any problems with needles and allergies?

Since I am reading Unraveled Sleeve, I have an allergy question. I am
allergic to nickel and most common needles are nickel plated. I have been
using 'my favorite needle' for the past 10 or so years-mostly because I
like the tiny needle for the way I hold the needle for stitching. It comes
in gold and platinum. They are pricey, but the other ones I end up snapping
because of the way I put too much pressure on the far end. I was terrible on
those really long needles with the center eyes. I know you were just to stab
up and down- but I kept forgetting.

Anyway, my question is does anyone with a nickel allergy have any problems
using the nickel plated ones? I don't know if I should just forget carrying
around some regular needles for spares or not.

Darlene

"D.M.Evans" skrev i melding
.. .
Since I am reading Unraveled Sleeve, I have an allergy question. I am
allergic to nickel and most common needles are nickel plated. I have been
using 'my favorite needle' for the past 10 or so years-mostly because I
like the tiny needle for the way I hold the needle for stitching. It comes
in gold and platinum. They are pricey, but the other ones I end up
snapping
because of the way I put too much pressure on the far end. I was terrible
on
those really long needles with the center eyes. I know you were just to
stab
up and down- but I kept forgetting.

Anyway, my question is does anyone with a nickel allergy have any problems
using the nickel plated ones? I don't know if I should just forget
carrying
around some regular needles for spares or not.

Darlene


I can't speak for anybody else, but I do have a metal allergy. I can't wear
cheapie earrings (often has nickel and rhodium) and low-quality stainless
steel makes the piercing holes weep. Only 14K gold (or purer) is inert
enough for daily wear (which isn't always good...my wedding bands are
covered with dings and scratches).

Buuuuut...I've never had trouble using any sort of needle. Even those
crappy cheapie needles that i get in kits sometimes. It's possible that I
don't react to them because skin on the pads of my fingers is thicker then
the skin on my ears and on the part of the finger where a ring touches.
But, that's just a guess.

Your mileage may vary, since I played a stringed instrument for several
years and have toughened up the pads of my fingers.

I hate those center-eye needles too, for just the same reasons...
Becky A.

D.M.Evans"

Anyway, my question is does anyone with a nickel allergy have any problems
using the nickel plated ones? I don't know if I should just forget carrying
around some regular needles for spares or not.
Nope, no problem here. Usually it is prolonged contact against the skin that
does it so carrying around extra needles should not present a problem. So as
long as you don't wander around with needles tucked into your blouse you should
be OK. I carry mine in a needlecase.
Dora

While I don't have a metal allergy, I have a similar problem with
wool. I cannot wear it, but I can handle it for short periods of
time. I have been able to weave wool or work with it doing needle
point, but if I wear a garment made of it? Here comes the itchy rash.

Basically, you may be able to handle the regular needles as spares.
I've found that the hands react much less than the rest of the body.
Of course, your mileage may vary.

On Sun, 29 Aug 2004 23:48:45 -0400, "D.M.Evans"
wrote:

Since I am reading Unraveled Sleeve, I have an allergy question. I am
allergic to nickel and most common needles are nickel plated. I have been
using 'my favorite needle' for the past 10 or so years-mostly because I
like the tiny needle for the way I hold the needle for stitching. It comes
in gold and platinum. They are pricey, but the other ones I end up snapping
because of the way I put too much pressure on the far end. I was terrible on
those really long needles with the center eyes. I know you were just to stab
up and down- but I kept forgetting.

Anyway, my question is does anyone with a nickel allergy have any problems
using the nickel plated ones? I don't know if I should just forget carrying
around some regular needles for spares or not.

Darlene

I have a nickel allergy as well--playing the flute that meant a solid silver
head. Then, my needles turn black and tend to bend where I hold them unless
they're the platinum. Even gold is bad for me as it tends to turn my skin
black, not an allergy just a vitamin deficiency that I can never remember.
As long as the silver is nickel free I can wear it.
Angela L.


"D.M.Evans" wrote in message
.. .
Since I am reading Unraveled Sleeve, I have an allergy question. I am
allergic to nickel and most common needles are nickel plated. I have been
using 'my favorite needle' for the past 10 or so years-mostly because I
like the tiny needle for the way I hold the needle for stitching. It comes
in gold and platinum. They are pricey, but the other ones I end up
snapping
because of the way I put too much pressure on the far end. I was terrible
on
those really long needles with the center eyes. I know you were just to
stab
up and down- but I kept forgetting.

Anyway, my question is does anyone with a nickel allergy have any problems
using the nickel plated ones? I don't know if I should just forget
carrying
around some regular needles for spares or not.

