Anyone ever heard of an allergy to copper?

[NWpurselover]

First time posting in jewelry box!
My husband gave me a beautiful copper cuff bracelet that has a very nice design on it. The problem is that each time I wear it I end up getting this strange rash underneath the bracelet. I was wondering if anyone else had an allergic reaction to copper or if you had ever heard of such a thing. I really like this gift but not if I am going to end up with a rash!
TIA

[passerby]

Hi, long time no speak. I read on another forum that it's possible to have an allergy to copper. One person wrote:

"I'm allergic to most metals and the only thing I can wear is sterling silver or gold. My ear lobes will swell up if I put any non silver gold earrings in them."

Another poster wrote:

"I had my ears pierced when I was seven, and as soon as my mom switched out the gold earrings they were pierced with for anything else, they swelled up!.. And shortly thereafter closed up, despite attempts of my mom to jam the earrings back through the hole (14 years later I still won't repierce my ears). I'm allergic to all metals except silver and gold. Even shortterm exposure on my skin from a bracelette, necklace, or the button on my jeans causes me to break out in rash.
To answer your question... Brass is a no-no for me. :("


In my case, when I was younger, I used to have no probs wearing costume jewelry earrings. However a few years later, my ears started to react badly from such earrings and I have given up wearing earrings almost entirely (not that I wore them much in the first place).

Pity about that lovely bracelet if there's nothing you can do about your apparent allergy.

[BrodiesLVMama]

It is possible. It's actually possible to have an allergic reaction to all metals. Stainless and titanium are the two that don't. My wedding band is titanium because my husband can't wear most metals for a long period of time due to allergies. I can wear silver but not in my ears, I get a reaction.

[A-T-G]

I've heard of an allergy to copper...on "House"...it was the episode with the nuns.

My mother can't really wear anything except silver or gold either.

[anagathe]

i have the same problem only gold or silver
when i whant wearing fashion earing for just one evening, i give you a tipps :
i put some clear nail lacquer like top coat
you can try it for your cuff bracelet on the back side

[joolluver]

yup I have copper allergies, I'm also extremely allergic to nickel, zinc, and various other metals :( I can only wear gold that is 14K or higher, and can't wear silver that has nickel mixed in, and nickel is in almost all metal fashion/costume jewelry, I can't wear surgical steel either, it has minute amounts of nickel. it sucks big time. I've tried the clear nail polish thing too, it's such a hassel, and I find that it discolors some of my costume jewelry. Good luck!

[jellybebe]

Absolutely. I have a friend who can only wear gold, she is so sensitive that she has to put nail polish or band-aids on the backs of her belts because they irritate her stomach if they rub against the skin there.

[CastoCreations]

For those of you who only wear gold because of allergies, I wonder how you'd do with FINE silver...it's 99.9% (pure) silver with no other alloys. I love it because it doesn't tarnish and even though it is softer to work with it can be hardened and used for jewelry very easily.

Sterling silver is only 92.7% silver with 'other' metals (can be copper, nikel, etc.) making up the other 7.3%.

And 14k gold is only 58.5% gold. It has "other" alloys mixed in to make it more durable. 18k is 75% gold and 24k is pure gold but generally too soft for most jewelry (though it is gorgeous!).

I am not "allergic" per say to copper and I love the look of copper. But it does turn my skin green, which isn't actually a true allergic reaction (it's not a rash or anythign) but the way that copper reacts to the chemicals in my skin. I still wear copper rings and things but not for too long. :)

[joolluver]

^^I can wear pure silver, any kind of silver as long as it is not alloyed with nickel

[Judge Judy 58]

Many people have allergies to many things. It also depends on your body's acidity at different times. I've had my gold turn my fingers black on occasion, and I've had a rash under them as well depending on lotions or soaps I've used at the time. Your chemistry changes.

[JuiceBox]

Any costume jewellery on my fingers gives me a rash... I recently found that even gold irritates only one finger where I'd wear a paticular ring.. which is really strange because I always wear gold on my other hand! But yeah.. I can't wear anything except gold and silver. Oh yeah.. I can't wear leather around my neck either.. I bought a choker and ended up with a huge reaction and a horrible itchy rash :(

[CastoCreations]

For people having reactions to gold, is it 14k? I just can't imagine that GOLD itself is causing an allergy. I imagine that it is the 'other' alloys combined with the gold (in the case of 14k, 41.5% is 'something else') causing the reactions.

Have you tried 18k and up?

[jeslyn]

yes.. I have a co-worker who develop rashes whenever in contact with copper, not even copper key in his pocket..