Nickel Allergy News / nickel free earrings

Whether you are shopping for Mom, your wife, a Grandmother or any woman in your life - unique, handmade jewelry is certain to please. We know online shopping has become the norm now more than ever in the past year. So, let AthenaAllergy.com be your one stop shop for a beautiful pair of nickel free earrings or a show-stopping pendant. Let us make your life easier.

Athena Allergy is a small, family owned business. We take pride in exceptional customer service. We pay attention to the personal touches to make your gift special. We can include a handwritten note to accompany the gift. Mom will be delighted! Your thoughtfulness in selecting a Certified Nickel Free™ Jewelry item will be appreciated for a lifetime! Our jewelry is guaranteed for life to never test positive for nickel. No nickel means no more itchy, allergy rash – your thoughtfulness will make mom proud!

Need inspiration? Let us show you around a bit. Our top choice would have to be the dichroic glass dangle earrings. These earrings are handcrafted by local artisans in Athena Allergy’s home state of North Carolina. We think Mom will delight in these dazzling designs with vibrant hues!  Just the name will bring a smile, but take a look at the color in Merry Waterfalls Nickel Free Earrings.  From red to magenta to silvery pink, the colors in these earrings make them the perfect accent piece to any wardrobe.

We always think of lavenders and pinks for Spring, so Queen Falls Nickel Free Earrings are ideal for two reasons! They offer those stunning soft colors will make certain Mom feels like Queen for the Day!

Cascade Earrings in Rainbow Red – these earrings have been top sellers for years and we think it’s due to the incredible mix of color from the artisan created dichroic glass. With all the colors of the rainbow, these earrings will go with everything!

Interstellar Post Earrings – gaze into the depths of these cranberry red dichroic glass posts, you’ll see new hints of color and sparkle each time! What you won’t ever see is that itchy, red rash from nickel allergy!

We have a couple of earrings inspired by beautiful North Carolina coastal towns. Cape Hatteras Earrings are a glamorous combination of black and silver, while the rose/coral coloration of Sunset Beach Earrings will have mom thinking about the beach! 

Rodanthe Nickel Free Earrings are named after a charming and romantic NC town. The beautiful black cherry red Czech glass is accented with silver wire and matching faceted beads for a stunning look in a nickel free dangle earring.

Perhaps a necklace and earring set are in order for that very special someone; if so, the Jasmine Necklace and Earring Sets are ideal. We love the incredible sparkle of the Jasmine Set in Blue! Take a look, but trust us that photos can’t do justice to this amazing dichroic glass sparkle!

Our beautiful nickel free dichroic glass necklaces make exquisite gifts. The amazing depth of colors light up the room! But our top choice for this special holiday would have to be the Jasmine Rainbow Red Necklace!

We hope you are feeling inspired. Those are only a few of the choices available today at AthenaAllergy.com. For the complete collection, just click on the jewelry link here: Nickel Free Jewelry!

It’s been a tough few weeks. If you’re like us, we are looking for simple ways to add a bit of cheer to our lives and those around us.  

With Easter just around the corner, our current stay-at-home order makes online shopping a necessity for many items, especially those that are Certified Nickel Free™. We have some amazing hypoallergenic jewelry that we’re sure will bring a happy heart to the wearer.

Our dichroic glass earrings are just so full of sparkle and reflective colors, photographs and descriptions will never do them justice. But take our word for it, these little gems are mesmerizing. My personal new favorite pair of dangle earrings is the Looking Glass Falls Lilac Earrings. So perfect for Spring, these nickel free dangles fall only one inch but the shimmering color is huge! The flowery color combination of these earrings make them perfect to tuck into Easter baskets!

Have you been noticing the violets peeking up all around? Purple hues have long been associated with Easter and the spring season. So keeping with that tradition, take a look at these dichroic glass posts, the Supernova Post Earrings are glorious with color! While they are predominantly lilac in color, there are also hints of green, yellow, and pink…probably more! Our photographer did an amazing job making these pretty posts glimmer.  All that color makes them indispensable as a daily accessory, and like all our earrings, they won’t ever cause a nickel allergy rash!

