Is Platinum Hypoallergenic? What about Platinum Jewelry? Which Forms of This Precious Metal are Most Likely to Cause Skin Allergies?

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Is platinum hypoallergenic or allergenic?

What about platinum jewelry? Is it hypoallergenic and safe?

What about platinum vermeil and platinum-plated jewelry?

Which platinum forms are the safest? Conversely, which are the most dangerous?

Learn it all right below!

TLDR- Is Platinum Hypoallergenic or Allergenic?

Platinum isn’t allergenic. It’s hypoallergenic.

Platinum is an unreactive precious metal that doesn’t easily react with with body fluids, skin or other substances.

The purest forms of platinum are hypoallergenic, while platinum alloyed with other metals is allergenic or not depending on the metal in question.

Platinum plated jewelry and platinum vermeil are safe for as long as the plating is undamaged. Platinum bullion is hypoallergenic.

Here an awesome quiz about platinum’s allergenic properties. Take it after you’ve read my guide.

Is Platinum Hypoallergenic? What about Platinum Jewelry? Which Forms of This Precious Metal are Most Likely to Cause Skin Allergies?

Table of Contents

Is Platinum Jewelry Hypoallergenic? Is it Safe for People With Skin Allergies?

Yes, platinum jewelry is hypoallergenic. It is safe for most people to wear platinum jewelry or platinum-plated jewelry.

However, platinum allergies exist and it is possible to be allergic to this precious metal, especially in you have sensitive skin or are allergic to plenty of other metals.

Platinum allergies happen the most with jewelry jewelry made with fake platinum, or jewelry made with platinum alloyed with undisclosed metals, some of which are allergenic.

Is Platinum Plated Sterling Silver Hypoallergenic?

Yes, platinum-plated sterling silver is hypoallergenic. Platinum is hypoallergenic and sterling silver is hypoallergenic too.

This means platinum-plated sterling silver jewelry is safe for most people, with some rare exceptions.

Remember, you’ll be allergic to platinum-plated sterling silver if you’re allergic to platinum, or if you’re allergic to sterling silver.

Allergies to silver are rare, but they exist. And sterling silver also contains 7.5% copper within its alloy and copper allergies are more common than allergies to platinum and silver.

Platinum plated silver jewelry where the platinum plating is undamaged is safe for people with silver and copper allergies.

The same applies for platinum vermeil jewelry.

Is Platinum Vermeil Hypoallergenic?

Yes, platinum vermeil is hypoallergenic.

Platinum vermeil is jewelry made of thick layer of platinum plating (at least 2.5 microns) and a base of sterling silver (92.5% silver, 7.5% copper).

Platinum isn’t allergenic, and neither is sterling silver. Copper is also hypoallergenic but copper allergies are relatively common, especially among people wit sensitive skin and other metal allergies

Platinum vermeil jewelry where the platinum plate is undamaged is safe for people with silver and copper allergies.

Is Platinum Plated Brass Hypoallergenic?

Yes, platinum plated brass is hypoallergenic, but only when platinum plate is undamaged.

Damaged platinum plating with exposed brass is allergenic because brass is allergenic.

Brass is an alloy of copper, zinc and small amounts of nickel. All of these metals are allergenic, with copper being least allergenic and nickel being the most (~20% of people in the US are allergic to nickel, and it doesn’t take a lot of nickel to trigger an attack).

Nickel is a common metal allergen- source

Which Platinum Form is Most Allergenic?

The most allergenic platinum form is platinum 500. This platinum alloy contains only 50% platinum and 50% other metals.

Platinum 500 is either allergenic or hypoallergenic depending on these other metals in the alloy.

For example, platinum alloyed with ruthenium, iridium or palladium is hypoallergenic because these 3 precious metals are also non-allergenic.

Another example is platinum alloyed with cobalt, which is also hypoallergenic.

However, platinum 500 when copper is a significant part of the alloy is allergenic to people with copper sensitivity.

Other platinum forms are platinum 900, 950 and 999.

Platinum 999 is the purest form of platinum and hypoallergenic to everyone except to people sensitive to this noble metal.
Platinum 950 is hypoallergenic. It’s a high-purity platinum alloy that contains 95% pure platinum and 5% other metals, typically ruthenium, iridium, or cobalt. Platinum 950 is strong, durable and resistant to scratching. Because of these qualities it’s widely used in fine jewelry, particularly for engagement rings and wedding bands.
Platinum 900 is hypoallergenic. It’s a high-purity platinum alloy that contains 90% pure platinum and 10% other metals, typically ruthenium, iridium, or cobalt. Platinum 900 is used in fine jewelry design, electronics, the automotive industry, dentistry, and as a catalyst.

Is Platinum Bullion Hypoallergenic?

Yes, platinum bullion is hypoallergenic. Platinum coins and bars made of 99.9% pure platinum are perfectly safe for anyone except for rare people allergic to platinum.

This exceedingly pure platinum bullion is called IRA-approved platinum and you can include it in your gold IRA account.

Birch Gold Group are the best US precious metal investment company that sell IRA approved palladium and platinum.

They’re only slightly in quality behind Augusta Precious Metals, my number #1 pick for those investors who want to buy IRA-approved gold and silver.

Get your free gold investment guide here!

Keep in mind there’re copper coins designed to mimic platinum coins. Meaning they either have platinum designs or are plated with a thin platinum layer.

These coins are allergic to people with copper allergies because the platinum plating is thin and easily flakes off.