Office Chic: Choosing Jewelry When You Have Nickel Allergy

Envious of your colleague’s exotic, long dangly costume earrings? If you have no issues with fake accessories, then go ahead and wear whatever you like. It’s a totally different story, however, when you have nickel allergy. You won’t have the luxury of choosing what accessory to wear. Still even if you have allergies, it doesn’t mean you can’t look chic at the office with your choice of jewelry.

Nickel What?

 Before tackling the challenge of nickel allergy, we need to define first what it is. People are allergic to many things and even certain metals can be an allergy trigger. Nickel allergy, which is also known as jewelry allergy, causes contact dermatitis when an allergic person’s skin is exposed to nickel. Some people have had their metal allergies since childhood. Others would develop this allergic reaction later on in life. Piercings can play a factor in triggering this allergy due to the fact that the open wound is often exposed to various metal particles, including nickel. An important thing you should know about metal allergies is that they never go away. Repeated exposure can actually worsen this condition if you have it.

Familiarize Allergy Symptoms

 Just because you don’t have nickel allergy doesn’t mean it can’t develop when you grow older. This is why you should at least have an idea of some of its symptoms in case you suddenly develop an allergic reaction to metal someday. The very main symptom of metal allergies–nickel allergy included–is contact dermatitis. The initial reactions can happen within 24 hours of being exposed to the allergen and they will disappear if the said cause is immediately removed and avoided. Although symptoms usually surround that patch of skin that has come in contact with jewelry that has nickel, it can spread to various parts of your body. The intensity of reactions ranges from mild to severe and may increase your vulnerability to other infections. In mild cases, the skin will only become red, swollen or itchy. In more serious cases, your skin can become dry and cracked, leading to the formation of painful blisters.

How to Choose the Right Jewelry

 Having jewelry or nickel allergy doesn’t mean you should just swear off jewelry forever. You can still wear accessories as long as you pay attention to certain factors. Stick to quality stuff and invest in either sterling silver or gold jewelry. The latter should be at least 14-carats. Although it’s a bit expensive, it is a very effective remedy. So that you won’t burn a hole in your wallet, invest in classic jewelry pieces that you can wear everyday to work and perhaps a couple of dressy ones for more formal affairs. You can check out sites like David Yurman and browse through their sterling silver collection for designs that you might like. Aside from sterling silver, another option you have is to purchase hypoallergenic jewelry, which has been specially treated and designed for people who might have mild metal sensitivities. Always check the metal composition of the jewelry before you buy so you can be sure it’s nickel-free.

About the Author

Based in San Diego California, Tiffany Matthews is a professional writer with over 5 years of writing experience. She also blogs about travel, fashion, and anything under the sun at wordbaristas.com, a group blog that she shares with her good friends. In her free time, she likes to travel, read books, and watch movies. You can find her on Twitter as @TiffyCat87.

Categories: allergic reaction, allergy, allergy doesn, contact dermatitis, jewelry, metal allergies, nickel, nickel allergy, office, sterling silver

How to Tell if Your Acne Treatment is Harming Your Skin

When it comes to your anti-ageing wellness, nothing is more important than taking care of your skin. If you suffer from acne, you might be taking using benzoyl peroxide, but you may be doing more harm than good to your wellbeing. There are a lot of benefits to the medication, but you can’t ignore the negative impact that it might have, especially where your skin is involved. The important thing to remember is to use the benzoyl peroxide as your doctor or the packaging describes, and to steer clear of it altogether if you’re pregnant or taking some other kind of medication that contains tretinoin. You also need to watch out for the side effects, and consult your doctor if any of the following occurs:

 

1. Dry skin: This is one of the most common side effects of benzoyl peroxide, because the medication sucks sebum out of your skin in order to reduce oiliness and acne. You can reduce the resulting dryness in your skin with a good moisturiser, just make sure that it’s water-based and oil-free.

