Topical and Systemic Therapies for Nickel Allergy

Conclusions

Nickel allergy remains prevalent, and knowledge of its pathology has led to increased occupational and environmental hygiene. The low-nickel diet and hyposensitization therapy with oral nickel is at present the only therapy that acts on the pathogenetic mechanisms of this condition, so it could be considered the only effective "therapy"; all other therapies are agents that can "cure" the symptoms only. Only a major knowledge of this condition—which is not an "allergy" but rather a complex immune-mediated process induced by contact with a foreign agent associated with genetic alterations of the skin barrier (filaggrin) and innate immunity (TLR4)— can lead to the development of an efficient therapy.

Dermatitis. 2011;22(05):251-255. © 2011  American Contact Dermatitis Society