Maybe an anticipated beach trip had to be postponed, so let her know you haven't forgotten by giving her one of our coastal themed earrings. Topsail Island Earrings are a perfect reflection of the season, with the robins’s egg blue Czech glass ovals taking center stage, then the translucent sand-colored faceted accent beads melding together to bring the seashore to her.  

Guess what? We even have some “gems” for the guys in your life! We’re thinking now is a great time to give the gift of nickel free, metal free carbon fiber belts. These belts will be enjoyed for their novelty and their functionality! Carbon fiber is a metal free substance that has been used in aerospace, automotive, and sporting goods industries for years. Our carbon fiber buckles are stitched to a solid handcrafted leather strap so there is no chance of metal touching skin. With no metal, these belts are also ideal for anyone who works in nuclear power plants, courthouses, or who routinely goes through metal screening. Actually, you will be the gem for thinking of this great Easter gift! We now offer our Carbon Fiber Belts in black, several shades of brown, or gray leather. The buckles come in several styles as well, so there should be something for every taste and occupation.

We are sure you can find something for everyone in our Nickel Free Collection. We offer sizes from kids’ to big and tall, with collections for men, women, children, and teens! If you can’t find what you’re looking for, let us know!

Athena Allergy, Inc. has a long reputation for being The Nickel Allergy Experts.  Trust us for all your nickel allergy needs!

 

Just when you thought you were swimsuit-ready, an unsightly and uncomfortable red rash appears on your abdomen.  Why does this happen every year?  It's not coincidental - as temperatures rise, so do problems with nickel allergy symptoms.

The reason behind the symptom surge is simple- nickel salts transfer more readily with moisture, so increased perspiration in the summertime heat will escalate your chances of a nickel allergy reaction.

The solution is just as simple - protect your skin from nickel with Certified Nickel Free™ products! Athena Allergy has nickel free belts to suit every style and budget and an amazing assortment of nickel free jewelry. 

If you haven't visited this site in a while, you may be very happily surprised with all the new additions. The nickel free distressed leather belts are hugely popular this year, with Cold Mountain Distressed Gray Leather Belt being an obvious choice!

Whether cotton, silk, or even crochet - all warm weather dresses scream for fantastic dangling nickel free earrings to complete the look. For unique color combinations that spell summer, check out the Made in the USA hypoallergenic earrings! 

The most vital summer survival tool for nickel allergy sufferers has to be Nickel Solution™! Before your skin suffers through another nickel allergy rash, test those metal items for nickel and then either replace them or protect yourself with Nickel Guard™.  Testing with Nickel Alert™ is not only easy and fast, it is extremely accurate in detecting minute traces of nickel. 

A purchase from Athena Allergy allows you peace of mind, knowing that every product has been batch-tested before it is offered for sale. In addition, every product comes with a lifetime guarantee to never test positive for nickel! If you need even more assurance that your purchase will stand the test of time, take a look at the Signature Series Products -- these titanium products are backed with a full lifetime guarantee - no nickel, no defects, and no breakage! 

Don't let nickel allergy symptoms interfere with all the fun that summer has to offer! Come on in and take a look around.  You have a lot to gain and a nickel allergy rash to lose!

Note: Parts of this article were previously published. We just felt the information was important to share again, with updates of course! 

Springtime offers many opportunities for gift-giving – whether for the girl grad, a wonderful woman in your life, bridesmaids, hostess or birthday gifts.  Just be sure to consider that a growing percentage of women in the United States are allergic to nickel! Unfortunately, nickel is found in an astonishing amount of jewelry – even fine jewelry. Nickel is popular with manufacturers for its luster and durability, but can cause extremely uncomfortable and long-lasting symptoms for those who are allergic. Once a person has become sensitized to nickel, the allergy will be lifelong. Current statistics estimate nickel allergy to affect approximately 20% of women in the United States.

Luckily, there is good news for all those who suffer from nickel allergy symptoms! Athena Allergy, Inc. has new lines of hypoallergenic jewelry that come with a lifetime guarantee to never test positive for nickel. If there is no nickel to contact the skin, there can be no nickel allergy symptoms.