 

2. Burning: This symptoms only occurs in about 2% of benzoyl peroxide users, usually because the cream contains at least 10% of the chemical, you have really sensitive skin or you’ve left it on for too long. Mild burn marks will go away by themselves, but you should let your doctor know in case this is a symptom of an allergic reaction.

 

3. Peeling and flaking: These kind of go hand-in-hand with dryness, and so the remedy is the same; a good, water-based moisturiser. You may be tempted to scrub your face to exfoliate your skin of flakes, but this will activate the oil-producing sebaceous glands in your skin, which will aggravate your acne. Drinking plenty of water can also help to prevent peeling, but if it gets so severe that your skin begins to crust and crack, stop using the benzoyl peroxide and consult your doctor.

 

4. Itching: You’re more likely to experience this symptom during the first few weeks of application of benzoyl peroxide, mainly due to a reaction with the sebum in your skin. Most people complain about itching, but a soothing moisturiser or ice should sort it out. If the itching becomes severe and accompanied by red angry rashes, consult your GP.

 

5. Swelling: As a less common symptom and clear indication of an allergic reaction, you should stop using the cream immediately and consult your doctor if the swelling is severe. If you don’t, you could experience dizziness, nausea and permanent damage to your skin.

 

6. Feeling of warmth: Often this is a sign that the benzoyl peroxide is working, so you shouldn’t worry too much if the warm feeling in the affected area goes away within a few weeks. However, if this or other symptoms persist or are aggravating with time, stop the medication and consult your doctor.

 

7. Tenderness: Tender skin is an early symptom, most likely brought on by other symptoms such as swelling, itching, redness and rashes. If you experience tenderness in your skin, stop using other chemical cosmetics and use a gentle moisturiser.

 

8. Severe allergic reactions: You should consult your doctor immediately if you experience the following symptoms, as they could be fatal if left untreated. These symptoms include swelling at the affected area, angry rashes, crusting and cracking of the skin, hives, dizziness, nausea and vomiting, swelling (in the whole face, tongue, lips and mouth), difficulty in breathing and tightness in the chest. You may be required to take prescription medication and completely stop using benzoyl peroxide.

Categories: acne, affected area, allergic reaction, benzoyl, Benzoyl Peroxide, dizziness nausea, doctor nbsp, nbsp, Side Effects, skin, water based

Side effects of aspirin

Aspirin can cause side effects, although serious reactions are rare.

Common side effects include:

• irritation of the stomach or bowel


• indigestion


• nausea (feeling sick)

However, less than 10% of people taking aspirin experience these side effects. If you experience side effects, try sticking to basic food and taking your aspirin after a meal. See your doctor if you are worried or continue to experience them.

Less common side effects

Less common side effects of aspirin include:

• worsening of asthma caused by narrowing of airways


• vomiting


• inflammation (swelling) of the stomach


• bleeding in the stomach


• bruising

In rare cases, a possible side effect of taking low-dose aspirin is haemorrhagic stroke (bleeding in the brain).

See your doctor if you experience any of these side effects when taking aspirin.

Allergic reaction

In some cases aspirin can cause an allergic reaction, although this is more common in people who have asthma. Go to the nearest hospital’s accident and emergency department (A&E) if you experience:

• swelling of the lips, mouth or throat


• breathing problems


• a skin rash which appears quickly

Side effects of aspirin

Categories: allergic reaction, aspirin, common, Effects, Experience, stomach

Side effects of clopidogrel

Clopidogrel can cause side effects, although serious reactions are rare.

Common side effects of clopidogrel can include:

• headaches or dizziness


• nausea


• diarrhoea


• indigestion (dyspepsia)


• stomach ache or abdominal pain


• nosebleeds


• increased bleeding (your blood taking longer to clot – for example, when you cut yourself), or easy bruising

Speak to your GP if any of these side effects get worse or do not go away.

Serious side effects

More serious side effects can include:

• rashes and itching


• severe stomach ache or abdominal pain


• uncontrolled bleeding or unusual bruising


• vomiting with blood


• blood in your urine


• blood in your stools

Speak to your GP immediately if you experience any of these side effects or any other unusual problems while taking clopidogrel.

