What metals are hypoallergenic ？
What metals are hypoallergenic ?Hypoallergenic means “below normal” or “slightly” allergenic. The term was coined by the cosmetics industry in the 1950’s, and became a popular marketing term for jewelry soon afterwards.
Many people are allergic to nickel, so “nickel free” and “hypoallergenic” are sometimes considered synonymous. Be aware that hypoallergenic does not mean nickel-free, nor does it have a legal or medical definition for use in jewelry. You’re better off using specific materials rather than the vague term “hypoallergenic.”
Many people believe that stainless steel is nickel free, but most stainless steel alloys (even surgical stainless steel) contain 8-12% nickel. Roughly 6-12% of the population is allergic to nickel, so although it’s legally acceptable to put a “hypoallergenic” label on all stainless steel, it doesn’t seem quite fair to those who are looking for nickel-free jewelry.
Just a few more terms to define, before I get to the list of good metals to try.
Sterling silver = Not the best. Lead = Bad. Nickel = The worst. A lot of people or companies who make earrings and jewelry confuse sterling silver as hypoallergenic, but that’s real silver. Stick with silver and gold. The only problem with gold is that its expensive and breaks really easily unless you get a combination of gold and another metal, which comes right back to the whole “now it irritates me again” thing. Go with silver, or a silver mix. Just AVOID Lead and nickel like the plague. Hope I helped!
