nickel allergy - contact dermatitis

For over 70 years, nickel has been the most common cause of allergy in patch-tested populations. The consequences of nickel allergy are well documented. EPA gov. nickel

Nickel is the leading cause of clinically relevant disease in 25.6% of patch tested children ; and nickel regulation in Europe was implemented over twenty years ago and this has resulted in a precipitous drop in the rate of sensitization in nickel in both children and younger adults;

The Loma Linda University (LLU) Pediatric Contact Dermatitis Registry researchers identified 611 confirmed cases of clinically relevant nickel dermatitis in US children published* between 1986-2014 in the public medical domain, stemming from over 200 clinical providers (allergists, dermatologists and pediatricians) who routinely treat children for nickel allergy. Each published case represents thousands of diagnosed, but unreported pediatric nickel dermatitis occurrences; and

To draw attention to the growing prevalence of nickel sensitization in North America, Dermatitis, the official journal of the American Contact Dermatitis Society (ACDS), named nickel as the 2008 Contact Allergen of the Year;

Allergic reactions to nickel cause a significant rate of severe dermatitis in children and adults. This has a profound impact on both quality of life, lost time at school and work, and rising health care expenditures. For example, the initiatives in Denmark have not only resulted in decreases in sensitization rates, but have greatly reduced both the indirect and direct societal costs of nickel dermatitis—saving Denmark (with a population 1/50 the size of the US) a reported $2 billion US dollars over a 20-year period!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Nickel allergy is repeatedly misdiagnosed as eczema... furthermore a significant amount of nickel allergy is PREVENTABLE!!!!!

please view the ACDS video on nickel allergy on you tube Tweet