I think I'm allergic to my engagement ring.
@edgyk8inmomma (2157)
United States
April 27, 2008 1:32pm CST
Oh man. My fiance propsed to me on Christmas. I've been wearing this ring every day since. About a month ago, I started getting a dry looking patch under the ring on my finger. Since then it has been getting worse and worse, and now there's an open sore ther. It hursts pretty bad, and I've had to take off my ring. Now I feel like I'm not wearing a piece of important clothing. I put it back on today, even though it still hurts, just cuz I don't feel right without it.
So, anyone else have a reaction to jewlery? Is there anything I can do about it?
7 responses
@rosettaresearch (1285)
• United States
27 Apr 08
First and foremost, leave the ring off until your finger heals completely. Your fiance will understand. If you keep wearing the ring, it won't get better and you could get really sick. Obviously, your health is more important.
Second, take it to a jeweler. There may be a rough spot that is just irritating the skin. A jeweler can smooth that out.
If there is no rough spot, ask the jeweler if there is some sort of coating that can be put on the underside of the ring to keep the metal from actually touching your skin. That should solve the problem nicely. Of course, there could already be coating there, and that could be causing the problem. In which case, removing the coating and remove the problem.
@edgyk8inmomma (2157)
• United States
27 Apr 08
Thank you. Do you think I could really get sick from this? I never thought of that?
I also didn't think of a possibility of a rough spot. If we take it to the place he got it from, they shouldn't charge anything, or would they?
@rosettaresearch (1285)
• United States
27 Apr 08
You could get sick if the open sore were not allowed to heal. It could get infected. I don't want you to scare you about that. Just let it heal completely and you should mostly likely be fine.
I doubt the jeweler would charge much, if anything to check it out and help you correct the problem. If they start giving you hard time about it, simply take it somewhere that will help.
Honestly, this is most likely such an easy fix that any decent jeweler would help just for the goodwill.
@jillhill (37354)
• United States
27 Apr 08
I am allergic to certain metals....what I do is to put a coating of clear nail polish over the metal and I can usually wear it then. First though...get your finger to heal up or you could get a serious infection that could spread through your body. It's a bummer to not be able to wear your ring but I think your honey will understand...
@edgyk8inmomma (2157)
• United States
27 Apr 08
Oh, I know he'll understand. He actually told me to take it off. It's me who doesn't feel right without it on my hand. I keep touching the back of my finger to feel it, as I do often. Then I notice its not there, and freak out thinking I lost it for a minute.
I think I'll try the nail polish thing. I know it has worked for other rings.
@Fishmomma (11377)
• United States
31 May 08
I am sorry to hear your having a problem with the ring on your finger. Do you wear the ring in water? I had trouble when cleaning fish tanks and dishes, as the area didn't dry causing trouble. My finger swelled up and my doctor told me not to wear it in water. Congrats on your engagement.
@anewlevel (173)
• United States
27 Apr 08
Some people have allergic reactions to the metals in jewelry. It's happened to me before. Here's a suggestion: Take the ring off for a few days to let the sore heal up. While you have the ring off, you could paint the inside surface of the ring with several coats of clear fingernail polish. This will create a thin barrier between your skin and the ring. Congrats on your engagement by the way! Best of luck to you and your future hubby.
@edgyk8inmomma (2157)
• United States
27 Apr 08
I thought of dong the finger nail polish ting to. As I have done that with jewlery in the pasy. I guess I could go get some, since all I have is nail hardener, and I don't think I want to put that on my ring.
Thanks
@edgyk8inmomma (2157)
• United States
24 May 08
the nail polish din't work. :( I still get a reaction. I've had the thing off now for over a week and its still not completely healed. It just looks like a patch of dry skin, that is till I try to wear the ring...then it breaks out again. I only put the ring on when I go somewhere...like church or something, so its only on for a couple hours. By the time I get home its sore again.
what do I do now????
@lissavalerian (247)
• United States
31 May 08
It could be a number of different things - from dermatitis to skin fungus. I've had this happen before. When you wash your hands or use products that are wet, the ring can get wet and not get dried properly, which leaves that area under the ring as a wonderful place for nasty stuff to grow, like skin fungus and stuff (not to gross you out or anything).
Usually if you take the ring off for a few days, wash it off really well and give your finger a chance to breathe, the rash will go away.
http://au.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20080206130843AAOv5XH
http://www.mothernature.com/Library/bookshelf/Books/19/240.cfm
Good luck!
@fluffysue (1482)
• United States
29 May 08
Oh that is a shame. I am allergic to some metals in jewelry, too, mainly nickel which is found in a lot of jewelry, so I know what a pain this is. (It can sometimes be found in small amounts in silver or gold too, or it could be a different problem altogether, so I am not implying anything about your ring!:) ) I am not sure what else you can do, as I see you mentioned in other responses that nail polish didn't work. Check with your jeweler, there may be some sort of a coating that can be put on it to protect your skin. I have the feeling there is, but it may not be something you can just find on a store shelf.
Definitely do let it heal first, you don't want to let it get infected. Ouch. Good luck, I do hope you are able to wear your ring again soon, and congratulations!
