Sensitive Skin-- Gold Allergy

[Brookenstein]

My entire life I have had sensitive skin and could not wear much jewlery.  I could only wear 14k gold or better.  I could not wear sterling silver or costume jewlery at all.  I can not wear necklaces, and I can only wear earings for short amounts of time.  

I was able to wear my my wedding ring for about 8 years and then about 18 months ago I had to stop wearing it.  My finger got red, bumpy and raw.  I had to take it off.  I had a navel ring put in in 99 and was able to wear it this entire time with no problem.  About a month ago I tried wearing the wedding ring again and was okay for about 3 weeks and had to take it off.  About 2 days later the navel ring got nasty and after a week I had to remove it as it was so disgusting and completely infected.  In 7 years and 2 pregnancies, I had never removed it or ever had it even get red let alone infected.

Couple questions... any idea why after years of wearing the same items I would suddenly develop a reaction?  Is it okay that I continued to go in the hot tub while my belly button was all nasty, infected, and oozy?  I did add a little extra dichlor each time just to be safe.  Any idea if I could get by with wearing platinum instead?  I hate not wearing a wedding ring and looking like a single mom with 2 kids.  If I at least got hit on it wouldn't be so bad... but I don't so, its kind of a downer for the self esteem.  

[drewstar]

My entire life I have had sensitive skin and could not wear much jewlery.  I could only wear 14k gold or better.  I could not wear sterling silver or costume jewlery at all.  I can not wear necklaces, and I can only wear earings for short amounts of time.  

I was able to wear my my wedding ring for about 8 years and then about 18 months ago I had to stop wearing it.  My finger got red, bumpy and raw.  I had to take it off.  I had a navel ring put in in 99 and was able to wear it this entire time with no problem.  About a month ago I tried wearing the wedding ring again and was okay for about 3 weeks and had to take it off.  About 2 days later the navel ring got nasty and after a week I had to remove it as it was so disgusting and completely infected.  In 7 years and 2 pregnancies, I had never removed it or ever had it even get red let alone infected.

Couple questions... any idea why after years of wearing the same items I would suddenly develop a reaction?  Is it okay that I continued to go in the hot tub while my belly button was all nasty, infected, and oozy?  I did add a little extra dichlor each time just to be safe.  Any idea if I could get by with wearing platinum instead?  I hate not wearing a wedding ring and looking like a single mom with 2 kids.  If I at least got hit on it wouldn't be so bad... but I don't so, its kind of a downer for the self esteem.  

I can't really comment on the nasty gooey oozy puss dripping infected belly button.    But my wife has an alllergy to some metals and White gold works well for her.  She also has some body hardware and never had an issue, as long as it's 18k +


or at least she tells me that only 18k or better is all she can have.

[Bonibelle]

Brooke, this is just a suggestion but your body chemistry does change and maybe you have become even more sensitive. My husband had problems with a ring and realized that small amounts of soap under the band caused the irritation. I was thinking that if you are reacting to the metal, maybe you could coat the band with something like clear fingernail polish. As for the belly ring, do you think the hot tub may have something to do with it? Do you have pierced ears and do you have problems wearing earrings?

[East_TX_Spa]

Ol' Meanness just bought me a Titanium wedding ring to replace the gold one I lost in a game of Mumblypeg.  From my understanding, Titanium will not cause reactions with the skin (and it makes dang fine spa heaters, too!).  Here's the one I got:
http://www.titanium-jewelry.com/2047bt.html

Terminator

[Brookenstein]

Oooh, I found two rings I like there.  I wish they went bigger than 1/2 carrot though.  Thats what I have now... and if I'm going to replace my ring shouldn't I be upgrading to something flashier.  

]

[East_TX_Spa]

I give those people credit.  We ordered the ring, they called and confirmed it, it arrived 2 days later (free shipping) in a nice jeweler's box inside a tasteful gift bag inside a FedEx box inside a UPS box.

Now, my wife says I have to not do anything stupid for 2 weeks before she'll let me wear it.  At least I can look at it online.....

Which one's did you like, Brooke?

Terminator

[Brookenstein]

I tried posting the pics, but for some reason phtobucket put the little boxes saying my pics weren't there?  

http://www.titanium-jewelry.com/titesetritis.html


http://www.titanium-jewelry.com/r606a-d.html

[East_TX_Spa]

I tried posting the pics, but for some reason phtobucket put the little boxes saying my pics weren't there?  

http://www.titanium-jewelry.com/titesetritis.html


http://www.titanium-jewelry.com/r606a-d.html

I was thinking to myself that you would probably like the Bypass Offset one.  It looks very nice.  I bet the No-Bypass one is better, though!

Term.. John Doe

[socal]

Oooh, I found two rings I like there.  I wish they went bigger than 1/2 carrot though.  Thats what I have now... and if I'm going to replace my ring shouldn't I be upgrading to something flashier.  

]

with all that you have done and gone through (cars come to mind...i know, need to let it go) you deffinatly get to upgrade  

[Brookenstein]

with all that you have done and gone through (cars come to mind...i know, need to let it go) you deffinatly get to upgrade  

He does want a new bumper for his car... I emailed him and told him I was spending his bumper money and buying myself some bling bling.  

[tanstaafl2]

I know that the mark up on jewelry and especially diamonds is ridiculous but man are those things EXPENSIVE!  

Titanium should be less than gold and a .5 carat diamond, even one of pretty decent quality shouldn't cost that much.

[socal]

He does want a new bumper for his car... I emailed him and told him I was spending his bumper money and buying myself some bling bling.  

you go girl.

[Brookenstein]

I know that the mark up on jewelry and especially diamonds is ridiculous but man are those things EXPENSIVE!  

Titanium should be less than gold and a .5 carat diamond, even one of pretty decent quality shouldn't cost that much.

LOL... I thought they were cheap.  Guess I'm just used to overinflated CA prices.

[galen]

I think your blue blood and don't know it! Only the best for you is what I'd tell him.

[JcDenton]

Brooke

You have described in great detail exactly what has been happening to my wife. She has been wearing gold her whole life but this past 6 months she has been having great problems with her rings - the same thing you described - red, dried-out and painful. We determined that it had nothing to do with the tub. She has since been refraining from wearing them and she's been healing. It's the weirdest thing for her but keeping her hands dry at all times seems to help (i.e. doesn't wear rings in shower, tub etc)

I haven't asked her lately how that's going - but I will ask her tonight.


AND yes, I realize that I shouldn't have to ask and that a caring hubby would already know.....


Jc