Several metals such as aluminum, beryllium, copper, gold, mercury, palladium, platinum, and rhodium are able to cause skin sensitization, allergic contact dermatitis, and other skin effects. Pure metals, alloys, and metal compounds have different ability to cause sensitization and dermatitis. Furthermore, many of the metals and their compounds are also known to cause systemic toxicity and cancer. The clinical relevance of patch test reactivity to some of these metals is not known. The prevalence of contact allergy in occupationally exposed groups, consumers, or dermatitis patients is also not known for all these metals. Several metals have new technical applications, which may involve skin exposure in different phases of the life cycle. Some of the precious metals are increasingly used in dental alloys and jewelry and may pose new health risks.