Home/Sitemap  ·    Search   ·   you are here: Forum =>letter 28251 White gold ring causes rash   ++++ My white gold engagement ring is irritating to my finger. I have worn it for over 1 year and I never experienced this until now. Every so often in the exact place my ring sits, my finger will flare up with red, scaly and itchy skin. It is really frustrating. I think I may be allergic to the alloys used within the mix of the band. Also, if I wear any type of metal watch the same reaction occurs to a slighter degree. What can I do? By replating it in rhodium will it stop this skin reaction? Will I have to constantly maintain this replating? Would I be better off with a platinum ring - can they replate my white gold in platinum? And, is platinum less resistant to wear? Thank you. Suzanne Segebarth ring - Lexington, Ky, USA ++++ From this distance, and not being an allergist, I can only guess--but I think you've become allergic to nickel. Allergy to nickel is somewhat like allergy to poison ivy in that it can develop after years of prior freedom from allergic reaction. An allergist can easily test you for this; but I think your days of freedom from nickel allergy are permanently over and you need to minimize your exposure to nickel. I don't believe it is practical to platinum plate a ring. In Europe, where nickel isn't allowed in jewelry, they have nickel-free plating processes, but finding a shop to do that in the USA is probably difficult, so I don't know what you can do about your ring. Hopefully someone will follow up with a good idea. Ted Mooney, P.E. finishing.com Brick, New Jersey ++++ I would say Ted is right about developing an allergy. Another thing it may be is a yeast infection. This sometimes happens in areas where jewelry is worn tight to the skin for long periods of time (rings, watches). Moistures builds up underneath, and if you shower with the jewelry on it doesn't get washed good enough, etc. it will resemble an allergic reaction(red, itchy) if you only wear it for a few days at a time, or take it off whilst showering I would say your safe. Only reason I brought it up is because I've seen it happen before. Jason Aube - Flint, Michigan ++++ Hello There are many, many different alloys of white gold. Some contain nickel, some silver. Given your past problems with watches, it probably is nickel you are reacting to. Are there any other metals you have reacted to in the past? Rings take a lot of abuse, and get scratched daily, so a rhodium plating would get scratched pretty quickly on the exterior of your ring, but would hold up better on the inside of your ring. It shouldn't be too expensive to have done, unless your stone has to be removed for plating and then reset. You could also just coat the inside of your ring with clear nail polish regularly which is a simple and easy solution. Keeping your hands dry when you are wearing your ring, will help with your allergy. If you are thinking of getting a new ring, I recommend that you have it custom made by an artist or manufacturer who is willing to speak to you about the choices in metal alloys, and who can get you what you want. Your basic jewelry store has no idea what the exact metal content of their white gold pieces are. A ring of white gold alloyed with palladium in it should not trouble your allergies and will stand up to stress better but it will cost more. Platinum should be allright as well but is much more costly. A friend of mine does custom rings and says that platinum doesn't keep it's shine as well as gold does and he doesn't like making rings out of it for that reason. If you like yellow gold, yellow golds do not usually contain nickel. J Nichols - Morris, Canada Ed. note: the nail polish is a good idea, J., but I read a doctor on a dermatology forum recommend clear urethane as less allergenic and longer lasting than nail polish. The following, from one of this site's supporting advertisers, goes a long way towards explaining the situation with white gold and rhodium plating. You may wish to contact them for further information, advice, and possible services on white gold and rhodium plating issues-- Answer or follow-up on this subject (in non-commercial fashion).   Post a new question or inquiry on a different subject.