nickle allergy??
Dancing Paws started this discussion ·
This is based off of the metal allergy post. Does anyone on here with a nickle allergy find they have issues with the chrome poles?
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Dancing Paws started this discussion ·
This is based off of the metal allergy post. Does anyone on here with a nickle allergy find they have issues with the chrome poles?
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I would think that you would have more issues from stainless than from chrome. Chrome is plated onto the surface of the metal thus sealing it. I have been looking around my chemistry sites and have not seen any manufacturer list nickel as one of the impurities in chromic acid.
smb1989 ·
I have a severe nickle allergy n I have never had any issues with chrome, titanium or brass.
Hsiang ·
I have a nickel allergy that is going crazy right now because of my chrome pole, but I also have eczema so they both work together to make me miserable. I haven't have an issue with stainless steel. I had only been poling on my chrome pole occasionally and I'd break out a little bit, but the last 2 wks I poled on it almost every night and my skin is definitely messed up..time for a new pole lol..
Pavi ·
I pole on chrome X pole and up until recently I hadn't had any problems with my skin. Recently, especially after we started practising the group routine, there has been couple of instances of severe and very itchy rash on the places that are in direct contact with the pole and I came up with a list of factors that might have caused it. Unfortunately I haven't had a chance to test them separately because of the nature of the training, so I cannot tell which one is responsible but I hope it will at least help you to identify your problems: - using anything else than rubbing alcohol for cleaning the pole. I carry around a small spray bottle of it so I use it religiously but if I forget, there is something like Windex in my studio and I'm afraid one of its ingredients may do nasty things to my skin - grip aids: I hardly ever use any, but the girls in the group like to use iTac 2, maybe my skin doesn't like the resin? - sharing the pole: I hate to admit that I may be so squeamish but I might just be allergic to other people's sweat. With group routine there's no way to get out of it because you will never have a completely clean pole just before your turn. Maybe it's just one of them, maybe it's the combination of all of them but the itching is driving me crazy at nights! LOL
It is possibly any of those. The thought of sharing a pole....ewwww.
Pavi ·
Goodness, did it sound like my pole sistas don't wash? Nooooo 😀 I mean, of course we clean the poles during the class and I know my pole buddies and know their hygiene habits are spotless, LOL, it's just that every person's body chemistry is different and I just might have some kind of a reaction to it.
My fiancee was using my pole last night. I was teaching him basic spins. When went to demo it, I flew off because there was a huge puddle of his sweat on my pole. I just sat on the floor going "ew ew ew ew ew ew!"
U could be having an allergic reaction to the lead in the chrome pole. When your pores are open, you are really susceptible to getting a reaction from the lead,so if you get sweaty, watch out.
There is no lead in chrome. You will not absorb lead into your pores. There is lead in base part of the pole, under the chrome, but that is not accessible to contact. California has laws that states even if you have the tiniest amount of lead in your product you have to put a warning on the label. XPole is in California, hence the warning on the label. If you doubt me maybe you will not doubt this: http://www.ccohs.ca/oshanswers/chemicals/chem_profiles/lead/health_lead.html
The lead can leech though Chrome, and Chrome is also something that can irritate skin. Some people develop contact dermatitus from the Chrome which is made from chromium. (yes it is the SAME THING, I spoke to a metal worker about it) Now everyone here will attack me again, going on to defend a company, that is putting you all at risk. Under normal conditions lead/chrome/nickle may not bother you. (I actually am allergic to nickle, and cannot wear gold, or most jewlery because of it) But there are many factors in "pole dancing" that vary from normal skin contact to metal. 1. everyones body chemistry is different. If you are acidic, you have a high chance of being affected by metal to skin contact 2. sweating opens the pores, which makes your skin even more permiable, not to mention friction rubbing the top layers of skin off. All metal has small particles, and can have barbs from the manufactuing process. I used to work at a tattoo studio and every needle that came in for tattoo work, or piercing was run through an ultra sonic machine to remove metal particles, and checked under a microscope for barbs. I am pretty sure that isnt done with the poles! (and some people do have reactions to the nickle in SS depending on the % of the content, which we sound out because we thought people were allergic to the ink, changed ink and still had the problem until we switched needle suppliers to one who used a low % of nickle) Not to mention they are made in China, and do not have an office there, so no one is doing "quality control" China has no standards for quality or safety like we do. Here in the USA metal has to be inspected for quality and content standards. Scientists are still studying the effects of Dermal Contact with Metal, and toxicity. We already know lead is dangerous. But your skin changes when it is wet and your pores are open. So to say oh well "california makes you have a label" is not an out. Lead causes major neurotoxity issues, as well as other problems, and if it can cause issues though mucous membranes, its pretty much a sure thing that contact with sweaty skin would have the same results. We used to use a lot of dangerous products, until we found out they kill you. Lead, Asbestos, mercury, BPA plastics, the list goes on and on and on. How are you gonna feel with the naturally radioactive copper used in the brass made in china when the new x-poles come out? Cinese copper has natural radioactive properties, and they also buy copper from Russia and the Ukranine which tends to come from nuclear facilities, to melt and remake into other things. Next your going to tell me radiation is safe too right?
