Low nickel/nickel free atomizers?

[isande]

Hey folks,

I read in the thread with the lead paint test results that the metal wick in most atomizers is made of nickel foil. This is of great concern to me because I have a SEVERE nickel allergy.

By severe, I mean that five minutes exposure to stainless steel from the back of a watch (which is generally about 10% nickel) leaves me with an itchy blister the size of a half-dollar. Eating with stainless steel silverware leaves a rash on my lips. Touching a doorknob with bare hands makes my hands itchy for days. My doctor said she'd never seen a nickel allergy this severe in her life (after I demonstrated the stainless steel watch trick). My 14k gold wedding rings leave my finger blistered. I am now on a low nickel diet in an attempt to resolve the all-over allergic dermatitis I've suffered from for about the last six months. And I've given up the last few analogs I smoked each day because there's nickel in cigarette smoke, too.

While I understand that it is impossible to avoid all exposure to nickel -- which, luckily, is the only thing I tested positive for with the full patch test panel -- I'm concerned about the nickel in the e-cig wick. Nickel leeches out when wet, and while I don't know for sure if there might be nickel in the vapor, it seems likely since the wick itself is (pure?) nickel foil.

I've thought of cartomizers... I don't care for the KR808D-1 cartomizers but I'm planning to order and try out some Greencig cartomizers. These use the "mysterious hair" as a wick rather than nickel foil.

Anyone know of any regular (non-cartomizer) atomizers that use something other than the nickel foil for the wick?

--K

 

[Tom09]

Anyone know of any regular (non-cartomizer) atomizers that use something other than the nickel foil for the wick?

AFAIK, all regular atomizers use pure Nickel foam to allow for the continuous fluid film from cartridge to heating coil. Cartomizers use different technologies (but scratch KR808). Although there would still be the NiCr heating coil, the Greencig-type cartomizer is likely the one with the lowest exposure potential. So, just confirming what you had identified. Good luck with your diet.

 

[Kent C]

Hey folks,

I read in the thread with the lead paint test results that the metal wick in most atomizers is made of nickel foil. This is of great concern to me because I have a SEVERE nickel allergy.

By severe, I mean that five minutes exposure to stainless steel from the back of a watch (which is generally about 10% nickel) leaves me with an itchy blister the size of a half-dollar. Eating with stainless steel silverware leaves a rash on my lips. Touching a doorknob with bare hands makes my hands itchy for days. My doctor said she'd never seen a nickel allergy this severe in her life (after I demonstrated the stainless steel watch trick). My 14k gold wedding rings leave my finger blistered. I am now on a low nickel diet in an attempt to resolve the all-over allergic dermatitis I've suffered from for about the last six months. And I've given up the last few analogs I smoked each day because there's nickel in cigarette smoke, too.

While I understand that it is impossible to avoid all exposure to nickel -- which, luckily, is the only thing I tested positive for with the full patch test panel -- I'm concerned about the nickel in the e-cig wick. Nickel leeches out when wet, and while I don't know for sure if there might be nickel in the vapor, it seems likely since the wick itself is (pure?) nickel foil.

I've thought of cartomizers... I don't care for the KR808D-1 cartomizers but I'm planning to order and try out some Greencig cartomizers. These use the "mysterious hair" as a wick rather than nickel foil.

Anyone know of any regular (non-cartomizer) atomizers that use something other than the nickel foil for the wick?

--K

Frankly if I were you, and the condition is as severe as you state, I'd stick with cigarettes or give up smoking/vaping altogether.

 

[Vaporer]

That is some allergy. Very sorry to hear it. The SS, nickel and others are considered to be the safest and least leachable. Tom brings a good point on the coil. It's a red hot NiCr alloy. Pure avoidance seems your best route of nickel.

This may sound crazy and not to presentable in public to say the least , but the first thing that comes to mind is a glass "crack" type pipe and matches. Drip, heat and vape. Since lighters have possible nickel bearing metals exposed. Some brands may not have.

I wish you the best in your search, anything is better than analogs.

