Allergic contact dermatitis due to chromium, cobalt release from metallic ear rings

Earrings for piercing release chromium and cobalt and may on a case basis be a source of chromium and cobalt allergy, details a report recently published in the Dermatology.

Researchers, M Wennervaldt and colleagues carried out the present study to examine the content and release of chromium and cobalt from earrings randomly purchased in Denmark.

The authors included a total of three hundred four earrings that were examined with x-ray fluorescence (XRF) spectrometry. Earrings with measured content of chromium or cobalt were spot tested with diphenylcarbazide spot test (n = 166) or Nitroso-R spot-test (n = 99), respectively.

Chromium and cobalt release were quantified in a selected subsample (n = 100) with the artificial sweat test.

The results of the study showed that chromium was present in 54.6% (166/304) of earrings and cobalt was present in 72.0% (219/304),- measured by XRF. All chromium spot tests for chromium VI were negative.

Furthermore, the cobalt spot test was positive for one component. Chromium release was found from 59/100 (median concentration = -0.06 μg/cm2 /week) and cobalt release from 29/100 (median concentration = -0.06 μg/cm2 /week) of earrings in tested subsample.

Hence, the researchers concluded that earrings for piercing release chromium and cobalt and may on a case basis be a source of chromium and cobalt allergy.

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Chromium and Cobalt Release From Metallic Earrings From the Danish Market

Contact Derm 2021 Jun 20;[EPub Ahead of Print], M Wennervaldt, MG Ahlström, T Menné, MB Haulrig, F Alinaghi, JP Thyssen, JD Johansen