Your doctor may do a skin patch test to see if you have a nickel allergy. [2] X Expert Source Navid Malakouti, MD, FAADBoard Certified Dermatologist Expert Interview. 19 July 2021. They will apply patches of nickel, platinum, and other allergens to your skin for 48 hours to see if you react or not. If your skin does not react to the nickel, there may be a build-up of dirt or sweat under the ring. In this case, you may just need to clean your ring. One way to determine if it might be an allergic reaction is to consider how long you’ve been wearing the ring. If you’ve worn the ring for a long time but are just now having a rash, then it is likely not something in the ring. In that case, it is more likely to be an irritant that has gotten trapped under the ring.
Prescription hydrocortisone is usually stronger than over the counter creams. Always follow the instructions on the label. Use the cortisone cream for up to seven days. If your condition does not improve, return to the doctor.
Follow the label’s instructions for dosage information.
Your doctor may prescribe an anti-fungal cream, or you can find one over-the-counter.
Use a mild soap when you wash your hands. Dove, Olay, and Cetaphil are all good choices.
Titanium, stainless steel, and 18-karat gold are usually safe for nickel allergies. It is not uncommon for nickel to be added to gold jewelry. The higher the karat, the less likely the ring contains nickel. White gold is more likely than yellow gold to contain nickel.
This is a good temporary solution for rings until you are able to either replace them or plate them. Nickel Guard is a varnish that is designed to protect your skin from jewelry. You can apply it to your ring in the same way as nail polish.
This test will not damage your jewelry. Once you discover you’re allergic to the ring, any symptoms should go away within 1-2 weeks once you stop wearing it. [11] X Expert Source Navid Malakouti, MD, FAADBoard Certified Dermatologist Expert Interview. 19 July 2021.