The latest additions to the Nickel Free Jewelry Collection are nickel free dichroic glass pendants and necklaces. The dichroic glass in pieces such as the Nickel Free Ivy Pendant in Lilac or the Jasmine Necklace and Earring Set in Silver is simply mesmerizing; viewing in person is essential to see the depths of color and sparkle. These artistic creations are the purest form of Made in the USA Jewelry. The dichroic glass has been designed and fired multiple times in the artisans' studio to achieve the desired look, the jewelry artists then cut the glass into their original designs. 

Athena Allergy, Inc. has also introduced the Hypoallergenic Fashion Dangle Earring Collection within the past year. These handcrafted, eclectic designs range from mixed metals to silver dangles – all are dramatic and eye-catching.

The long-loved favorites – the Dichroic Glass Posts, the Dichroic Glass Dangles, and the Beaded Dangles are proven picks. These earrings are all guaranteed nickel free, with colors and designs to suit every taste. 

Shop at Athena Allergy today for all your nickel free jewelry gifts! Your loved ones are sure to be happy you did!

 

My battles with nickel allergy rashes started in my early teens, with my first ear piercing. Almost immediately, I noticed itching and burning, but I discounted those symptoms until small blisters formed.  After removing the earrings and allowing my ears to heal, I avoided piercing again for quite a few years. However, in the interim I became sensitive to the metal in my watch and sunglasses. Once again, intense itching and a red rash were the symptoms. Nickel allergy was becoming a little better understood at this point in time, so I educated myself and tried to avoid any jewelry with nickel, opting for leather watch bands with 14K gold cases and clasps (not easy on a young professionals budget!) and plastic sunglasses. It was much later than I discovered a much simpler solution – Nickel Solution!

Nickel Solution is a two-part kit that allows the user to first test metals to see if there is nickel in the metal and then to brush on a protective barrier to protect the skin from that nickel. Nickel Alert is the testing part; it is a dmg spot test for nickel. It is formulated by Athena Allergy, Inc. to be a highly accurate and uncomplicated at-home test.

While it is so helpful to be able to determine if an item has nickel before I wear it, my favorite of the two-part kit is probably Nickel Guard! I use this lacquer a lot! I love fun costume jewelry and oftentimes it does contain nickel. Brushing Nickel Guard on the wires, posts, or backs of earrings solves that problem easily!  I use a bit of wax paper underneath the jewelry as it dries, just in case I get a little overzealous in my application. For me, Nickel Guard provides a lengthy protection period. It likely depends on the use of the jewelry item and possibly on the severity of the nickel allergy.

Luckily, Athena Allergy is also making my love for bright and fun jewelry a no-brainer. They are now offering gorgeous dichroic glass nickel free earrings that are amazing to wear. The sparkle and glitter of this jewelry is astounding! Even better, I don’t have to test this jewelry because Athena Allergy has already done it for me! No more painting lacquer either, these pieces are guaranteed for life to never test positive for nickel, so no more worries and definitely no more rash!

Trust me, you are going to be so glad you heeded this advice! Buy Nickel Solution (and maybe a great new pair of earrings) today!

Let the shopping begin! Nickel free shopping at Athena Allergy has gotten so much easier and lots more fun with the addition of countless belts and earrings that have the added allure of being handcrafted in the USA!

If you are looking for gifts that will show your friends and loved ones that you really care, then show them that you remember that their nickel allergy creates a valid concern for them. They simply aren’t able to wear those earrings that cause an unsightly as well as extremely uncomfortable nickel allergy rash. Or, perhaps the guys on your list don’t even recognize that their nickel allergy or metal allergy has created the abdominal rash right around their belt buckle. Be the hero and buy the gift that saves the day!

Nickel free earrings are always appreciated. We’ve discovered even our non-allergic friends love getting these sparkly dichroic glass or beautifully beaded earrings. Perfect for holiday wear, the red Interstellar Nickel Free Posts and Rodanthe Nickel Free Dangle Earrings are showing up at lots of holiday gatherings.

