Is Silver Hypoallergenic? Sterling, Nickel and Sensitive Skin

For most people, yes: genuine sterling silver is hypoallergenic. It's 92.5% silver, the rest is usually copper, and true silver allergies are rare.

So why do so many people say silver makes their skin itch? Because most of what gets called silver isn't the problem metal. The usual culprit is nickel, hiding in cheap silver-tone alloys and under thin plating. Here's what hypoallergenic actually means, what causes a reaction, how sterling compares with stainless steel and other metals, and how to choose jewelry if your skin is sensitive. 

Solid sterling silver suits most skin. Featured: the Courage pendant in 925 sterling silver.

Jump to:

• What hypoallergenic actually means
• Which metals suit sensitive skin, at a glance
• Is sterling silver hypoallergenic?
• Nickel: the real cause of most reactions
• Is stainless steel hypoallergenic?
• Allergy, or just a mark?
• Earrings and sensitive ears
• What our pieces are made of
• FAQs

What Hypoallergenic Actually Means

Hypoallergenic means less likely to cause an allergic reaction. It doesn't mean impossible. There's no single legal test a piece has to pass to use the word, so it describes a metal's track record rather than a guarantee.

That matters because the way to judge a piece is by what it's actually made of, and especially by what touches your skin, rather than by the label.

Which Metals Suit Sensitive Skin, at a Glance

Is Sterling Silver Hypoallergenic?

For the vast majority of people, yes. Pure silver is too soft to make jewelry from, so sterling is 92.5% silver mixed with 7.5% other metals for strength. In sterling, that's usually copper rather than nickel, and copper rarely causes a true allergic reaction.

Sterling is 92.5% silver, usually alloyed with copper rather than nickel. Featured: the 3mm Cuban chain in sterling silver.

Two things catch people out:

• Not everything sold as silver is sterling. Unmarked "silver" from an unknown source can be anything, including nickel-heavy alloys. Look for the 925 hallmark. Our guide on what 925 means on jewelry explains the marks, and how to tell if silver is real covers the tests.
• Silver plated isn't sterling. A thin layer of silver often sits over a base that contains nickel, and once that layer wears, the base touches your skin. Silver plated vs sterling silver explains how to tell them apart.

Sterling does tarnish, and that's a different thing from an allergy entirely. See does silver tarnish for what's happening there.

Rings sit against skin all day, so the metal matters most here. Featured: the 7mm Rounded Ring.

Nickel: The Real Cause of Most Reactions

Nickel is one of the most common causes of contact allergy there is. It's why so many people believe they can't wear jewelry, when what they can't wear is cheap jewelry.

What matters is how much nickel a piece releases onto your skin, not just how much it contains. A well-made alloy can hold nickel and release almost none of it. A badly made one can release plenty, especially against warm, sweaty skin or through a piercing.

In the US, nobody is checking this for you. The EU and UK cap how much nickel a piece in prolonged skin contact is allowed to release. There's no federal equivalent here: manufacturers work to a voluntary industry standard, ASTM F2999 for adult jewelry, which reputable sellers follow and nothing legally requires. That makes what a piece is built from worth checking rather than assuming.

Is Stainless Steel Hypoallergenic?

For most people, yes, and it's worth being straight about why. Stainless steel is an alloy of iron, chromium and nickel. 316L steel does contain nickel, but it's locked into the alloy, so very little is released against the skin. That's why it's used so widely for jewelry worn every day.

Rhodium-finished stainless steel: the silver look, and very little nickel released. Featured: the Compass pendant.

It isn't nickel-free, though, and no honest seller should say it is. If you've been diagnosed with a severe nickel allergy, implant-grade titanium is the material to ask a piercer about rather than any steel.

Rhodium, the bright, hard-wearing metal from the platinum family used to finish silver-tone steel, is itself well tolerated, and adds a further layer between the steel and your skin. Our comparison of sterling silver vs stainless steel goes further into choosing between the two.

Rhodium is the finish on our silver-tone steel. Featured: the 2mm Connell chain.

Allergy, or Just a Mark?

A lot of what people call a reaction isn't one. Here's how to tell:

• A gray or black mark on your skin is tarnish rubbing off silver. Harmless, and it washes off.
• A green mark is copper in the alloy, or in a base metal under worn plating, reacting with sweat. Also harmless.
• A red, itchy, dry or blistering rash where the piece sits is a reaction. It usually appears within a day or two of wearing, and comes back every time.

