piercing and allergies

piercing and allergies (Full Version)

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octavia -> piercing and allergies (6/1/2007 9:54:43 PM)
I have a question that maybe some of you may have some experience with. I have allergies to metals. I can't wear metal necklaces, earrings, ect... without breaking out in a rash. I know this means that I prolly wont be able to wear a metal collar ever.. [:o] I can wear gold and sterling silver some times. I did have a reaction to gold that came from egypt once, I was told that it prolly had other metals mixed with it. The problem is I really really really want to pierce something! LOL Any suggestions as to the best tissue to minimize reactions, or the possibilities of?

phoenixinchains -> RE: piercing and allergies (6/2/2007 5:01:09 AM)
talking to a piercer-in-good-standing might help. they can order special stuff for people with allergies. another step could be going to a doc to identify what exactly you're allergic to. hope this can help- phoenix

HeavansKeeper -> RE: piercing and allergies (6/2/2007 8:38:32 AM)
I know many piercings come with plastic replacements, but I'm not sure about using them as your first piece. I know they can be sterile and safe once the wound has healed, but again, ask a professional about using a plastic piece first. Gold and silver are often mixed with copper and tin to harden them. Gold is actually quite soft, and to bring it up to par of other metals, it needs to have other elements in it. Nickel, copper, tin, and aliminum are just a few of the additives. The karat value of the gold determines how much of it is pure gold. I strongly suggest you inform Sir that the reason for needing 24 karat gold is purely medical [;)]. When you get skin issues from metal, is it usually on soft parts of your skin? Under the arms, around the neck or belly? Is it always on contact points, meaning where the metal touched your skin? If so, how precise? If you put a star shaped nickel oxide starfish on your stomach would you get a red blob or an exact copy of the starfish? Will the rash itch? Does it make the skin tender and inflamed? Contact Dermatitis is not a rare situation. It is commonly related to the contact of certain metals, but can be an array of substances. I would suggest an allergy test to see if you can't pinpoint the metals you need to avoid. Who knows, maybe titanium will work for you... Although be careful because what is sold as titanium is often an alloy of iron or aluminum. As a personal note, I love titanium. It has a 'white gold' color and a rich steel finish. It's stronger and lighter than steel (also more expensive). I've never seen titanium play-wear, but it's worth a shot. You will probably never wear a metal collar, no. But there are collars with metal parts that have only leather touching your neck. Here's a link that's fairly helpful. It discusses general dermatitis. http://skin-care.health-cares.net/dermatitis-causes.php

octavia -> RE: piercing and allergies (6/2/2007 7:23:52 PM)
quote: ORIGINAL: HeavansKeeper I know many piercings come with plastic replacements, but I'm not sure about using them as your first piece. I know they can be sterile and safe once the wound has healed, but again, ask a professional about using a plastic piece first. Gold and silver are often mixed with copper and tin to harden them. Gold is actually quite soft, and to bring it up to par of other metals, it needs to have other elements in it. Nickel, copper, tin, and aliminum are just a few of the additives. The karat value of the gold determines how much of it is pure gold. I strongly suggest you inform Sir that the reason for needing 24 karat gold is purely medical [;)]. When you get skin issues from metal, is it usually on soft parts of your skin? Under the arms, around the neck or belly? Is it always on contact points, meaning where the metal touched your skin? If so, how precise? If you put a star shaped nickel oxide starfish on your stomach would you get a red blob or an exact copy of the starfish? Will the rash itch? Does it make the skin tender and inflamed? Contact Dermatitis is not a rare situation. It is commonly related to the contact of certain metals, but can be an array of substances. I would suggest an allergy test to see if you can't pinpoint the metals you need to avoid. Who knows, maybe titanium will work for you... Although be careful because what is sold as titanium is often an alloy of iron or aluminum. As a personal note, I love titanium. It has a 'white gold' color and a rich steel finish. It's stronger and lighter than steel (also more expensive). I've never seen titanium play-wear, but it's worth a shot. You will probably never wear a metal collar, no. But there are collars with metal parts that have only leather touching your neck. Here's a link that's fairly helpful. It discusses general dermatitis. http://skin-care.health-cares.net/dermatitis-causes.php Thank you soooo much! Yes the rash appears where the metal touches my skin. I had to give up earrings many years ago, because through the skin seems to be the worse. second is around the neck, then around the wrist. Rings are next.. LOL basically if it is an alloy of cheap metals, I cant wear it without breaking out. Im not sure if it would blob or make the shape of the star.. never tried that. but I do know that if I wear a metal necklace that isn't gold, i get the rash just on the back and side parts of my neck? I do like the idea of titanium, I have some earrings here that were a gift from an aquantance, I've never tried them but think i will wear them around for a few hours just to see. Again, thanks!!![:D] octavia