We also don’t know any guys who haven’t appreciated the Cold Mountain Black Belt. This handcrafted belt strap features a functional Bottle Opener Buckle! If you’re a regular Athena Allergy shopper, then let us point you to a few new belts (and there are a lot this year!).  Topping our list of popular belts are the Carbon Fiber Wide Pin Brown and The Stealth Black Belts. Both of these belts feature supple handcrafted leather straps with non-metallic carbon fiber buckles. These belts are making life easier for frequent fliers, those with high security jobs, and anyone with nickel allergy or any metal allergy. They are truly zero metal belts, as the buckle is 100% carbon fiber and it has been hand sewn to the strap, eliminating the need for metallic snaps or closures.

Distressed leather remains super popular this year and now we are offering many belts in both black distressed leather (Smoky Mountain Distressed Leather Belt and Smoky Mountain Titanium Distressed Leather Belt) along with the more traditional brown distressed leather, for example the Roan Mountain Distressed Leather Belt or the Titanium Wide Pin Distressed Leather Belt.  We now offer distressed leather belts specifically designed for women: Distressed Rose Nickel Free Belt, and for children/tweens/teens: Child’s Roan Mountain Distressed Leather Brown Belt.

Obviously, we could go on and on, but we are confident that once you begin your holiday shopping at Athena Allergy, you'll find exactly what you were looking for! 

During the month of February, most people are thinking of love and friendship. We think this might be a good time to tell you why we do what we do! Hint: it has to do with the fact that we truly care about our customers!

When we started this business over a decade ago, we did so based on knowledge we had gained in the dermatology and allergy fields. It had become apparent to us that nickel allergy was a significant and ever-growing affliction that wasn’t being addressed by manufacturers.

Step one of our journey in educating the public about nickel allergy was to develop Nickel Alert™, a test for nickel that can be used on any metallic item. The first of its kind, this dmg spot test was formulated for at-home use, and was pre-mixed and pre-measured to ensure accuracy and ease of use. So sensitive that it will detect minute amounts of nickel, Nickel Alert has become the cornerstone of our business. We tout this product as the way to detect nickel in metal, so that your skin doesn’t have to!

Its companion product, Nickel Guard™ is a clinically proven clear coating that forms an invisible micro-bond with metals to prevent exposure to nickel, thus prohibiting any nickel allergy symptoms.

Once we had these building blocks established, allowing those with nickel allergy to detect nickel in any metal and then to protect their skin from that nickel, we wanted to pursue other ways to help our customers assure a nickel free life.

Adding nickel free belts, nickel free belt buckles, and hypoallergenic jewelry was an obvious step as these items are among those most often targeted as the cause of nickel allergy rash.  Unfortunately in the United States there are no FDA regulations on labeling products as “nickel free” or “hypoallergenic” and there are those who would take advantage. We decided early on that our products would be carefully sourced, designed, and manufactured so they would contain no nickel. Furthermore, we test for nickel both pre- and post-production – all steps that are necessary before a product earns the designation and guarantee of being Certified Nickel Free™. This guarantee means that our products come with the lifetime guarantee to never test positive for nickel, so these products can be trusted.

As our company has grown, we have been rewarded by hearing from many of you who have gained information from our website about your nickel allergy and have learned that the use of our products will lead to a comfortable life, free of nickel allergy symptoms. Our promise to you is that we will continue to source top quality nickel free products for you, because we truly do care about our customers.

Ready to do a little holiday indulging? Concerned that it may affect more than your waistline? Here's a bit of good news for nickel allergy sufferers!

But first things first: While it may not fit into your schedule to visit your dermatologist or allergist before the holiday meal this year, be sure to make it your number one New Year's Resolution. Only these professionals can provide an accurate diagnosis and medical advice regarding your nickel allergy and whether a low nickel diet will be a benefit.

Our bit of good news is that one day of holiday feasting should not create a problem for most people with nickel allergy! Continued consumption of high nickel foods does seem to have an affect on a minority of the nickel allergic population. Studies are indicating a relationship between the ingestion of foods high in nickel and conditions such as hives and eczema in a small number of people tested.

If your allergist has recommended a Low Nickel Diet, you probably already know that many foods have the green light.  Holiday staples such as turkey and cranberries are not considered problematic sources of nickel in the diet - so load up your plate!

