The first time I had my ears pierced, I had a terrible reaction and had to let the holes close up so the infection would heal.  That was when I learned that I’m allergic to nickel.  The piercing gun was the likely culprit.  Another attempt in my teenage years was much more successful though also quite painful.

I now know that nickel is present in everything from jewelry to zippers to eyeglass frames and is one of the most common skin allergies, so it’s no surprise that I had such trouble back in the day.  Luckily, I seem to have outgrown most of my nickel allergy and am able to wear just about any jewelry without negative reaction.  I can’t imagine having to worry about something as small as a metal button or rivet irritating my skin.

Visit WebMD to learn more about the symptoms and treatments of nickel allergies, as well as steps you can take to avoid an allergic reaction like the one I had as a kid.