Skin Allergies and Earrings (and other piercing adornments)

Please first note ... If you are wearing old jewellery it may contain nickel. Nickel allergy develops after frequent contact with items containing nickel, whereby a dermatitis rash will appear on skin contact.

Laibach does not use any precious metals containing nickel.

If you suffer from a nickel allergy, please do not confuse this with a possible allergy to other metals alloyed in some precious metals.

Before assuming that you may be allergic to certain precious metals such as silver, first ensure that pins and the surrounding areas of your jewellery are thoroughly cleaned and disinfected before wearing. (If you haven't worn a pin earring for a while this can also contribute to soreness etc.)
Many people think that because they suffer from irritation around pierced areas it must be an allergy. By making sure that your jewellery is entirely clean you can often asses whether it is simply a reaction from foreign contaminants (dirt) or if it is indeed dermatological sensitivity to certain precious metals. Keeping your earrings disinfected and keeping your piercings clean and open can often help solve irritation problems.

If it turns out that after careful cleaning of your jewellery you are reacting to the precious metal itself, you first need to test which types you may be affected by.
But first Laibach's atelier should explain that it is often not the pure precious metal which causes an allergic reaction but the necessary alloying metals which are mixed with them - notably copper. In such cases, copper is found in silver, low carat gold (and sometimes platinum in very low amounts). If it turns out that you are sensitive to copper with prolonged contact, Kerstin Laibach will offer a choice of precious metals with either none or very little copper. You are likely to be fine with high carat gold options and palladium 950. You will most likely have no problems with all platinum alloys, since the copper content (if any) is very minimal.

If you are sure that you have a specific allergy to certain precious metals, Kerstin Laibach can make your jewellery (i.e. earrings) so that such metals are replaced with an non-allergenic option in the area which comes into contact with your skin. For example, you may wish to have a pair of silver earrings, whereby the pins, closing mechanisms and surrounding contact areas can be made in white gold.