Titanium and allergies — jewelry for sensitive skin

In the vast majority of cases nickel is to blame — the most common contact allergen. It occurs in cheap alloys, in steel (including surgical) and sometimes in solders or in the base under an electroplated coating. When the coating wears through and there is a nickel alloy underneath, the skin contacts the allergen: redness, itching and eczema appear. That is why for sensitive people the material of the piece itself matters, not just its top layer. We discuss more metals in the article hypoallergenic jewelry.

Titanium instantly covers itself with an inert, stable oxide layer that practically does not react with tissues or sweat. That is why the body "accepts" it — titanium is used for joint implants, bone screws and dental implants that stay in the body for years. In jewelry the same inertness means the metal does not release skin-irritating ions. Jewelry-grade titanium is nickel-free, so there is no source of the most common contact allergy.

Skin prone to irritation reacts badly to contact with allergens, above all nickel. Titanium is biocompatible and nickel-free, so it is a safe choice for people who get irritation from other metals. For a brand it means being able to offer a line for sensitive skin — a concrete, communicable benefit that really sells. Note that in earrings the part that enters the ear is made of silver, and the decorative, colourful part of titanium.

The "hypoallergenic" label is not legally defined, so it is sometimes misused. Real safety comes from a material free of nickel throughout the whole cross-section of the piece — not just on the surface. Watch the joining parts: clasps, ear wires, posts and solders, because nickel often hides there. It is also worth remembering compliance with the EU nickel-release limit (reference standard EN 1811). An honest brand communicates the composition truthfully, and the manufacturer should be able to confirm it.

As a titanium jewelry manufacturer we make lines intended for people with sensitive skin: earrings, pendants and other pieces in nickel-free titanium. We help choose the material, finish and — if needed — an anodized colour, and communicate the benefit truthfully. We also produce earrings as an earring manufacturer. We gathered everything about the material on our titanium jewelry page.