There may be items on that holiday table that you should avoid if a strict diet has been recommended. Cocoa, chocolate, shellfish, fruits, whole grains, beer, red wine, onions, raw carrots, and most canned foods may contain significant amounts of nickel. However, nickel content often depends upon factors such as the soil where the crop was grown as well as how it was processed and then stored. High nickel in the soil, along with nickel-laden processing equipment and storage containers will lead to higher nickel in the product, making it difficult to accurately identify high nickel foods.

A bit more good news: While the avoidance of tea and coffee on a low nickel diet is suggested, other studies have shown that one or two cups of these beverages on a daily basis should pose little concern. In addition, some studies indicate a diet high in vitamin C and iron can counteract the absorption of ingested nickel.

Individuals who react to nickel ingested through diet have a systemic nickel allergic reaction; those who react only at the point of contact on the skin have allergic contact dermatitis to nickel. The Nickel Allergy Experts at Athena Allergy are ready to help those ACD patients avoid nickel to ward off worsening symptoms.

If your symptoms are found only at the site of the skin's contact with nickel, you should focus on ways to prevent that contact and the resulting rash. Over twelve years ago, Athena Allergy introduced the first pre-mixed and pre-measured dmg spot test for nickel, making it consumer-friendly and easy to use.  Nickel Alert™ has since been used extensively for rapid and accurate testing for nickel in metals. Nickel Alert is so extremely sensitive it will detect nickel in minute amounts of one part per ten thousand. Once nickel is detected, the skin must avoid that nickel in order to evade nickel allergy symptoms.  Nickel Guard™ is clinically proven to provide a micro-bond with metal to assure that nickel cannot contact the skin.  

Another avenue for avoiding nickel is to replace products that contain nickel with those that are guaranteed nickel free.  Athena Allergy offers an wide array of handcrafted in the USA nickel free belts for men, women, and children. We also are proud to provide Made in the USA Nickel Free Earrings in beautiful designs and a variety of color options. We take our customer's nickel allergy concerns to heart and strive to offer the best products, top-notch customer service, informative articles, and  guarantees so that visitors to our site find the answers they need to live a nickel free life!

 

 

Students preparing for dorm life are ready to take steps toward managing their own health care needs, including avoidance of nickel, if they are allergic.  

The Nickel Allergy Experts at Athena Allergy want to remind nickel allergic students who are living away from home that it is important to: 

• Advise Student Health professionals of any allergy, including your allergy to nickel, as this information can be helpful when diagnosing and treating several conditions. 

• Arm yourself with the building blocks to prevent nickel allergy symptoms from ever appearing –Nickel Alert™ to detect nickel in metal and Nickel Guard™ to provide a barrier between the nickel and skin. If this is the first time you’ve been away from home, you may not be aware of the steps your parents have taken to keep you away from the nickel found in common metallic items.  Testing those items with which you frequently come into contact is important.  Find out which items contain metal, so you can be proactive in preventing any reaction.  

• Once nickel is detected, determine if there are substitute products that can be easily used, or if there is a way to prevent your skin from regularly contacting that metal. Nickel Guard is a way to protect your skin from the nickel in some metallic items.  The lacquer forms a micro-bond with metal which effectively shields the skin from any contact.  Furthermore, Nickel Guard was carefully formulated without the use of harmful chemicals such as formaldehyde, toluene, or dibutyl phthalate which can create secondary dermatitis problems for those with the sensitive skin associated with nickel allergy. 

• Buy only products that are guaranteed to be nickel free, to eliminate any concern about nickel allergy rash interfering with your studies and your exciting new social life! The belts at Athena Allergy have proven popular with college students as many of the nickel free belts are handcrafted in the USA and have unique and trendy styles.  New nickel free earring designs are regularly introduced, and the current selection should have colors and styles to fit any occasion. 

• Refer to the helpful Nickel Allergy Information Pages at Athena Allergy, Inc., if you have questions about your condition. See the Dropdown Boxes for subjects under Nickel Allergy and Nickel Test on the home page at Athena Allergy, Inc. 

• Be proud of yourself for taking these steps toward self-sufficiency! Get involved, study hard, and have fun!