Darlene




---
Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
Version: 6.0.751 / Virus Database: 502 - Release Date: 9/2/2004

Since I am reading Unraveled Sleeve, I have an allergy question. I am
allergic to nickel and most common needles are nickel plated. I have been
using 'my favorite needle' for the past 10 or so years-mostly because I
like the tiny needle for the way I hold the needle for stitching. It comes
in gold and platinum. They are pricey, but the other ones I end up
snapping because of the way I put too much pressure on the far end. I was
terrible on those really long needles with the center eyes. I know you were just to stab up and down- but I kept forgetting.

Anyway, my question is does anyone with a nickel allergy have any problems
using the nickel plated ones? I don't know if I should just forget
carrying around some regular needles for spares or not.
Darlene

Darlene,

According to both my doctor AND my jeweler, it's not technically an
allergy but a sensitivityto either the metal, or to your body's
reaction to it. Your body chemistry (and mine) starts a chemical
reaction when exposed to certain metals, usually nickle. When that
reaction is happening beneath your skin (piercings) the tissue gets
inflamed from the irritation. Even 14K gold will cause the same
problem, IF nickle is used in the alloy, as it frequently is. One
gold company named Leach & Garner has a patented alloy that contains
no nickle, and is particularly shiny, and durable. They sell product
under L&G as well as other trade names. It's worth the extra cost.
No affiliation, just the daughter of a jewelry-hobbyist who uses their
products.

I've tried different gold-plated needles, and the plating has always
worn off or broken down. They also have dinky eyes. So I use
Piecemaker 27s and 28s almost exclusively. Yes! They DO get "pitted"
and turn black. No problem! I use an emery strawberry to smooth and
polish my needles, then put them back into service. They bend a bit
to conform to my hand shape, but that's what good needle SHOULD do for
you.

That is NOT something I would suggest with any plated needle. An
emery would surely ruin the finish.

Kathy in WA

Actually by bend, I mean curve almost to a U. With the nickel-plating, my
face would actually break out. But, thank you for the name of a gold source
w/o nickel.
Angela
"Kathy in WA" wrote in message
om...
Since I am reading Unraveled Sleeve, I have an allergy question. I am
allergic to nickel and most common needles are nickel plated. I have
been
using 'my favorite needle' for the past 10 or so years-mostly because I
like the tiny needle for the way I hold the needle for stitching. It
comes
in gold and platinum. They are pricey, but the other ones I end up
snapping because of the way I put too much pressure on the far end. I
was
terrible on those really long needles with the center eyes. I know you
were just to stab up and down- but I kept forgetting.

Anyway, my question is does anyone with a nickel allergy have any
problems
using the nickel plated ones? I don't know if I should just forget
carrying around some regular needles for spares or not.
Darlene

Darlene,

According to both my doctor AND my jeweler, it's not technically an
allergy but a sensitivityto either the metal, or to your body's
reaction to it. Your body chemistry (and mine) starts a chemical
reaction when exposed to certain metals, usually nickle. When that
reaction is happening beneath your skin (piercings) the tissue gets
inflamed from the irritation. Even 14K gold will cause the same
problem, IF nickle is used in the alloy, as it frequently is. One
gold company named Leach & Garner has a patented alloy that contains
no nickle, and is particularly shiny, and durable. They sell product
under L&G as well as other trade names. It's worth the extra cost.
No affiliation, just the daughter of a jewelry-hobbyist who uses their
products.

I've tried different gold-plated needles, and the plating has always
worn off or broken down. They also have dinky eyes. So I use
Piecemaker 27s and 28s almost exclusively. Yes! They DO get "pitted"
and turn black. No problem! I use an emery strawberry to smooth and
polish my needles, then put them back into service. They bend a bit
to conform to my hand shape, but that's what good needle SHOULD do for
you.

That is NOT something I would suggest with any plated needle. An
emery would surely ruin the finish.

Kathy in WA


---
Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
Version: 6.0.752 / Virus Database: 503 - Release Date: 9/3/2004

Hi Kathy,
I know what they are talking about, but it is still an allergy reaction. Not
the kind that will kill you with breathing problems etc, but it still is
your immune system reacting to a foreign substance.
http://www.dermadoctor.com/pages/newsletter58.asp
http://allergies.about.com/cs/nickel/a/aa011000a.htm

I am also mildly allergic to gold, but my dermatologist says that most that
are allergic don't show signs and if they do, it is a rash around the eye
area ( I don't know why that would be). I have a whole list of other things
that I am allergic to. I have several family members that have strange
reactions with hives and occasionally have to be observed in the emergancy
deptments and have to carry an epipen. So far, I have been lucky with only
having hives once.

Darlene



"Kathy in WA" wrote in message Darlene,

According to both my doctor AND my jeweler, it's not technically an
allergy but a sensitivityto either the metal, or to your body's
reaction to it. Your body chemistry (and mine) starts a chemical
reaction when exposed to certain metals, usually nickle.