The lead can leech though Chrome, and Chrome is also something that can irritate skin. Some people develop contact dermatitus from the Chrome which is made from chromium. (yes it is the SAME THING, I spoke to a metal worker about it) Now everyone here will attack me again, going on to defend a company, that is putting you all at risk. Under normal conditions lead/chrome/nickle may not bother you. (I actually am allergic to nickle, and cannot wear gold, or most jewlery because of it) But there are many factors in "pole dancing" that vary from normal skin contact to metal. 1. everyones body chemistry is different. If you are acidic, you have a high chance of being affected by metal to skin contact 2. sweating opens the pores, which makes your skin even more permiable, not to mention friction rubbing the top layers of skin off. All metal has small particles, and can have barbs from the manufactuing process. I used to work at a tattoo studio and every needle that came in for tattoo work, or piercing was run through an ultra sonic machine to remove metal particles, and checked under a microscope for barbs. I am pretty sure that isnt done with the poles! (and some people do have reactions to the nickle in SS depending on the % of the content, which we sound out because we thought people were allergic to the ink, changed ink and still had the problem until we switched needle suppliers to one who used a low % of nickle) Not to mention they are made in China, and do not have an office there, so no one is doing "quality control" China has no standards for quality or safety like we do. Here in the USA metal has to be inspected for quality and content standards. Scientists are still studying the effects of Dermal Contact with Metal, and toxicity. We already know lead is dangerous. But your skin changes when it is wet and your pores are open. So to say oh well "california makes you have a label" is not an out. Lead causes major neurotoxity issues, as well as other problems, and if it can cause issues though mucous membranes, its pretty much a sure thing that contact with sweaty skin would have the same results. We used to use a lot of dangerous products, until we found out they kill you. Lead, Asbestos, mercury, BPA plastics, the list goes on and on and on. How are you gonna feel with the naturally radioactive copper used in the brass made in china when the new x-poles come out? Cinese copper has natural radioactive properties, and they also buy copper from Russia and the Ukranine which tends to come from nuclear facilities, to melt and remake into other things. Next your going to tell me radiation is safe too right?
I never said that chrome and chromium were not the same thing, I stated that chrome and hexavalent chromium are not. I am not supporting nor defending XPole, I am stating simple chemistry. Based on your statements then no one should ever eat any food from a can, drive a car, drink water from your tap, breathe air, get pierced, use sunblock, take vitamins, and the best one wear makeup! The pigments in makeup (especially the new fancy "mineral makeups") are metals!! And green eyeshadow is colored that way by....wait for it........ wait for it.............CHROMIUM!!!!!! Chromium picolinate is a common supplement you can find at the grocery store. Just because one form of a substance is toxic/hazardous/whatever does not mean that ALL FORMS are that way. This is simple chemistry and yes, I am going to stand on my soap box and try to drive this point home. It drives me crazy when people call something "chemical free" as that does not exist. Everything is made up of chemicals.
Oh, and radiation is safe. How do you think our planet exists? Without the sun's radiation we would not be here.
