themselves, how ordinary jewellery gave me rashes on my ear lobes, that was when they believed me, any time I put on any jewellery on any part of my body I will be restless for the rest of the day, because it will scratch the hell out of me and after it rashes will appear in those region of my body.
Mrs. Oliver – Any time I put on any other earring on my second ear lobe because I have two pierced hole on each of my ear lobes. It either leaves me with a boil on it or I will remain uncomfortable until I remove it because I will have to touch it every now and then, its as bad as that.
Chichi – I have designed a strategy to go about mine, what I do is to apply Vaseline on my ear lobe before putting on my earrings even on my wrist and neck region, that way it will not scratch me. Most times when I forget to apply Vaseline I have no choice but to go without jewellery for that day.
Peace – I don’t wear jewellery for so long be it gold or any other one, once I wear it for more than 3 hours it starts itching me, its worst when the whether is hot, that’s why I prefer beads.
Cynthia – I only enjoy putting on jewellery during cold weather once its sunny I can’t wear it because if I do, I will have rashes all over my body it is as bad as that, I have tried applying Vaseline, powder on those parts I wear jewellery but it didn’t stop it.
How to tackle jewellery allergy
·   First of all recognize that you have an actual skin allergy. This can be done by carefully observing the symptoms, more and more people face similar problems due to the frequent contact with metal jewellery. When the reaction is triggered, you’ll notice a minimal redness and possibly, itching. If you don’t remove it from the affected skin area it might aggravate until it results in swelling and extreme discomfort.
·   The best way to identify your skin allergy is to wear the piece repeatedly. However, don’t exaggerate until you’ll observe the same reactions in a row. Then you’ll be able to denote that you have jewellery intolerance. This can occur in either a few minutes after the contact or hours, even days.
·   Clean skin can be less sensitive to jewellery than one that is either dirty or tortured with other chemical-based products. So keep your skin clean. The best way to do so is to clean the area with a cleanser before you put on your jewellery.
Treatment: Try this out
·   Avoid the cause: Surprisingly, you would discover that many times just not wearing the jewellery makes the itching and rash go away. This is the easiest way to protect against future outbreaks. Treatment is effective when you stop all contacts with the jewellery. In the event of an accidental contact, wash the exposed area immediately with soap and water.
·   Try a commercial topical cream: Buy allergy relief cream over the counter and look for a product that contains at least one percent of hydrocortisone. Read the label, and then apply the cream directly to the affected part according to the instructions. Most mild cases of contact dermatitis will respond to this treatment.
The itching and redness usually disappear after few days. Calamine lotion is another effective over-the-counter topical treatment.
·   Apply a moist, cold towel to the affected area. This treatment is useful if blisters appear as a result of exposure. Apply the towel to the affected area three times a day for 30 minutes each day. With a moist towel in place, blisters that may break open will not spread the rashes to other part of your body or to other people.
·   Oral medications in the market will help relieve the itching and scratching. You can buy these without prescription at drugstores and places where you can find over the counter medications. Typically you should use the medication only when the itching is severe. Since oral medication takes time to be effective, try suing them in conjunction with applied creams or compresses.
·   Visit the dermatologist: If the allergic reaction is severe or does not go away after few days, you may need to consult a physician. Only a doctor can determine whether jewellery is causing the problem. In severe or persistent cases, the doctor may prescribe medications. Do not forget to thank me if it works for you. Blissful weekend to you all!!!
