Engraved Titanium Ring, Allergic To Titanium Wedding Band ?

Q: Anyway, I've worn my titanium wedding band continuously for almost 2 years. Only last week did I notice my ring finger getting itchy and red/raised underneath my ring. I switched it my other hand. I work in a lab and routinely wear latex gloves and work with chemicals but I can't remember spilling anything on myself and I don't have a latex allergy. I have no known allergies. I do leave the ring on all the time even in the shower so it does remain wet afterwards. However, no problems for 2 years. This is my first piece of jewelry except for my watch which is stainless steel. The nurse at work suggested there could be nickel in the ring but I don't think that's likely (or is it?) I'm almost hoping my other finger breaks out to prove that something is wrong with the ring then I may be able to bring it back. Any ideas? From what I've read, Ti is 100% hypoallergenic.

A:If you're asking the question in the subject line, the answer is to check the alloys and either figure out a metal which will work better (usually people have problems with nickel in the alloy) or find a way to keep the alloy from sitting against the skin. Sometimes using a thin coat of clear nail polish will do the trick...but this is not a very good permanent solution. I've been wearing my titanium wedding band continuously for nearly 2 years. Just last week my ring finger became itchy and slighty red/raised under my ring. I switched the ring to my right hand. Except for my plastic/stainless steel watch, this is the only piece of jewelry I have ever worn. It was my understanding that titanium was 100% hypoallergenic. The ring stays on in the shower and when I do dishes so it does stay wet under there. I also work in a lab and routinely wear latex gloves. I have no known allergies. Someone suggested that the matte finish on the ring could trap some irritant. The nurse at work suggested there could be trace amounts of nickel in the ring but I doubt there would be enough compared to gold or other metals. Anyway, I'm looking for any ideas-- especially how to clean the ring (never been done except under running tap water) so my other finger doesn't break out. It's OK so far. First of all, when it comes to metal allergies, it's not commonly due to titanium, gold, etc. It's because of what's alloyed with. The most common metal allergen is nickel, which is alloyed with gold and several other metals (it's also the reason many people are allergic to so-called surgical steel). What you need to do is get your ring coated with a pure metal to which you are not allergic. The most common one used in this case is rhodium. Visit a reputable jeweler and arrange to have it done. Yes he was. Through no fault of his, the body of the post got mostly deleted when I (the moderator of the rec.crafts.jewelry newsgroup) approved and posted it, due to a software glitch in my computer. Two versions of the reposted message appear today. While nickel is by FAR the most aggressive problem with metal allergies, allergies to other metals are not unknown. copper is the next most common, not surprisingly, since its the next most reactive of the common jewelery metals. it is, in fact, slightly toxic. While it's rare, people can also be allergic to both gold and silver, though as i say, it's rare. gold especiallly is rare. Platinum allergies are even rarer. The thing with titanium is that when wearing a Ti ring, one is not exposed to metallic titanium. The metal forms, instantly on contact with air, a thin but very tough impervious oxide coating. Normally it's transparent. It can be made thicker though anodizing (forcing an electric current through the oxide, which thickens the oxide layer), to the point where the layer is thick enough to cause optical interference effects, which is why and how this type of anodizing can cause colors on titanium, and it's relative, niobium. This oxide layer essentially prevents an allergy to actual titanium metal, simply because it protects the wearer from the metal itself. And the oxide layer is so stable and strong that it's also very unlikely to be the cause of an allergic reaction.

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