Skin allergies are by no means a rare occurrence. In fact, about 10-20% of young women possess an allergy to nickel, a chemical element most often found in metal.
This can make shopping for (and wearing) jewelry an unpleasant experience, as contact with the allergen can cause itching and inflammation.
In the case of brass allergies, contact with the allergen can even cause your skin to change color, appearing green in most cases, though sometimes even leaving a black stain.
The misconception surrounding this phenomenon assumed the correlation to be to the jewelry's quality, rather than determining that the wearer has an unidentified allergy to the metal.
While you can line the insides of your rings with clear nail polish to lower your risk of experiencing an allergic reaction, plenty of designers create with these allergies in mind, opting to use nickel-free metals.
Designers such as Machete, for example, create every piece with sensitive skin in mind, ensuring their earrings are hypoallergenic and safe for every lobe. The best part? They're totally affordable, making them easily accessible for anyone with an allergy.