Metal allergies are among the chief sources of allergic contact dermatitis. Nickel, cobalt and chromate are among the metals most likely to trigger reactions. Symptoms include a skin rash that can develop into blisters and damaged skin.

People are most often sensitized to metal from wearing costume jewelry, which frequently contains nickel. This problem has gotten worse as body piercing has grown more popular. Other sources of metal allergy include everything from soil and seawater to cement and shoe leather.

A metal allergy can be diagnosed by having a physician conduct a skin patch test, which introduces various allergens to a patient’s skin to see if a reaction occurs. Once an allergy has been diagnosed, patients should try to minimize exposure to the metal triggering their symptoms.