If it's a rash, stop wearing the piece and let your skin settle. If it keeps happening, or it's severe, see a GP, pharmacist or dermatologist. A dermatologist can patch test to find out exactly which metal you react to, which is far more useful than guessing.

Earrings and Sensitive Ears

Earrings are where most reactions happen, because the post passes through skin rather than resting on it. On an earring, the part that matters is the post and the back, not the front.

With earrings, it's the post and back that touch your skin. Featured: the Round Stud.

• Choose a solid post. A stud or small hoop with a stainless steel or genuine sterling post suits most ears.
• Healed piercings only. Don't put fashion earrings, ours included, into a fresh piercing. A healing piercing wants the jewelry your piercer fitted until they say it's ready to change.
• Keep them clean. Build-up on the post irritates on its own. Our guides on how to clean earrings and how to clean earring holes cover both.

Our stone-set earrings have a solid stainless steel post and back. Featured: the Diamond Stud.

Our guide to the types of earrings for men covers which styles sit closest to the lobe and move the least, which also helps sensitive ears.

What Our Pieces Are Made Of

Here's exactly what touches your skin when you wear CRAFTD:

• Our 925 Collection is genuine sterling silver, 92.5% silver, stamped 925.
• Most of our silver-tone and gold pieces are a solid 316L stainless steel core finished in rhodium or real 18K gold, which releases very little nickel.
• Our gold vermeil is sterling silver finished in 18ct gold.
• Our stone-set earrings have a solid alloy core under the finish, with a solid stainless steel post and back, the parts that pass through and sit against your ear.

Every product page names the metal in its Our Materials section. If you have a diagnosed severe metal allergy, check with your GP, dermatologist or piercer before wearing any new jewelry, ours included.

A healed piercing and a well-made earring: the combination most ears are happy with. Featured: the Rounded Hoop.

Is Silver Hypoallergenic? FAQs

Is sterling silver hypoallergenic?

For most people, yes. Sterling silver is 92.5% silver, and the rest is usually copper rather than nickel, so it rarely causes a reaction. Problems usually come from cheap silver-tone pieces with nickel in them, or from plating over a base metal, rather than from genuine sterling.

Can you be allergic to silver?

A true silver allergy is rare. Most reactions blamed on silver are actually to nickel, either in a low-quality alloy or in the base metal under silver plating. If genuine, hallmarked sterling still irritates your skin, speak to a GP or a dermatologist, who can arrange a patch test.

Why does my silver ring turn my finger black or green?

That's usually not an allergy. A gray or black mark is tarnish from the silver rubbing off onto your skin, and a green mark comes from copper in the alloy reacting with sweat. Both are harmless and wash off. A red, itchy or blistered rash is different, and that is a reaction.

Is stainless steel hypoallergenic?

For most people, yes. Stainless steel contains nickel, but it's locked into the alloy, so very little is released onto the skin. That's why it's widely used for jewelry worn every day. It isn't nickel-free, so anyone with a diagnosed severe nickel allergy should ask a piercer about implant-grade titanium.

What is the best metal for sensitive skin?

Implant-grade titanium is the safest choice for very sensitive skin. After that, high-karat gold, platinum, genuine sterling silver and good-quality stainless steel suit most people. The metals to avoid are nickel silver, cheap plated pieces and anything unmarked from an unknown source.

Is silver-plated jewelry hypoallergenic?

Not reliably. The silver layer itself is fine, but plating is often laid over a base that contains nickel, and once it wears through, that base is in contact with your skin. If you have sensitive skin, choose solid sterling over plated.

Is there a legal limit on nickel in jewelry?

Not for adult jewelry in the US. The EU and UK cap how much nickel a piece can release, but in the US manufacturers follow a voluntary standard, ASTM F2999, rather than a law.

Are CRAFTD pieces good for sensitive skin?

Our 925 Collection is genuine sterling silver. Most of our silver-tone and gold pieces are a solid 316L stainless steel core finished in rhodium or 18K gold, which releases very little nickel. On our stone-set earrings, the post and back are solid stainless steel. If you have a diagnosed severe nickel allergy, check with a professional first.

Where to Go From Here

Genuine sterling silver suits most skin. If you react to "silver", the culprit is almost always nickel in a cheap alloy or under plating, so choose hallmarked sterling or good-quality stainless steel, and keep fashion earrings for healed piercings.

Browse our 925 sterling silver collection, or our men's earrings.