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If you have an allergy to metals like nickel allergy, you might be at a loss as to which metal is safe to use for personal accessories. NoNickel can help with finding the correct nickel free belt, buckle, watch, ring etc. But what metal is safe for hip replacements and endovascular stents?
Titanium has long been thought of by physicians as a "safe" metal. According to Fisher's Contact Dermatitis Book, "Documented allergy to titanium is exceedingly rare, so if tests to other metals are positive titanium is as safe an alternative as possible."
Personal Accessories
Titanium can be polished to a luster and is corrosion-resistant--perfect for eye glass frames, belts, buckles, watches and rings.
There are at least 50 grades of titanium. Titanium is often alloyed with iron, aluminum, vanadium, molybdenum, nickel, among other elements, to produce strong lightweight alloys for aerospace, military, industrial, automotive, and medical industries.
Nickel Smart™ Titanium products are not alloyed with nickel!
Bio Medical Devices
What should you do?
- Be pro-active! Tell all your health care providers that you have or suspect a nickel or metal allergy.
- Dermatologists or allergists specialized in patch testing can diagnosis what specific metal(s) you are allergic to.
- Alternatives are available for most devices including the nickel-titanium alloys.
- When a procedure is required, verify that the metal(s) you are allergic to are not in the device being implanted especially if an alloy is being used.
- Remember a reaction is extremely rare, but be proactive.
Copyright © 2003-2010 Athena Allergy Inc. All rights reserved.
Don't Let Nickel Allergy Scare You Away From Having Fun!
Halloween is such a great time of year: candy, costumes and carved pumpkins. But if you have nickel allergy, you know that finding nickel free costume props can be a little scary. Typically, the inexpensive jewelry and accessories used to adorn costumes are laden with nickel because it is durable and cheap.
Very few online costume sites mention the material the accessory is made of, so it is difficult to shop for safe items.
Items that may contain nickel:
- Belts and buckles (think cowboys and pirates)
- Boning in corsets
- Bracelets
- Canes, staffs, pitch forks
- Earrings
- Eye glass frames
- Gold-especially white and yellow 10k and 14k
- Grills for teeth (think rapper)
- Hair pins and clips
- Hand bag clutches
- Headbands
- Heirloom jewelry
- Metal buttons and snaps
- Necklaces
- Rings
- Suspender clips
- Swords and sabers
- Tiaras
- Wands- magical of course!
- Watches
- Wings- fairy/angel
- Zippers
If you are unsure if an item contains nickel, don't wait for your skin to tell you! Nickel Alert™ nickel detection kit can quickly and easily test for nickel in anything metal saving you from a painful rash.
Once nickel is detected, apply clinically proven Nickel Guard™ nickel barrier coating to ensure there is no direct skin to metal contact and no nickel allergy rash.
Dressing up for Halloween is too much fun to give up. Simply use Nickel Alert and Nickel Guard, the Nickel Solution™ kit to avoid a nickel allergy rash.
Nickel allergy is a very common form of Allergic Contact Dermatitis (ACD). A rash develops after contact with nickel and may have the following characteristics(s): redness, itching, swelling, hives, and/or cracks.
The most common sites for nickel allergy are the earlobes, neck, and wrist where metal touches the skin. In children, one of the most common signs of nickel allergy is a rash on the central abdomen from snaps/buttons. For more information on nickel allergy visit Nickel Allergy 101-- Causes, symptoms, treatment and prevention.
Easily avoid nickel with Nickel Solution™ featuring Nickel Alert™ and Nickel Guard™.
BACKGROUND: ATHENA ALLERGY, INC.
Athena Allergy, Inc., founded in 2003, has a mission to provide unique products to meet underserved markets and is dedicated to enhancing health and the quality of life through these products. Specifically, Athena Allergy offers Nickel SolutionTM, a unique two-part system that detects nickel in metal items and then protects against a rash, a side effect of nickel contact. This product stands to serve the 22 million women who are not able to wear jewelry due to nickel sensitivity or allergy.
The Problem
Nickel allergy is a common problem, especially among women. In the
Nickel allergy is growing at alarming rates due to the increase in ear and body piercing, and it is shown to affect men as well as women. Athena Allergy developed Nickel Solution to give consumers with nickel sensitivity or allergy the opportunity to wear jewelry and other items that would otherwise cause an allergic reaction.
