The American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) has posted a new video on ways to avoid and reduce symptoms of an allergic reaction to nickel to its website and YouTube channel as part of its “Video of the Month” series.
The video, targeted at patients, offers the following tips:
- Choose jewelry that is nickel-free, hypoallergenic, or made from surgical-grade stainless steel, 18-, 22-, or 24-karat yellow gold, pure sterling silver, or platinum. Wear watchbands made of leather, cloth, or plastic.
- Replace belt buckles, bra hooks, and metal buttons, zippers, and snaps that contain nickel with ones that are plastic or plastic-coated. Coating these items with clear nail polish can also work as a barrier against the skin, but the nail polish would need to be re-applied often.
- Use a protective cover on electronic devices, as recent reports suggest that items such as cell phones, laptops, and tablets may contain nickel.
- Use brass keys, titanium-coated or stainless steel razors, pots and pans with silicone handles, and titanium or plastic eyeglass frames instead of similar household objects containing nickel.
- For those with an extremely sensitive allergic reaction, avoid foods containing nickel, such as soy products, licorice, buckwheat, cocoa powder, clams, cashews, and figs.
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