HeavansKeeper -> RE: piercing and allergies (6/2/2007 7:37:34 PM)
From what you've told me it's simply a matter of finding out which metal you react with and which are ok with your skin. Plastic RARELY causes any sort of rash, and many toys can be found or custom made in non-metallic parts. Hard plastic can take as much strain as any safe BDSM play would give it. I would consult with a physician (or dermatologist) about allergy testing to save you time and itches.

chellekitty -> RE: piercing and allergies (6/2/2007 10:34:38 PM)
oh goody i am special!! when i wear plastic jewelry i break out in a rash like crazy and if its in a piercing, even one thats been healed for years, it gets infected..

santalia -> RE: piercing and allergies (6/3/2007 1:17:03 AM)
Greetings i can't wear most metals either. i've found i can wear gold and titanium. Never silver, steel (of any sort, including hypoallergenic and surgical, though i've not tried implant-grade), nickel, gold electroplate.... If i wear them i get similar reactions. It depends on where i wear them. If earrings, i can only have worn it a few minutes and by the same afternoon, my ear piercings are infected. If i wear a necklace that's not gold, i can wear it for an hour maybe without a reaction, but if any longer, the skin in contact begins turning green. Any longer than the green stage and it turns black, then begins getting itchy, and i can end up with welts if i wear it too long. Same with my fingers with rings. Now, i've worn a crystal that had an unknown metal wire wound round it and it did not affect my skin in any way. However, the metal began turning a warm color, a pinkish golden color. It was very pretty. i also have a pendant that i recently found out is pewter and the pewter began doing the same thing, though the pendant didn't harm my skin. i didn't wear either constantly, though, so i don't know if that is a factor in the lack of rashes developing or not. Good luck on finding a metal you can wear in a piercing. It's out there, you just have to find it. i wish you well -santalia{JR}

HeavansKeeper -> RE: piercing and allergies (6/3/2007 2:47:49 AM)
quote: ORIGINAL: chellekitty oh goody i am special!! when i wear plastic jewelry i break out in a rash like crazy and if its in a piercing, even one thats been healed for years, it gets infected.. What sort of plastic jewelery? Plastic can be abrasive to skin, plug pores, cause chafing, etc. Plastic is considerably harder to keep clean as compared to metals. Especially soft plastic, anything that you can squeeze or bend without shattering. At the microscopic lever, plastic is quite inviting to bacteria. How do you handle plastic bracelets, rings, and necklaces? Rings sustain heavy amounts of rubbing, and I would expect discomfort there. Necklaces do also, only on the back of the neck. If your hackles are red and rashing, but your chest (where the bottom of said necklace is) is not, then your reaction to that plastic is physical, not chemical. Edit: To Santalia: Many cheap metals are coated in a form of wax to keep them shiny and protected for a few weeks. Expose a metal to some sort of rubbing to simulate age and use before buying a stockpile of that metal. Contact Dermatitis is very tricky that way... Some metals, extremely similar in feel, hardness, color, crystaline form, atomic number, and maleability will respond differently to your skin. Best advice I can give is allergy tests, and keep a notebook of reactions to which metals. No sense having to try the same one out three or four different times. As a note, though, anything that's commercially sold is PROBABLY an alloy (a mix of metals) and will make decided which metals are not user-friendly a hassle.

octavia -> RE: piercing and allergies (6/3/2007 7:41:30 AM)
Yes, I too can get irritated by some plastics, but it isn't the same type of itcy as the metals. The metal itchy is a hot rashy itchy whereas the other seems more of just an irritation itch for me. So im thinking that I should prolly do some research, narrow down my acceptable metals, then go for either my navel or nose. I'll wear the titanium today and see how it goes. [:)]

MistressTexas -> RE: piercing and allergies (6/3/2007 9:35:41 AM)
Depends what you want to get pierced.... Tongue, you're pretty much screwed, as you need the stability of a metal stud for the first couple weeks at least... hood or labia you might, maybe possibly be able to get away with a plastic piece just because they're going through such a thin part of flesh. Do you have a reaction to forks?? spoons?? Because you might be able to handle a labret piercing as long as the outer stud was plastic. I also recently did a piercing for a friend (eyebrow) with a smooth piece of crystal and rubber stays to keep it in... but i'm not sure what your luck would be in finding the jewelry or a piercer to do it.

