Hardly life-threatening

[frostbite]

but I have discovered an allergy to a recently purchased stainless steel watch.

First the skin started flaking, now it's gone red and itchy so I've taken the watch off.

I've worn gold, plastic, and other s-s watches over the years without a problem, so I'm a bit perplexed by this. I (usually!) wear my watch all the time, and this one is a snug but not tight fit.

Any ideas on how to avoid this happening?

[gingernut]

First the skin started flaking, now it's gone red and itchy so I've taken the watch off. get ya' money back, no decent ss watch should flake and go red.

Could be a contact dermatitis from soap clinging to the watch back. Usually as a result of wearing your waterproof watch whilst hand washing.

Stop wearing the watch. We're not allowed to recommend specific tx on here for obvious reasons, but ask your pharmacist for advice, he may well recommend 1% hydrocortisone cream applied once or twice daily for 2 weeks.

Unless it's a fungus:) In which case the formulation would be slightly different.

:E

[Flyin'Dutch']

but I have discovered an allergy to a recently purchased stainless steel watch.

First the skin started flaking, now it's gone red and itchy so I've taken the watch off.

I've worn gold, plastic, and other s-s watches over the years without a problem, so I'm a bit perplexed by this. I (usually!) wear my watch all the time, and this one is a snug but not tight fit.

Any ideas on how to avoid this happening?

Without looking difficult to be sure but sounds suspiciously like contact dermatitis. Basically an allergy to something that the watch is 'shedding'

Stainless steel comes in various grades and it sounds that your is having too many impurities for your skin.

It commonly is nickel that causes contact allergies but chrome can do the same.

Some information on the composition of stainless steel here (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stainless_steel)

[gingernut]

either way experience dicates that you'll never be able to wear the watch again.

[frostbite]

Er, thanks!

I was wondering whether a piece of cling film stuck on the back of the watch might solve the problem. Odd thing is, the bracelet is also s/steel and there's no hint of a problem there. Oh, and I don't wear it when washing.

Got some Canesten HC - would that fit your description?

[gingernut]

Your body is far too intelligent to be fooled by a bit of cling film. :)

Mark my words, a little speck of allergen, whether stainless steel or whatever,will creep through and cause nasty red itchiness until you get the message that your body doesn't like and accept your watch.

The clever thing is, you could put the watch on in years to come, and your wrist will react again.

Canestan HC is hated by the scientists. It contains something to kill a fungus, and something that damps down the immune response and could make a fungus grow. (Steroid & antifungal).

However it seems to work, put it on for 2w, twice daily, (as directed by the person who sold it you blah blah),if the rash worsens, or fails to improve, seek the advice of a nurse clinician or GP.

Chuck the watch, it doesn't like you. And it never will.

[Whirlybird]

The clever thing is, you could put the watch on in years to come, and your wrist will react again.


I wonder if that's always true. When I was young - particularly as a child - I used to get all manner of allergic skin reactions, from wearing elastoplast for more than a day to cheap rings to....you name it. But these days virtually nothing bothers my skin at all.

I thought everyone was like that...as you do. I also figured it was one of the very few advantages of getting old!

[frostbite]

Don't know if this makes any difference?

When I said "recently purchased", I perhaps should have said 'just over four months ago', which is the time I have been wearing it. I also wipe the back of the watch and inside the bracelet once a week.

[Flyin'Dutch']

Don't know if this makes any difference?

Not really.

It usually takes a little while before you get this as the salts of your body will have to start to 'dissolve' some of the metals.

Not wearing it at night may make it a bit better but I think in reality that you can relegate the watch to the bedside table drawer!

[Oh that's super!]

This is a damn nuisance solution but if you cannot get a watch that your skin does not react to, try coating it with clear nail varnish. I did this with one of my watches as it kept causing the same problem you have described.

The trouble is, you need to keep reapplying the nail varnish because it comes off.