 

[happily]

If I had a nickel for everytime someone said they have an allergy to nickel, well........I'd have a nickel

 

[thewomenfolk]

Are you sure you're vaping nickel? I'd want to be absolutely sure before giving up vaping. I know someone who is highly allergic to strawberries, but I doubt she'd react to genuine strawberry vapor.... I don't know though, so I'd want to know first if there's nickel in the vapor, and if so, do your mucous membranes react to nickel the same way your skin does? Have you noticed any ill effects to your vaporing in your mouth? If not, then maybe you wouldn't get them in your lungs. You are an interesting case. Please keep us informed.

 

[exogenesis]

I think the saving grace is that it seems all the metals & their compounds
leeched by juices (from the atomizer) appear to get deposited on the
hot coil, rather than significantly in the vapour.

The down side is that every e-cig seems to put straight juice into
your mouth occasionally, so I can't see a way to avoid it.

Have you tried vaping already with a non-disposable or cartomizer,
did it produce any reaction, or are you too worried to try ?

 

[Angela]

{snip}

.... And I've given up the last few analogs I smoked each day because there's nickel in cigarette smoke, too.

If you've managed to give up smoking already, I'd stay away from e-cigs

 

[Stormynights]

I am allergic to nickel too though not as severe as you are. It is miserable. I swell and get a rash like poison ivy. I haven't had any problem vaping but my allergy is not nearly as severe. I wish you luck.

 

[isande]

Ok, let me clear something up real quick:

I've been vaping for a few months, mostly with a 901 (my favorite) but I also have a 510 and a KR808D-1 that I'm not real happy with. Before I started, I was smoking two packs a day of analogs. I immediately cut down to about five cigs a day and recently dropped the last couple of analogs.

Going back to smoking isn't an option -- there's a significant amount of nickel in cigarette smoke.

Giving up smoking/vaping entirely is pretty much out of the question, too. Obviously, if I (or my doctor) felt I was at risk of a life-threatening reaction, I'd have to quit, but it's something I'd rather avoid if at all possible.

The current situation is that I have chronic nickel dermatitis on my entire body that has been severe enough to interfere with my everyday life for about six months. Because of the pattern of the rash and itching, my doctor believes it is a result of systemic nickel exposure -- either through diet or some other ingestion. Nickel allergies (like most allergies) tend to get worse through repeated exposure and it likely only got to this point because I smoked for so long... but until VERY recently, I had no idea that cigarette smoke contained nickel!

Someone asked if there was nickel in the vapor. I have no idea, but once I get a nickel test kit (as my doc recommends) I think I can find out by exhaling loads of vapor into a glass and testing the droplets. I don't know if I'm reacting to the vapor or not but at this point, it seems prudent to reduce my exposure as much as possible... thus my interest in vaping with a device that doesn't have the nickel foil wick.

I do know that if I vape too much, the skin in my mouth peels off. This appears to only happen with specific flavors, however, and I don't know if I'm just sensitive to some particular ingredient or ... ? The nickel is suspicious in this case because it's the "acidic" (like citrus) flavors that tend to do this and I know cooking acidic food in stainless steel will cause nickel to leech out.

I'm going to switch to the Greencig cartomizers as soon as I can cough up the dough to buy a pack.

Also -- for others with nickel allergies -- please don't freak out Vaping should NOT be a problem for anyone with a typical nickel allergy (reacting to cheap nickel-plated jewelry). If you can eat chocolate, beans, whole grains or nuts without a full-body reaction, you're probably in the clear as far as vaping goes.

--K

 

[isande]

One other thing...

Some of you have mentioned complete avoidance but keep in mind that nickel is an extremely common element and it is really impossible to avoid all exposure. If nothing else, all food contains nickel. Obviously, some foods are higher in nickel than others, which is why I can't eat chocolate, oats, whole grains, beans, nuts, etc. but I can eat white bread (yuck).

So the goal here is continuing to vape while reducing my total daily nickel exposure to levels that will let me get off the steroids and antihistamines.

--K

 

[thewomenfolk]

I don't know why someone couldn't make you a PV that'll give you no exposure to nickel. And you could make your own juice to be safe, which I'd definitely do (I make mine and it's easy).

I think I know just how you feel. I might just die if somebody said I couldn't vape. So I wish you the best of luck. I'd think making a non-nickel PV would be very do-able!

P.S. Keep keeping us posted on this!