YourShyPet -> RE: piercing and allergies (6/3/2007 4:57:40 PM)
I'm allergic to almost every metal except for gold and platinum so when I had my bellybutton periced I had to order a platinum bellyring... some piercing places have access themselves with special order jewerly.... my place did... I would just ask the piercer what they have access too. kittin

greeneyes1962 -> RE: piercing and allergies (6/4/2007 12:20:24 AM)
I have the same problems with metals, however Master really wanted me to get my nipples pierced, and I had been wanting to do it also for several years. I got pierced in March with titanium rings, and 3 months later haven't had any problems. So now, I got titanium earrings too, can't wait to see how those do. [:)]

onestandingstill -> RE: piercing and allergies (6/4/2007 8:34:44 AM)
I spent 8 months with a grounded nipple trying to get over the metal allergy I had to a surgical steel nipple ring. It never stopped being sore and full of puss so I finally took it out. Now after reading this thread maybe titanium is the answer. I've been talking to people who thought yo ucould wear gold bone rings in your nipples, but have had no piercer back that up so I'd not tried it yet. The titanium may be a way to make it so I too can have pierced nipples again. Thnaks for the posts in this thread. suzanne

CassandraAlexis -> RE: piercing and allergies (6/4/2007 7:45:24 PM)
octavia, talk with a good piercer. When I had my nipples pierced, the jewelry he put in was teflon barbells with stainless steel ends. I am not allergic to most metals, especially the higher grade, but in his opinion, since it was December that was the best way to go for the piercing since it could bend as my nipples contracted rather than pushing and rubbing the fresh piercing. So, there are options, even for fresh piercings.

calicowgirl -> RE: piercing and allergies (6/4/2007 9:14:12 PM)
One of my um's is the same. She even breaks out from the back part of the snap on her jeans... we use band aids for that. lol The dr said it was more than likely nickel. She does fine with titanium and stainless steel. She had her tongue pierced a couple of weeks ago with stainless steel and so far has had no trouble at all. Good luck, cali

daddysblondie -> RE: piercing and allergies (6/4/2007 10:11:13 PM)
My best uneducated guess is that it's the nickel that you're allergic to. I can wear gold and I can wear silver if there is little to no nickel in it. I had a watch once that if I wore it for more than a couple hours, I would end up with a red welt in the shape of the watch band all around my wrist. I talked to a jeweler when I bought my last watch and he found a brand for me that didn't have nickel in it. I currently have my hood and my nipples pierced. The hood healed great with no problems and the left nipple has healed fine, but I'm having problems with the right nipple, it simply wont heal. 6 months out, its still getting crusty and some days it itches like mad. I plan on going in to talk to my piercer this week to see if we can switch it out. I saw some people suggested titanium and I believe I saw in another thread that nobium will work for people who have nickel allergies as well. Best advice is to talk to a piercer and see what they suggest...

LeatherRose -> RE: piercing and allergies (6/4/2007 10:57:11 PM)
People have mentioned titanium, which is what I had to use to replace the 14k gold I had in my piercing. But something else that has come around (but I don't know if you can wear initiallly when being pierced) is acrylic. I don't know if you would react to that or not. Good luck, LeatherRose

HeavansKeeper -> RE: piercing and allergies (6/5/2007 8:50:52 AM)
quote: ORIGINAL: LeatherRose People have mentioned titanium, which is what I had to use to replace the 14k gold I had in my piercing. But something else that has come around (but I don't know if you can wear initiallly when being pierced) is acrylic. I don't know if you would react to that or not. Good luck, LeatherRose Glass eyes are often made of acrylic... It has very little friction, which would help from physical irritation, although it's a hodgepodge of elements, acrylic tends to be very compatable with human skin. I've never heard of an acrylic piercing, but judging from the strength of the material, it could certainly do the work. Acrylic is shatter resistant, which is good because it's not as strong as metal... And if it were to sustain too much pressure in a piercing (VERY unlikely) the last thing you want is shards of glass... /shudder.

onegoodgirl -> RE: piercing and allergies (6/6/2007 10:00:52 AM)
I have a sensitivity to some metals.. some of which actually decay the skin around it (especially those cheap-o earrings) but will say that you're probably going to be fine with surgical stainless steel.. which is what piercers generally use.

RumpusParable -> RE: piercing and allergies (6/6/2007 11:24:24 AM)
As others have said, you most likely have a nickel allergy. It is in most jewelry to some extent, the lower quality the more, generally. It would be best to request titanium jewelry for your piercing. Stainless steel used works for some people, but depending on how sensitive you are to nickel it may still cause you problems. Acrylic, silicone and organics cannot and should not be used in the initial healing of a piercing. They are fine to try later after you've healed completely. Good luck on your piercing!

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