Cobalt allergy typically goes hand-in-hand with nickel allergy. The 2 metals, which sit alongside each other on the periodic desk of components, could be present in comparable merchandise, which means avoiding extended publicity to 1 overlaps strongly with what it’s good to do to keep away from publicity to the opposite. So the place there may be nickel — on a regular basis steel objects, comparable to zips, cash, keys, scissors, low cost jewelry — there might be cobalt.
Together with chromium, cobalt is the following most important metallic allergen after nickel, and was the third steel to be named ‘Allergen of the Yr’ by the American Contact Dermatitis Society, in 2016.
Cobalt allergy sometimes presents with itchy or crimson or indignant rash on the website of publicity, which may take a very long time to clear. It is a contact allergy — allergic contact dermatitis — a delayed hypersensitivity response via the pores and skin.
As it’s examined for on all most important contact dermatitis testing panels, it is going to be identified when you endure patch testing.
In Cosmetics
Like nickel, it may be present in hint quantities in cosmetics comparable to mineral make-up and hair dye as a contaminant.
Not like nickel, whose salts and compounds are not permitted to be used in cosmetics, one cobalt compound — cobalt aluminium oxide (CI 77346) — is allowed in Europe (however not in America). It’s a inexperienced color, generally utilized in nail polish, as an illustration.
The articles on Nickel Free Make-Up and Nickel Examined Hair Dye might provide some steerage on merchandise that are more likely to be decrease in cobalt.
Cobalt Pigments
You’ve in all probability heard of ‘cobalt blue’, as cobalt compounds lend their deep blue hues to plenty of pigments, utilized in clothes, textiles, pottery, paints, inks and different deeply colored supplies.
They’re additionally very generally present in tattoo inks, and people who want to have a tattoo might effectively have to hunt out a tattooist who makes use of inks not derived from the cobalt salts. There are some synthetic non-metallic blue dyes on the market, comparable to CI 69800 (Pigment Blue 60) or CI 74160 (Pigment Blue 15). Or else you might want to keep away from blue/inexperienced shades altogether.
Cobalt in Meals
Vitamin B12 accommodates a cobalt atom and so cobalt is taken into account an ‘important’ mineral on that foundation. Dietary publicity to B12 shouldn’t be problematic for these with cobalt allergy, however when you require a vitamin B12 injection for medical causes, you might expertise a response. Communicate to your medical doctors on this occasion.
The place a low-nickel weight loss program could also be indicated for these with nickel allergy, a low-cobalt weight loss program is way much less more likely to be really helpful, though generally is for dyshidrotic eczema. This requires correct and rigorous medical help and shouldn’t be undertaken with out steerage. There are instruments, such because the Cobalt Companion, which customers can flip to for help.
Cobalt in Leather-based
Reactions to leathers — comparable to behind the legs from sitting on leather-based sofas — is extra generally related to chromium.
Nevertheless, analysis has comparatively not too long ago proven that it’s also be current to reactive levels in some leathers, and could also be a reason behind some contact dermatitis signs in these with cobalt (however not chromium) allergy.
Additional Info
My e book, The Steel Allergy Information, has far more on cobalt allergy, together with the low-cobalt weight loss program, and different recommendation on keep away from cobalt publicity.
It’s accessible from Amazon US ($12.99 paperback / $8.99 kindle), Amazon UK (£9.49/£6.59), Amazon Canada (C$15.99/C$9.99) and different Amazon websites. It is usually accessible for different e-readers.
