Sensitive Skin And Jewelry

 

Experimenting with new earring designs.

Sometimes when you have sensitive skin, jewelry especially the less expensive kind, can be hard to find. It all depends on the material used and your sensitivity level. Some materials have higher sensitivity rates than others.

So what types of material do you typically find in jewellery and how do they rate on the potential allergy scale? While I won't go over all the options I will try to touch on the most commonly found ones.

Stainless steel - is typically durable and it doesn't discolour. It's frequently considered hypoallergenic.

Sterling silver - is 92.5% silver with the remainder consisting of copper. 

Sterling silver-filled - items can have an anti-tarnish coating. Both of these types rarely cause an allergy unless you have a sensitivity to copper.

Fine silver - is the purest type of silver, at 99.9% silver. It doesn't tarnish as easily as other types of silver and it's rarely an allergen.

Aluminum - is soft and lightweight and it can be coated, dyed or anodized.  Allergies to this are vary rare.

Brass - is a golden-colored durable alloy of copper and zinc. It's regularly used as a base for affordable costume jewelry, plated jewelry components and findings. Regular cleaning and reducing exposure to moisture and humidity will help prevent oxidization.  Because of the copper and zinc content it can affect metal-sensitive skin types.

Jeweler's Bronze - was designed to look like high karat gold, but at a much lower price point. Since this contains copper, zinc and tin it can affect metal-sensitive skin types.

Copper- is a pure element and the purer the copper the softer it is. 

It often appears with other metals like brass, sterling silver, rose gold, etc... 

Regular cleaning and reducing exposure to moisture and humidity will help prevent oxidization. 

It can be an allergen and can turn green from oxidation.

Gold - Comes in higher and lower karats as well as colours like white and rose gold. 

White gold - can contain zinc, tin or other white metals. 

Rose gold - gets its coloring from additional copper.
Gold-filled - are thick gold sheets attached to either side of a base metal (usually brass). Gold-filled components are durable and they cost significantly less.

Nickel - is often used as a base for affordable costume jewelry, plated jewelry findings and components.
Nickel silver- (aka German silver, Mexican silver) looks much like sterling silver.
Nickel is the most common metal allergen and usually contains nickel, zinc and copper.

Niobium - is a pure element originally used in the aerospace industry. It is strong and flexible, making it ideal for use as wire and a range of findings. Commonly considered hypoallergenic.

When it comes to plating, an item is considered plated has to be covered with a layer of "precious metal that is .15 to .25 mils" thick. And yes, plating does wear off over time, but cleaning and limiting friction can prolong it's life considerably. For example, if you're wearing gold plated earrings overnight and never taking them out, the plating will wear off much faster. To increase their longevity you can take them out at night, rotate them with another pair and clean them regularly. When the coating does eventually wear off, depending on the material used it can affect metal-sensitive skin types.

I tend to like and make simple designs.

Other terms you may have come across like clad, washed, finished, or electroplating all describe a verry thin layer of metal. Electroplating for example can help prevent tarnish and prolong the like of the item. 

If you have a favourite piece of jewellery that irritates your skin there is a product called Jewelry Shield that is supposed to create a hypoallergenic coating.  I haven't tried it myself but I've come across it many times in my research. In the past we have used things like Vaseline, ointment, or vitamin E oil to provide a protective coating for earrings. Of course this really only applies for mild sensitivities but they can certainly help for short term wear.

Recently I started making my own jewelry again.  The wider availability of sensitive skin findings  along with more affordable pricing has allowed me to get creative once more. Today's selection, availability and pricing have come a long way, even just in the last ten years. All of which makes my creative side extremally excited about all the possibilities. 

The supplies that lead to the finished product.

Sources:

firemountaingems.com/resources/jewelry-making-articles/f528 .   "Which metals Should You Use?" by Barbara van Look.

jewelry.lovetoknow.com/kinds-jewelry/metals-used-jewelry . "Metals Used in Jewelry: Common Types & Their Benefits" By Kate Miller-Wilson

hypoallergenichomes.com/metal-allergy/brass/ . "Brass Allergies: Everything You Need To Know" by Hypoallergenic Homes.