Is Silver Hypoallergenic
Silver is not a hypoallergenic metal. There are many occasions where it reacts with skin leading to redness, itching and irritation and even allergy. Cheap quality silver contains nickel and copper which react with skin and can also turn skin green. People with sensitive skin are recommended to avoid all silver alloys for jewelry purpose.
In this article we’ll break down is silver hypoallergenic, who should avoid it and what are alternatives of silver.
Why Silver is not Hypoallergenic?
Silver metal in its purest is never used in jewelry making. Though, pure silver is completely hypoallergenic, but it is too soft and malleable making jewelers unable to make jewelry out of it. To address this problem, jewelers add a small quantity of copper with pure silver to make it hard enough for different designs. This new metal is an alloy and is called as “sterling silver“.
Sterling silver, which is now an alloy develops non-hypoallergenic properties due to presence of copper. Sometimes, it can also contain trace amounts of nickel making it even more non-hypoallergenic. Both copper and nickel can quickly react with skin, making silver a non-hypoallergenic metal.
Should All People Avoid Silver?
No, only those people should avoid silver who have sensitive skin. Silver only reacts with sensitive skin. People with normal or insensitive skin can wear it everyday without any problem.
Can you Make Silver Hypoallergenic?
Yes, silver can be made hypoallergenic temporarily if you don’t allow it to touch your skin. Main purpose of this thing is to create a barrier between your skin and the metal. Here are some ways which you can use to make silver a hypoallergenic metal.
1. Nail Polish
Remember that in order to make silver hypoallergenic, you don’t have to allow it to touch your skin. Take a bottle of transparent nail polish and paint the inner part of the jewelry with the help of a brush. Paint those parts of the jewelry which are supposed to come into contact with the body. This will create a temporary barrier between silver and your skin. This why it will never be able to react with the body.
2. Rhodium Plating
Rhodium plating is another way of making sterling silver hypoallergenic. Rhodium is a hypoallergenic metal which can be plated over silver jewelry to make it hypoallergenic. Once silver is plated, it cannot contact skin anymore as rhodium is plated over it. This is one of the best ways to make silver hypoallergenic.
Rhodium plating can easily stay for 3 to 4 months over silver when regular use. If you don’t wear it daily, it can stay for even longer period. Rhodium plating costs around $25 for a medium sized ring. This price can vary as per the jewelry item to be plated.
3. Water Repellents or Wax
Water repellents or wax can also be used for creating a barrier between skin and silver jewelry. In fact, it is the most affordable way among all mentioned here. All you need for this purpose is a jewelry water repellent chemical or a jewelry wax. You can easily get one of these on Amazon.
Take a clean piece of paper or a soft cloth and put some wax or water repellent depending on what you are using. Now start applying it on both inner and outer sides of the jewelry. Once done, clean any extra wax out there. This way your silver jewelry can behave hypoallergenic for some time.
However, with time this coating of wax or water repellent will wear off. If you wear silver regularly, you will have to repeat it at least once a week to get better results.
Note that only those people should use these methods who have skin allergy problems with silver and other non-hypoallergenic metals. People with normal skin can easily use silver without trying these methods.
What Factors Increase Non-Hypoallergenic Properties
Number of factors like sweat, skin oils and cosmetic items increase the chances of getting allergies from silver. Here are some common factors which can increase non-hypoallergenic properties of silver.
1. Sweat
Sweating is a natural process which execrates salts, minerals and water over your skin. These chemicals make easier for copper and nickel to react with sensitive skins. Its recommended to avoid using silver jewelry on a hot day where you are expected to get a lot of sweat.
2. Cosmetic Items
All cosmetic items are artificial and contain chemicals that can react with sensitive skins pretty fast. Perfumes, lotions, skin oils and creams can create an environment for non-hypoallergenic metals to create redness and itching of skin.
It’s better to avoid excess use of these cosmetic items while wearing jewelry. Or at least wear jewelry after some time of using these chemicals.
3. Water
Water in the form of moisture or drops can be very harmful for jewelry. It not only impacts the looks of the jewelry, but also increases the speed of tarnishing and non-hypoallergenic properties. Avoid contact with water in any form when wearing jewelry. Common places to avoid are bathroom, swimming pool, beach, kitchen and laundry. Remove your jewelry before you go to these places for tasks involving water contact.
Alternatives of Silver Jewelry
There are some alternative of silver jewelry as well which can be hypoallergenic at the same cost.
1. Stainless Steel
Stainless steel is a white lustrous metal known for its hypoallergenic, non-tarnishing and skin friendly properties. Stainless steel is also very durable and long lasting as compared to other mainstream jewelry metals. It comes in similar price range as silver and with number of features that silver can’t provide. If you are looking for affordable options with hypoallergenic properties, then stainless steel is the best choice.
2. Titanium
Titanium is a lightweight and durable gray color metal. It is not as easily available metal as silver but comes with a great resistance towards scratching and tarnishing. It is also hypoallergenic. In fact, it is the most hypoallergenic metal used in jewelry. Titanium can be found in a number of colors including red, purple, green etc. However, variety of designs and customization options can be limited.
3. Zirconium
Zirconium is another titanium like metal that can be found in both white and black color. It is somewhat heavier than titanium but resembles it most of the properties. Non-tarnishing, resistance against scratches and durability are the key selling features of zirconium.
Only con associated with zirconium is its lack of customization and design options as only a few jewelers deal in it.
Common FAQ’s about is Silver Hypoallergenic?
Here are some common FAQ’s about silver.
1. Is 925 sterling silver hypoallergenic?
925 sterling silver is not hypoallergenic for people who have sensitive skin. However, people with normal skin can wear it without any problem.
2. How Can I buy Nickel free Sterling silver?
Only buy from known reputable brands. Ask jeweler questions about nickel’s presence . Also check for online reviews.
3. Can we make Sterling silver hypoallergenic?
Yes, you can make it hypoallergenic for a short period of time. Methods like using water repellent, wax or rhodium plating can be very useful.
4. What cosmetic items increase the chances of
Almost every cosmetic item increases the chances of getting skin problems with silver. It includes perfumes, lotions, skin oils etc.
Conclusion
Silver is one of those metals which are not hypoallergenic. It can react with sensitive skin leading to several skin problems like itching, redness, irritation and allergies. Factors like sweating, contact with water and cosmetic items can increase the chances of getting skin problems. So, it is important to know the ways by which you can make silver hypoallergenic. Though, these methods are not permanent, but they can solve the problem for a short time. You will have to repeat these methods regularly after some time for better results.