Why am I reacting to my rings?

[BeingATwatItsABingThing]

Since about November/December last year, I’ve been reacting to wearing my wedding and engagement ring. I’ve worn my engagement ring since 2015 and my wedding ring since 2018 with no issues at all. I thought it might be because I was doing a lot of washing up (DD2’s bottles) and washing my hands/using anti-bac a lot more and there was product build up underneath. I soaked them in soap and hot water and then used tissue to clean the underside as best as possible. They’re not flat underneath so that wasn’t easy. That seemed to help a bit. I have done this again recently and it’s just as bad. I even tried just wearing my wedding ring as it’s easier to clean but still reacting. It’s often really itchy and sometimes blisters.

I don’t want to stop wearing my rings. Anyone else had this and manage to resolve it?

Have you changed soap? Residue under rings from soap?

Yes an old toothbrush and very mild warm soapy water. Brush and brush and brush and rinse well.

Pop a little hydrocortisone cream on for a day or two only to take the reaction down. Then try again.

It's usually a cleaner or soap dermatitis reaction not the rings themselves.

It's the product getting under the rings that's doing it so remove the rings before using the products and ensure your hands are dry before putting them back on

What are they made of? If white gold the plating wears off.

You could have developed a nickel allergy.

(I was hospitalised when I reacted to a white gold ring - the plating contains nickel.)

They are white gold. I meant to add that in my post.

I’ve taken to wearing washing up gloves (hypoallergenic ones) as much as possible but I’ll try and remove my rings all the time.

I wear a ring on the other hand and don’t get any reaction at all to that one. It’s silver though and flat underneath.

You won't react to hold if you don't react to silver as sterling has a mix of metals in.

I have a diagnosed nickel allergy and don't react to either. The fact it went a bit when you cleaned then suggests it's something stuck under the rings that's causing it.

I get that reaction when I wear gold.

@GuyFawkesDay

You won't react to hold if you don't react to silver as sterling has a mix of metals in.

I have a diagnosed nickel allergy and don't react to either. The fact it went a bit when you cleaned then suggests it's something stuck under the rings that's causing it.

I was hospitalised with my allergy.

The make up of silver and gold is completely different.

I can wear 925 silver but 875 will cause a reaction. I can’t wear any yellow or white gold. I stick to high quality silver or platinum now (but tend not to wear any jewellery at all).

I was too.

It's really weird, I suppose it depends on the carat of the gold: 9ct is far higher otheretald than 24 or 18ct. The plating on white gold should by rhodium, which is the same family of metals as platinum and not cause reactions.

Other metals. Fat fingers!

I might do the tooth brush idea and take them to be recoated. The jeweller might clean them for me too.

Thanks all. I hope it’s not an allergy to my rings. I love them and my wedding ring was custom-made to fit next to my engagement ring.

@GuyFawkesDay

Other metals. Fat fingers!

Fat fingers is definitely an issue I have!

You can get them filled in so they are flat.

It would be a bit odd to develop a reaction so many years after getting them. It's possible but it's more likely that it's trapped moisture and substances under them.

The jeweller will pressure steam clean them for you if they replate them. Nice and clean!!!

@BluebellsGreenbells

You can get them filled in so they are flat.

I thought about that but I’m not sure it would work because of the style of ring. Worth investigating though.

@GuyFawkesDay

It would be a bit odd to develop a reaction so many years after getting them. It's possible but it's more likely that it's trapped moisture and substances under them.

The jeweller will pressure steam clean them for you if they replate them. Nice and clean!!!

I thought it would be odd. I’ve only ever reacted to cheap earrings and the tin ring DH bought me (cheapskate!) which turned my finger green. He replaced it with the silver one on my right hand. I’ve worn that one since 2013 and no reaction at all.

This has happened with wedding and engagement rings, I cannot wear either now and haven’t been able to find a solution.

There was a post about this the other day. A lot of people thought it might be due to using the hand sanitizer gel regularly and it getting trapped under there. Using some hydrocortisone cream might clear it up. You can develop metal allergies over time. White gold contains nickel, so it might be contact dermatitis from that.

I’m another who is most definitely unable to wear gold, but fine with sterling silver. Silver is more often mixed with copper, where gold is often mixed with nickel, so you can most definitely react to one not the other.

Looks like contact dermatitis. From damp under the ring regularly. I would either remove your rings because washing up/showing etc. And use a barrier cream often.

@BeingATwatItsABingThing

I might do the tooth brush idea and take them to be recoated. The jeweller might clean them for me too.

Thanks all. I hope it’s not an allergy to my rings. I love them and my wedding ring was custom-made to fit next to my engagement ring.

I had my white gold rings remade in platinum. The jeweller bought the white gold from me and sold me the platinum.

Thanks all! Some good suggestions and possible reasons on here. I hope it is just product build up. I’ve been using DD2’s nappy cream (Bepanthen) on it to clear up the rash.

I had exactly the same thing with my white gold wedding ring, within weeks of marriage, and had to replace it with platinum.
I can only wear sterling silver, platinum and pewter (a recent discovery when I was gifted a bangle from Robert Welch).

I had the same problem after I got married. I think part of the problem was that my wedding ring was actually smaller than it was supposed to be, the jeweller who resized it said it was a actually two sizes smaller than I though it was.

Now I don’t sleep, shower, swim or exercise wearing my rings. I haven’t had a flare-up in years.

I had this same thing two years ago, I couldn’t get to the bottom of it and it was spreading over my hands and wrists and was so sore and itchy. The pharmacist said it was contact dermatitis, I’m pretty sure it was rubber gloves that started it for me, my hands were getting sweating and reacting with the material inside.

I used hydrocortisone cream for a week or so and it cleared up. I also ditched the washing up gloves and my hands are still fine

I get this from the hand soap build up under the ring. It goes within a few days of taking the ring off. I've probably got it now under my wedding ring. But I never take that off so it doesn't bother me.