Items that may cause a reaction in the nickel-sensitive population include:
Earrings Heirloom jewelry Buttons Silverware
Watches Fine jewelry Belt buckles Eyeglasses
Necklaces Costume jewelry Zippers
Rings Nickel-free jewelry Jean studs
Hypoallergenic jewelry
An allergy or sensitivity to nickel, a life-long ailment, can cause ACD - allergic contact dermatitis. The symptoms include a red, itchy rash that may swell. The skin can also develop welts or hives and cracks or fissures. The most common sites of nickel-related dermatitis are the earlobes, neck, and wrist, where metal makes skin contact.
Nickel is widely used because it adds durability to softer metals like gold and is a common component in the base metal of plated items. As plating wears, even in "nickel-free" items where nickel is still present in the base metal, exposure can occur.
In the past, physicians advised their patients with nickel allergy to coat the offending items with clear nail polish. This supposedly created a buffer between the skin and the nickel-containing items; however, these patients began exhibiting signs of allergic contact dermatitis. It was determined that clear nail polish contained the chemicals toluene, formaldehyde, or dibutyl phthalate - chemicals responsible for creating allergic contact dermatitis in nickel-sensitive individuals. Nickel Solution does not contain any irritants, making it suitable for all individuals with nickel sensitivity or allergy.
The Nickel Solution
The Nickel Solution kit contains two solutions: Nickel AlertTM and Nickel GuardTM. Nickel Alert tests for the presence of nickel - even in trace amounts - in jewelry and other articles. Two drops of Nickel Alert are applied to a cotton swab (included in the kit), and then rubbed on the metal item. If the cotton swab turns pink, then nickel has been detected. The test takes less than one minute.
Nickel Guard, the second solution, uses a proprietary clear coating that forms an invisible micro-bond with the metal to protect the user from nickel exposure. Nickel Guard is brushed on nickel items where metal makes skin contact. Nickel Guard does not contain toluene, formaldehyde, or dibutyl phthalate, which could cause secondary contact dermatitis in nickel-sensitive individuals. The solution, recommended by dermatologists, is easy to use and will not harm even the most valuable items. The Nickel Solution kit is available through online retailers and skin care specialists. Details may be found on the Athena Allergy Web site.
The Visionaries
Athena Allergy is an employee-owned business located in
Michael Dow, Vice President and Co-Founder of Athena Allergy, has sixteen years of experience in the medical fields of dermatology and allergy. While previously employed with Allerderm Laboratories of Phoenix, Arizona as Product Manager and Director of Marketing, Mr. Dow was responsible for patient and healthcare provider education materials and product development, as well as product packaging. Mr. Dow possesses extensive knowledge of allergic contact dermatitis (ACD) and skin allergy diagnostics, treatment, and protection. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from the
Summary
Athena Allergy, Inc. produces a revolutionary new product, Nickel Solution, which is dedicated to enhancing health and the quality of life of those who suffer from nickel sensitivity or allergy. Nickel Solution is the result of approximately four decades of dermatology and allergy expertise, and is recommended by leading physicians nationwide.
For more information, please contact: Lea Dow, President
Athena Allergy, Inc.
704-947-1917
Athena Allergy, Inc., founded in 2003, has a mission to provide unique products to meet underserved markets and is dedicated to enhancing health and the quality of life through these products. Specifically, Athena Allergy offers Nickel SolutionTM, a unique two-part system that detects nickel in metal items and then protects against a rash, a side effect of nickel contact. This product stands to serve the 22 million women who are not able to wear jewelry due to nickel sensitivity or allergy.
Athena Allergy, Inc. produces a revolutionary new product, Nickel Solution, which is dedicated to enhancing health and the quality of life of those who suffer from nickel sensitivity or allergy. Nickel Solution is the result of approximately four decades of dermatology and allergy expertise, and is recommended by leading physicians nationwide.
Athena Allergy is an employee-owned business located in
These positions have contributed to Ms. Dow's in-depth knowledge of allergic contact dermatitis (ACD) and skin allergy diagnostics, treatment, and protection. Ms. Dow's educational background includes a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics with concentration in finance from the
Welcome to the home of Nickel Allergy Information. The goal of this blog is to provide up-to-date, relevant information on nickel allergy and offer potential solutions to "the most common cause of contact dermatitis in the industrial world, particularly affecting females"
All comments are welcomed and appreciated.
Kornick R, Zug KA. Nickel. Dermatitis 2008; 19:3-8
