People suffering from an allergy to nickel, a metal present in many everyday items, now have the means to prevent the unpleasant symptoms, thanks to Polish firm KF Niccolum. EU-funding helped the Warsaw-based developer of cosmetic and pharmaceutical products conduct studies to verify the barrier effect of a new active substance to be used in its products. The safe, non-toxic ingredients can be applied as a cream or a spray. The result is an end to the common symptoms of contact dermatitis, like itching, burning, rashes, or oozing blisters.
- 28 October 2020
“Our molecule, introduced into an appropriate medium – a cosmetic formulation – acts as an invisible and imperceptible barrier that prevents nickel from coming into contact with the skin of an allergic person and thus prevents the occurrence of troublesome allergic reactions.”
Testing of KF Niccolum’s product involved 13 women applying a thin layer of the product to their skin and then wearing a piece of jewellery for 3 hours. In each case, the item belonged to the woman and she had a medically confirmed hypersensitivity to the metal.
The tests, including their results and the opinions of the subjects – 94 % of whom found the effect to be satisfactory or very satisfactory – were summarised in a report. Only one study participant found no significant improvement.
The quality of the preparation was assessed by a dermatologist and this, along with the test conclusions, formed the basis for mass production of the new cosmeceutical – a product with both cosmetic and therapeutic effects.
A common allergy
Nickel allergy is the second-most common contact allergy, affecting 17 % of women and 3 % of men worldwide. The difference is thought to be largely due to the higher numbers of women wearing metal jewellery.
A component of many alloys, nickel is present in everyday items like cutlery, crockery, domestic appliances, jewellery, watches, spectacle frames, metal parts of clothing, coins and medical and dental instruments.
It is most frequently observed among people in specific jobs, including hairdressers, beauticians, healthcare workers, receptionists, cashiers, guitarists and metalworkers. Dermatitis is the second-most common occupational disease in the EU. About 3 million working days a year are lost to it, costing the economy some EUR 600 million.
More severe cases of contact dermatitis can be characterised by cracking, hyperkeratosis (thickening of the outer layer of the skin) or lichenification (itchy patches of dry, leathery, thickened skin). Symptoms normally appear up to 48 hours after exposure and often persist for around 2-4 weeks.
Sub-standard merchandise
Although the EU introduced rules on the allowable amount of nickel in products like jewellery in 1994, merchandise that does not meet EU standards still finds its way onto the market and numbers of people suffering from nickel allergy continue to increase. The problem is compounded by a lack of effective treatment and limited means of protection for sufferers.
The study was carried out in cooperation with the Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics of the Polish Academy of Sciences and the Medical University of Warsaw.
The substance was developed by modifying a polymer – a material made of long, repeating chains of molecules – with strong nickel ion-binding capacity. This stops the ions from penetrating the skin.
Total investment and EU funding
Total investment for the project “Evaluation of the efficacy of the new active substance for use in dermocosmetics against symptoms of nickel allergy” is EUR 17 859, with the EU’s European Regional Development Fund contributing EUR 9 423 through the “Mazowieckie Voivodeship” Operational Programme for the 2014-2020 programming period. The investment falls under the priority “Research and innovation”.