Why Does Ring Turn My Finger Green?

Many people have had this experience. It feels great to wear our favorite jewelry all day long. We came home only to find a peculiar and unwelcome sight: the ring turn finger green. Why does it happen? How to prevent rings from turning our finger green? Let’s find out the answer!

Why Does Ring Turn My Finger Green?

 The Material Oxidise

Several materials are more prone to discoloration by reaction with air. Copper or copper alloys react with oxygen to form a copper oxide or a green patina. It’s harmless and wears off within a few days of you stopping wearing the ring.

Silver rings can turn your fingers green or black. Silver reacts with acid and air, tarnishing and turning black. Sterling silver usually contains around 7% copper, so you can also get a green tint. Gold, especially 10k and 14k gold, often contains enough non-gold metals to cause a tarnish.

Reaction to Metal

Another cause of discoloration may be a reaction to the metal of the ring. Some people are sensitive to any of the many metals used in rings, especially copper and nickel. Applying lotion or other chemicals to your hands while wearing your ring increases the chance of a reaction between the ring, the chemical, and your skin.

How Do I Keep Rings from Turning My Finger Green?

If you are experiencing a green finger situation, here are a few steps you can take to prevent such occurrences and better enjoy your pieces of jewelry.

Keep the Place Where the Ring is Worn Dry

Wet skin often speeds up the oxidation process and causes more noticeable green stains on the skin. Therefore, be sure to remove the ring before washing your hands and showering. Especially don’t forget to remove your rings before swimming, as the chlorine in the pool can leave green stains and damage your jewelry!

Pay Attention with Lotions

The chemicals in the lotion can also react with the materials in the jewelry, which can cause darker stains on the skin. Make sure the lotion has been fully absorbed into the skin before putting on the ring.

Try Clear Nail Polish

If you’re desperate, try clear nail polish on the inside of the ring. Nail polish is a polymer barrier that creates some protection between the metal and the skin. However, this method may change the look of your jewelry. Plus, you’ll be reapplying the coating now and then as it wears off.

Identify Metal of the Ring

Lower-quality jewelry is more likely to cause staining. However, it can happen with higher-quality jewelry as well. Always pay attention to the material present in the ring to avoid green fingers.
Stainless steel, 925 sterling silver, platinum, rhodium-plated, and gold-plated materials are all made of safe materials that are good for sensitive skin. But it can still cause some stains if not worn properly. Try to avoid nickel, as it is the cheapest and lowest quality material in jewelry and is known to cause irritation and infection.

What Do I Do to Get Green off My Finger?

If you’ve fallen prey to unlucky green fingers. What can you do to remove stains?

The first and easiest step is to scrub the skin with soap and warm water to remove the stain. Use a nail brush to provide more friction.

If that doesn’t help, you can also use makeup remover or rubbing alcohol to remove more stubborn stains. Wipe the affected area with a cotton pad, then rinse off with warm water and soap.

For particularly dark and troublesome stains, you can also use an acetone-free nail polish remover. Again, use a cotton pad to dab the stain, then rinse with soap and warm water. However, this method should be your last resort and could not be used very often. Because it is more irritating to the skin, it can cause dryness.

FAQs

Should I Stop Wearing a Ring If It Turns My Finger Green?

Don’t worry so much because the green will not hurt you. It can be moved from your fingers in a few steps. But if you care about it, you can wear a ring made of another material.

Does 18K Gold Ring Turn Finger Green?

18K gold plating is a thin layer of pure gold (75%) and other alloys over a base metal such as brass or silver. Over time, the gold plating on jewelry can peel off, allowing air and moisture to react with the base metal and create a shine. Chemicals in perfumes, lotions, and cosmetics can also degrade gold plating, turning it green or discolored.

To prevent your 18k gold-plated jewelry from turning green, you should take extra care when wearing or storing it. You can find more information here.

Does Copper/Brass Ring Turn Finger Green?

Copper is often the culprit when discussing jewelry that turns skin green. Because green is the color of copper after oxidation. When jewelry is made of copper, it reacts and oxidizes with sweat, lotions, and other products on the skin. When the copper oxidizes, it undergoes a chemical reaction that forms a green “film” on the jewelry, which is then transferred to the skin.

Brass is a kind of alloy made of copper and zinc. So yes, the brass ring can turn your finger green.

Does Platinum Plated Ring Turn Finger Green?

High-quality platinum will never turn your fingers green. When the ring contains copper, the skin turns green. While some platinum rings do contain small amounts of other metals, including copper, the amounts are too small to cause a skin reaction. If a ring turns the finger green, it is usually made of lower-quality material with more alloys added to the platinum.

Does Gold Vermeil Ring Turn Finger Green?

In general, gold vermeil won’t turn your fingers green. While sterling silver can have a similar effect to copper, the outer gold plating insulates the silver from the outside world and won’t cause a skin reaction.