If a favourite ring suddenly leaves a finger red and itchy, or earrings make earlobes sore, jewellery could be to blame, even after years of safe wear. Jewellery expert Stacie Hutchinson from Michael Jones Jeweller has warned that seemingly harmless items can trigger severe skin reactions without warning.
The primary trigger is nickel or other base metals contained within jewellery, causing allergic contact dermatitis that leaves skin itchy, red, cracked, or blistered. Sensitivity does not have to be present when an item is initially purchased.
“People can be confused when a piece of jewellery they have worn for a long time suddenly starts irritating their skin, because naturally they assume that if it was the jewellery, they would have reacted to it straight away,” Hutchinson explained. “But an allergic reaction can develop after repeated exposure. Your body can become sensitised to a particular metal and, once that happens, coming into contact with it again can trigger redness, itching, and irritation.”
Hidden metals and wearing plating
Avoiding inexpensive silver-coloured items is not a guarantee of safety. Many items consist of alloys combining multiple metals, while plated pieces conceal underlying metals beneath an outer coating that degrades over time.
Hutchinson said: “What people don’t always realise is that a piece of jewellery’s appearance doesn’t necessarily tell you every metal that has been used to make it. Jewellery can be made from alloys containing different metals, while plated pieces have another metal underneath their outer layer.”
“As that plating gradually wears, the underlying metal can become more exposed to your skin. This can sometimes explain why an older piece appears to suddenly start causing irritation. When buying precious metal jewellery, look for a UK hallmark where applicable: this provides independent confirmation that the item has been tested and meets the required standard for its stated precious metal, while UK retailers must also ensure that jewellery complies with product safety requirements such as UK REACH.”
5 key symptoms to monitor
When skin repeatedly flares up, the physical location and pattern of the reaction provide critical diagnostic clues.
Key warning signs include
- Intense itching. This may occur around the fingers, neck, wrists, or earlobes.
- Red or inflamed skin. This may appear directly beneath the piece.
- Dry, cracked, or scaly skin. This is particularly common beneath rings.
- Burning or stinging. This may occur where the metal makes direct contact with the skin.
- Blisters or weeping skin. These can indicate more severe allergic reactions.
“A really obvious clue is the pattern,” Hutchinson noted. “If you take off a necklace and the irritation follows where the chain has been sitting, or one particular pair of earrings repeatedly leaves your ears itchy, the jewellery should be one of the first things you consider.”
Prevention and safe buying practices
The first step in resolving irritation is to remove the offending item and allow the skin to recover, as continued contact can prevent healing.
Rings and bracelets should not trap soap, creams, or moisture against the skin, and items should be kept clean and dry. Buyers should exercise caution when making purchases intended for daily wear.
“When you’re buying jewellery, particularly something you’re going to wear every day, ask what it is actually made from rather than judging it by colour alone. Looking for a hallmark offers valuable reassurance that precious metal jewellery is genuinely what it claims to be,” Hutchinson said.
“Be particularly careful with inexpensive jewellery bought through online marketplaces, particularly from overseas sellers, as they may not always offer the same level of assurance as jewellery sold by an established UK retailer. A number of products sold through platforms including TikTok Shop, Amazon Marketplace, Temu, and SHEIN have been recalled after testing found excessive levels of nickel or cadmium, which can be dangerous for your health.”
Hutchinson added: “Good jewellery should be something you can enjoy wearing, not something you’re enduring. If one particular piece consistently leaves your skin itchy, red, or sore, take it off and investigate what it is made from.”
Wearing down of metal plating and repeated exposure to hidden metals can trigger sudden allergic contact dermatitis in older jewellery.