And just because I really like driving the point home, the standard plastic bottles that you buy water, juice, pop, etc in never ever contained BPA in the first place. BPA is used in polycarbonate manufacturing, not in high density poly ethylene (HDPE). More than likely your blender body is made of polycarbonate. And so are your glasses. And that water cooler bottle. BPA plastics DO still exist and are widely used. There is so much mis-information about what plastics are made with it and which ones aren't that people tend to think that all plastics are made with it.
chem have I told you lately that I love you ;)
Radiation is everywhere. Our teeth have it in the enamel. I wouldn't be worried about the radiation emitted from the brass poles. It would be way to low to do anything.
I just want to point out that there IS much better quality control at the factory which makes XPole in China than most people realize as Clive, the owner of Vertical Leisure, is out there every few weeks. Knowing Clive for many years I can assure you that he is a conciencious and responsible business person who cares not only about his products but also the people who use his poles. For example, when my PS stage pole snapped in half after 3 days of use, he took the picture of my broken pole to his designer of an example of what he NEVER wanted to happen with their stage pole.
Oh and Chemmie I love you too! I would never argue with a chemical engineer about content of products but I also know how responsible you are about investigating things before you talk about it.
Pavi ·
I just wanted to follow up on this and let you know that my allergy gets actually worse with every visit to the studio 🙁. The studio I go to uses chrome X-poles and they teach about 6 classes a day Monday to Friday with occasional jams on the weekends. So yeah, a lot of pole use. Is it possible that the chrome plating on the poles is already worn off and I'm actually allergic to the material that is underneath? Nickel possibly? I had a reaction once to a necklace I bought in Egypt but other than that I have never had any issues with jeans buttons, belt buckles or watches.... And also it was thanks to this post that made me think about the whole thing again: http://twistedgrip.blogspot.com/2011/06/suffering-for-art.html Hope that some of you will find it useful. It makes me really sad as I love poling and love my studio and don't want to give them up just for some stupid but unbelievably awful itching and bumps. We're going to clean the poles thoroughly tomorrow with
Pavi ·
Sorry, didn't finish the last sentence, LOL. We're going to clean all the poles thoroughly tomorrow, with hot water and dishwashing liquid, then some alcohol. Fingers crossed for me, I hope that helps.
Have you ever tried applying benadryl ointment prior to class or even taking benadryl? I know it makes a lot of people sleepy (the down side) but can really help keep a reaction at bay. The ointment may be a great option for you....I think they make both a gel and a lotion....I would opt for the gel. There is also a product that is called barrier cream. It is used in a lot of industrial applications an also for spray tanning. It creates a thin barrier between your skin and whatever it is contacting. This stuff is non greasy. The stuff I have at work is made by a company here in Ohio. I also use it whenever I color my hair as it keeps the dye off my hair line. You shoudl be able to find something locally or online if you search for barrier cream. http://www.diversifiedcompoundedproducts.com/
Pavi ·
Chem, thanks so much for all your tips! 🌸 I'm not in the US so I don't know benadryl. But I googled it and it looks kind of antihistamine, right? I might find something similar here and give it a shot. And barrier cream is a great idea, I'll have to find out what it is called in my language and if we have it in our tiny country. My hairdresser uses hairwax in a stick when she dyes my hair. And it works great btw 🙂.
Benadryl is diphenhydramine hydrochloride and it is a broad spectrum antihistamine (which is why it causes sleepiness). If you have a chemist/pharmacist you should be able to get it there
Hi I know this topic was started awhile ago, but i'm absoutly desperate for some advice. I have a chrome x pole and i'm having the WORST allergic reactions to it. My entire right leg is a mess of red itchy swollen bumps, it's made it impossible to pole because of the pain and discofort. I have been to that brass might be a better option, but i'm reuctant to shell out £300 for a brass pole, incase the same thing just happens again!! Advice would be so so so much appreciated! xx
before shelling out money on a new pole, I suggest you a) get a metal allergy test done. It can help narrow down any metal allergies you may have to help you decide the best course of action. b) change what you are cleaning the pole with (I suggest rubbing alcohol or vodka, unless you are allergic to alcohol. You can also clean the pole with distilled vinegar.) c) change your lotions and grip aides. Unfortunately, it could be anything causing the reaction, and it may not even be the pole. Did you recently change your laundry detergent? Soap? etc?
