My engagement ring is causing my skin to peel

Ring allergy is a symptom of contact dermatitis and is determined after examination by a doctor. Contact dermatitis is characterized by hyper-sensitive skin, which causes both rings and wearing chains to become uncomfortable.

Almost all metal alloys are not entirely pure gold or platinum. Nickel in these alloys is the cause of this diagnosis. Cells in the body of people who are sensitive to these products get rid of allergens by releasing inflammatory proteins, which leads to redness and itching.

You can contact our jeweler for a protective coating. Or order a unique nickel-free metal ring.

Kind regards,

GS Diamonds.

This is a common problem and happens with sensitive skin and moisture between the ring and the finger. I would talk to a dermatoligist about ways to treat the skin, but the main thing to do is to keep it clean and keep it dry.

If the design is wide and covers a fair bit of your finger then that design is going to hold more moisture than a narrow ring and may cause ongoing issues.

Also, give your finger a chance to heal properly before wearing it again.

Would you be able to send me a photo of the ring itself? 

Regards,

Gavin @ Gavin Fisher Jewellery

Hello, 

That's no good at all! I'm assuming you're suffering from some form of Eczema? There are two possibilities that I can think of.

1) The ring is hollow underneath and it is catching sweat, water or other fluids. If this is the case, you might need to consider having it remade to eliminate the open area underneath the setting.

2) If it is white gold the jeweller may have used an amount of nickel in the white gold? We eliminated nickel from all our jewellery many years ago as it is an extremely common allergen. If this is the case, again, you'll need to have the ring remade.

Sorry not to offer you better options! 

Sarah @ Argyle Jewellers

If you only have a reaction under the ring then this is contact dermatisis. If the fingers either side were inflamed then its likely you have an allergy.

Contact dermatitis is the most common source of irritation under the ring. If you have diamonds on the shoulders of your ring, it's likely that a small spec of soap or sanitisiser is in there and as it's in constant contact with your skin, does not dry out.

Remove the ring and have it professionally cleaned by a manufacturing jeweller or clean yourself at home with Cloudy Amonia. This is available in the cleaning aisle of your supermarket. If you can't find this then use Handy Andy as the main ingredient is cloudy ammonia. 

Put some in a bowl with warm water and a splash of dishwashing liquid and leave soak overnight. If you have an old toothbrush or baby's toothbrush you can use this to get into the more stubborn areas.

Rinse in clean water and dry with a tissue and your problem should disappear. Give your finger a couple of weeks (or as long as necessary) to dry out and your irritation to clear up. Once this has healed, you can wear your freshly cleaned engagement ring again.

Regular cleaning of your engagement ring is recommend to prevent this problem from reoccuring.