platinum vs whitegold vs allergies

viscera912 · Mar 7, 2004

hello ps community,

Yesterday I was sitting in class allowing my brain to wander as it normally does on a friday and I was curious about something. Being in med school and all I was curious if there have been many cases of allergies or reactions to white gold or platinum? I didn''t think to ask my professor but I wanted to check on here and see if anyone has heard anything. Strange things one thinks about when sitting in class....

Jason

diamondlil · Mar 7, 2004

Hi Jason,

I've never heard of anyone being allergic to platinum, but I'm sure anything is possible. As far as white gold, it would depend on what the gold is alloyed with. I'm allergic to nickel, and since most white gold seems to be alloyed with it, I tend to stay away. For me to wear white gold, it would have to be alloyed with something else such as palladium which, I think, is less likely to cause an allergic reaction.

DiamondLil

DavidEmslie · Mar 7, 2004

Besides the reaction to nickel in some white gold that is generaly not the problem when it comes to skin reactions. Most white gold is plated with a layer of rhodium that stays on for years on the inside.

The best thing to do is too check the quality of the jewelry. Cheap low end, or mass produced jewelry is usualy hollow in the back to "save weight" it makes sence if you can save $7 to $50 per item when your making 10,000 of them, however the main problem comes in due too this.

The hollow area on the ring is a wonderful trap for dirt and other nasty things...like cleaning agents, Take enough soap scum or any household cleaning product with a high base PH, put it in a warm moist place that does not dry fast...like between a finger and a ring, and you get yourself one nasty little patch of skin being eaten away by some fun chemicals

The best way to ID this problem is too look at the dammage or "reaction" on the finger, if the burned skin is only on the top, and its a hollow ring, thats the culpret. If the reaction is all around the finger and on the skin touching the ring on the other fingers, its a metal reaction.

Some metal reactions only occure durring certine phases of life. Some people can get some nasty reactions when there body chemistry changes, Adolecents generaly have a phase where there skin will eat away and react badly to silver/copper alloys, And it usualy happens again when people hit middle age. Someting about the body changing, but that is less common, but good things to know. It is temporary in most cases but can be a few years.

You may want to check out what they did in Europe, The white gold alloy that contains Palladium is the only legal alloy to use for white gold now, the nickle white gold alloy is still used in the US.
the difference in price is about that of 18k to 14k.

I have run into a few people who swear up and down they are alergic to PT or high karat gold...they are not, but you cant convince them of it otherwise. Most people dont take it well when they find out the cause for there problem is them selves either not drying there hands or taking a ring off when exposed to chemicals, or that they bought cheap jewelry or find out because someone decided to save a few dollars on production costs they have a problem. Generaly its a self care issue, the extra time to dry the hand under the ring (AND THE RING) usualy solves the problem. It also depenens on humidity levals and a some other small factors, but the name of the gams is this, dont let nasy chemicals get between your skin and ring! and take care of yourself.