How does one deal with a skin reaction to a ring?

[ThatFraggle]

Basically the backing which holds the gems causes a reaction on my skin.

I've tried clear nail polish, but it doesn't make a difference.

I can't not wear the ring. Apart from just living with it, what can I try?

What metal is the ring ?
Is it that important to you that you get the stones set in another metal that you’re not allergic to ?

I get this too. I have wondered whether it's soap and other irritants trapped in the little indentation behind the stones. I'm letting my finger heal then am going to experiment with wearing it but removing it for hand washing. I'm also going to stop wearing it at night to give the skin a chance to recover.

Probably the soap getting caught behind the ring. Let it heal by leaving it off for a while then use bar soap ,of you're using pump hand wash they are really irritating.

I used to get this as I use lots of products at work. Clean your jewellery more often, remove at night or when showering/ bathing. If it’s v irritated, let it heal before wearing. Also used to happen more when the ring was a bit tight (puffy fingers in the heat).

I'm scared to take it off because I lose everything. I really do. I lost a phone once between getting out of the car and in the house. It wasn't underneath or down the sides or by the door. It was definitely in the car because I was listening to an audiobook. It's like things vanish.

Put it on a chain round your neck.

My engagement ring sometimes gives me what I think is contact dermatitis, it’s pretty gross and the weird thing is it can go months or years without doing it and then it reoccurs every few weeks. The best thing I have found it to use a jewellery bath cleaning pot thingy from Amazon once a week and also a tiny brush in the inside.

Thanks
Do you have a link please?

Sorry my C&P isn’t working for some reason but it’s
HG jewellery cleaning bath if you can find that

Mine do this at random too. Solid gold, fine for months and months and then super irritating out of nowhere. I'm not sure it can be connected (can it?!) but mine seems to flare when my immune system is down or I'm feeling stressed. Taking extra iron also seems to keep it at bay! Or maybe that keeps my immunity up, which helps. Random I know!

You can take it off, you know. Nobody would want you to suffer for wearing it. If you're worried about losing it-take it off in front of someone else over a table and hand it straight to them to put somewhere safe.

i’m a silversmith.

purer metals are less likely to cause reactions - but some still can. If it’s just this ring but not other items from the same metal then it’s probably more likely to be irritation from another factor - water or hand cream under the ring are possibilities.

however you don’t say what metal it is? The common culprit is nickel which is in more costume type rings.

Sometimes ring metals cause some reaction to your skin. Applying some essential oils in your skin will gives some relief. If the skin problem continues for long term, then surely meet your health care expert.

Nickel is theoretically banned in the UK and the rest of Europe from alloys used in jewellery but it's still commonly found in jewellery bought online and in older pieces.

I just bought some myself - allegedly sterling silver and stamped 925 but I tested it and it isn't even poor quality silver. I have no idea what it is and I'm actually afraid to wear it as it could be anything.

Even gold isn't safe from nickel. Pure gold is very rarely used for jewellery especially in the UK as it's too soft. It's alloyed and 9ct contains very little actual gold.

Careful if you follow the advice above about essential oils. Many are not skin safe and you need to dilute. They will probably make the problem worse