Allergic reaction

In some cases clopidogrel can cause an allergic reaction. Go to the nearest hospital’s accident and emergency department (A&E) if you experience:

• swelling of the lips, mouth or throat


• breathing problems


• a skin rash that appears quickly

Side effects of clopidogrel

Categories: abdominal pain, allergic reaction, Blood, clopidogrel, Effects, speak, stomach, stomach ache

What antihistamines are used for

Antihistamines are mainly used to help control symptoms of health conditions associated with allergic reactions.

Although antihistamines can’t cure these types of conditions because they don’t affect the underlying cause, they can often provide considerable symptom relief.

Conditions that can benefit from the use of antihistamines include:

• hay fever


• allergic rhinitis – inflammation of the nasal passages


• atopic eczema – a common allergic skin condition


• urticaria – also known as nettle rash and hives


• allergic conjunctivitis – inflammation of the eyes


• allergic reactions that are caused by insect bites or insect stings


• mild allergic reactions that are caused by food allergies; more serious allergic reactions (anaphylaxis) usually require treatment with adrenaline (a chemical that can reverse many of the processes associated with an allergic reaction)

Other uses

As well as being used to treat allergic conditions, antihistamines also have a number of other uses, including treating stomach ulcers (sores that develop on the lining of the stomach) and insomnia (problems falling asleep).

Stomach ulcers

A type of antihistamine, known as a H2-receptor antagonist, is sometimes used to treat stomach ulcers. This is because histamine can also stimulate the production of stomach acid.

H2-receptor antagonists can be used to block the ‘acid-stimulating’ effect of histamine, which helps to reduce the acid level in the stomach and digestive system.

Read more about treating stomach ulcers for more information.

Insomnia

First-generation antihistamines may be of some benefit in the short-term treatment of insomnia, particularly if the symptoms of sleeplessness are caused by an underlying allergic condition, such as an allergic skin condition.

The long-term use of antihistamines to treat insomnia is not recommended because there are more effective treatments. In addition, there’s a risk that you could become addicted to the sedating effects of first-generation antihistamines.

Read more about treating insomnia for more information.

Adrenaline:Adrenaline is a hormone produced at times of stress that affects heart rate, blood circulation and other functions of the body.
Allergic:An allergen is a substance that reacts with the body’s immune system and causes an allergic reaction.
Anaphylactic shock:Anaphylactic shock is a severe and sometimes life-threatening allergic reaction, causing swelling of body tissues and a drop in blood pressure.
Anxiety:Anxiety is an unpleasant feeling when you feel worried, uneasy or distressed about something that may or may not be about to happen.
Chronic:Chronic usually means a condition that continues for a long time or keeps coming back.
Congestion:Congestion is an excess of fluid in part of the body, often causing a blockage.
Decongestant:Decongestant medicine relieves congestion by reducing the swelling of the lining the nose and sinuses and drying up the mucous.
Drowsiness:Drowsiness is when someone feels extremely tired and uncontrollably near to sleep.
Fever:A high temperature, also known as a fever, is when someone’s body temperature goes above the normal 37°C (98.6°F).
Morning sickness:Morning sickness refers to the nausea and vomiting experienced early in a pregnancy, not necessarily in the morning.
Sickness:Vomiting is when you bring up the contents of your stomach through your mouth.
Sneezing:Sneezing is an involuntary expulsion of air and bacteria from the nose and mouth.
Stomach:The sac-like organ of the digestive system. It helps digest food by churning it and mixing it with acids to break it down into smaller pieces.
Swelling:Inflammation is the body’s response to infection, irritation or injury, which causes redness, swelling, pain and sometimes a feeling of heat in the affected area.
Ulcers:An ulcer is a sore break in the skin, or on the inside lining of the body.

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What antihistamines are used for

Categories: allergic reaction, allergic reactions, allergic skin, h2 receptor, morning sickness, skin condition, stomach ulcers, treating stomach