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There are many who claim to suffer from nickel intolerance. In reality it is a real allergy, certainly widespread precisely because this metal is present in many objects of daily use, in products for personal and home hygiene, and also in numerous foods. Its presence is often unsuspected.
We then asked the Dr. Franco Borghesan, allergist, how does nickel allergy manifest itself, where is this metal found and how to intervene.
Allergy or intolerance?
«First of all, we cannot speak of intolerance to nickel but of real allergy to this metal »explains Doctor Borghesan.
The difference lies precisely in the response type of‘body, when it comes into contact with an object, product or food containing nickel. «We talk about allergy precisely because the reaction implies a demonstrable immunological mechanism»Explains the expert.
Where is nickel found
“Nickel is a ubiquitous metal in nature. It is found, in fact, in many metal objects of daily use: hooks, buckles, buttons, watches, frames, costume jewelery, scissors, coins but also cosmetics and detergents »explains the expert.
It is therefore necessary to pay close attention to the composition of the objects we use daily as well as to the products for the cleansing of the house and for personal hygiene. The latter must be chosen and purchased bearing in mind the appropriate certifications (nickel-free and nickel tested).
Furthermore, it should be considered that in 2020 the EFSA (European Food Safety Authority) established a daily dose of nickel defined as acceptable or tolerable equal to 13 micrograms per kg of body weight per day.
Symptoms
Let’s now analyze the signs or symptoms which may suggest the presence of a nickel allergy.
«The most common symptom is the contact dermatitis which manifests itself with erythema, microvesiculation and itching in the areas of the skin in contact with the metal »explains Dr. Borghesan.
Diagnosis
“The diagnosis is clinical and is then confirmed by thePATCH test application, ie epicutaneous tests with delayed reading at 48 and 96 hours »continues the expert. Specifically, gods are applied Patches (in English patch) on which substances suspected of being responsible for contact dermatitis are present. After a certain amount of time has elapsed, the patches are then removed to check for the presence of redness, itching, or blisters on the skin that was in contact with the patches.
It is therefore very important go to the attending physician when symptoms appear. In this way it will be possible to be referred to the specialist and thus perform the indicated diagnostic tests.
Care and treatment
«Nickel allergy is cured avoiding contact with products containing nickel and using nickel free products »explains Dr. Borghesan.
Nickel allergy can therefore be “cured” by taking the right precautions. In this sense, brands and various manufacturing companies are making great strides. In fact, just to protect those allergic to this metal, they exist specific voluntary certifications. It is therefore possible to choose only nickel free products in complete safety.
As for the food sector, for example, there are certifications that guarantee the absence of nickel above the threshold of 0.01 mg / kg. It must be considered that today there are more and more “nickel tested” products on the market. There is a difference between nickel-free and nickel-tested: in the first case, the product is nickel-free in laboratory tests; in the second, instead, a test is performed on the product which measures the levels of nickel, certifying that the content is lower than a certain quantity.
What to eat and what foods to avoid
Nutrition is also involved in nickel allergy. In numerous varieties of food, in fact, the offending metal is present. Even in the most unsuspected ones, precisely because it is a very widespread metal.
«There is (the case is much rarer) a systemic nickel syndrome that can occur with both rekindling of dermatitis in the sites previously involved even in the absence of contact with metals, both with intestinal symptoms heartburn type (ed. burning sensation) and sometimes diarrhea »explains Dr. Borghesan.
We asked the expert which foods could represent a risk in this sense.
«Foods that contain nickel are above all tomatoes and hazelnuts, but this metal can be present in many other plant foods such as mushrooms, asparagus, peas, beans, onions, pears and cabbage. But not only that, we can also find nickel on wholemeal flour, cocoa and oysters, herring or other foods stored in metal boxes »concludes the expert.
There are, then, some precautions that it is good to follow to avoid coming into contact with nickel. For example, pay attention to food supplements. Many of these, in fact, contain different percentages of nickel. Another caution concerns the how to cook food: no to pans, pots, utensils and cutlery that contain nickel and it is always better to avoid cooking in foil. Finally, beware of cigarettes!
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