Metal & Implant Reactions

There are 20-25% of the population with metal allergies.  The most common one being to nickel.  Rashes will occur at the site where the metal came into contact with the body.  Taking nickel as an example, someone may have a rash near the mid abdomen from the metal on their jeans, or on their ear lobes from earrings, finger from a ring, etc.  Avoidance of the offending metal is key to avoiding a reaction.

However, in some cases, people have been found to react to a metal implant (such as artificial knee, rods or other metal implants).  The reaction does not occur immediately while the object is being surgically implanted, it can take days to years to see a reaction.  It can start as a localized rash and progress to a full body reaction including fatigue, weight loss and other concerning health problems.  The only way to stop the reaction is to remove the implant itself.

If a person is known to have sensitive skin, for example they react to certain soaps, or they know they react to at least one metal, they should have patch testing completed for metal allergy prior to having any metal implants placed within their body.