Nickel allergy is still frequent in young German females - probably because of insufficient protection from nickel-releasing objects

Objectives. To explain this observation by relating clinical epidemiological data with recent chemical analyses of nickel release from costume jewellery. Methods. (i) The trend of nickel allergy was analysed using data registered between January 1994 and December 2009 in the Information Network of Departments of Dermatology. (ii) In 2008, different parts of items of costume jewellery purchased at random on the German market (n = 609) were analysed for nickel release according to EN 1811:1998 + A1:2008 in five official German laboratories of food and non-food investigation. Results. (i) Between 1994 and 2009, nickel allergy decreased in men (18-30 years) and in women (1-17 and 18-30 years); however, after 2000, there was no significant decrease in nickel allergy in the women aged 1-17 years. (ii) Of the post-assemblies, 28.0% exceeded the migration limit of >= 0.2 mu g/cm2 per week, and 5% released >= 26.8 mu g/cm2 per week. In articles with direct and prolonged contact with the skin, 12.8% of decorative parts and 17.1% of clasps exceeded the migration limit. If an adjustment factor was applied, according to the above norm, about half of the items otherwise rejected became acceptable. Conclusion. Exposure to nickel-containing products exceeding the (unnecessarily relaxed) permitted limit may explain why nickel contact allergy remains a problem.