What is a gold allergy?
Gold contact dermatitis, or gold allergy, is the immune system’s negative response when the skin comes into contact with gold or its alloys. If you are planning to buy gold jewelry, the allergy to gold may be one of your concerns. In this short blog, we will take a look at symptoms, causes, and treatments of this type of allergy.
Table of Contents
What are the symptoms of a gold allergy?
Knowing the symptoms of the allergy can be crucial in identifying the problem. For a gold allergy, they include redness, swelling, itching, or even, in some cases, peeling, dark spots, or blistering.
What are the causes of gold allergy?
Caused by direct contact with metals, gold allergy can appear in different degrees based on the type of gold they wear.
What type of gold causes allergic reactions?
24k gold
AKA 100% pure gold, 24k gold is the least likely to cause a gold allergy. However, 24k gold is too soft to work with and also expensive.
10k and 14k gold
With the chance of containing other metals such as zinc, copper, or nickel, which is the most common cause of metal allergies, 10k and 14k gold are more likely to cause gold allergy than 24k gold, yet they are less expensive and easier to handle.
Vermeil
Since vermeil is a thick layer of usually 14k or 22k gold on top of silver, if the silver wears off, the silver underneath or the nickel, if it contains any, can cause allergic reactions. Although it is more hypoallergenic than gold-plated jewelry, it is not as safe as high-karat gold.
Gold-plated
A thin layer of gold over brass or nickel, the major allergen, gold-plated jewelry can be the most likely to cause allergic reactions.
| Type of Gold | Typical Alloys | Allergy Risk |
| 24k gold | None | Low |
| 10k and 14k gold | Zinc, Copper, or Nickel | Medium |
| Vermeil | Silver or Nickel | Medium |
| Gold-plated | Brass or Nickel | High |
What color of gold causes allergic reactions?
Yellow gold
Since it contains copper and silver, yellow gold is less of a risk than other colors. However, low-karat yellow gold, which can be mixed with other alloys, can be considered more of a threat, especially for sensitive skin.
Rose gold
The copper, which is one of the alloys of rose gold, sometimes alongside silver, can be risky for skin sensitive to metals.
White gold
With the alloys being nickel, palladium, or silver, this color of gold has the highest chance of causing the gold allergy.
| Color of Gold | Typical Alloys | Allergy Risk |
| Yellow Gold | None, or small amounts of Zinc, Copper, or Nickel | Low |
| Rose Gold | Copper or Silver | Medium |
| White Gold | Silver, Palladium, or Nickel | High |
How is gold allergy diagnosed?
Once you see the symptoms, you should visit a doctor, who may, if needed, recommend a patch test. In this type of test, a small patch of common allergens is attached to your skin for 48 hours, and the skin is inspected for up to 96 hours to check for any immediate or delayed reactions. If the patch test is positive, the patch area shows symptoms similar to the gold allergy’s. In this case, the doctor may advise you not to wear certain karats or colors of gold or to look for treatments.
What are the treatments?
The treatments can include topical treatments, skin smoothing remedies, oral antihistamines, and sometimes rhodium plating. For more specific information about your case, you can consult with your doctor.
Is gold allergy permanent?
Gold allergy is a type IV hypersensitivity reaction, which means once your immune system is sensitized to gold, the symptoms appear every time you come into contact with it again.
In conclusion, if you are trying to avoid allergic reactions to gold, it is wise to choose the type and color of it carefully. 18k to 24k gold can be some safe options, alongside looking for nickel-free and hypoallergenic metals, while low karat gold, or any type of gold that contains nickel, is risky. If you see any of the symptoms mentioned above, do not hesitate to set an appointment with your doctor, and avoid self-diagnosis or ignoring them.
For further information, you can read more about it on Contact Allergy to Gold.