Wedding ring rash is becoming pretty common among people who wear rings today. If you ever noticed a rash on the skin under your wedding ring, you could be having this problem. Thus, it will be good to learn about it, especially the causes, symptoms, treatment, and prevention.
This article will help prevent or positively identify a wedding ring rash and seek treatment. This will look at everything you should know about this rash type. This is a must-read for ring owners, and non-wedding ring owners alike as no one can tell who might get one. Take time to read to ensure you’re ready and prepared to deal with it.
Let’s get started.
What is a Wedding Ring Rash?
A wedding ring rash is a skin reaction that results from wearing a wedding ring. There are various causes of wedding ring rash. But the main reasons you might develop a wedding ring rash are debris buildup and reaction to nickel.
The causes of wedding ring rash can be either hygienic or allergic. It would be best to find the root cause of the wedding ring rash immediately after seeing the symptoms. This will help you know how to best deal with it and know who to reach out to for a long-lasting solution.
As indicated previously, wedding ring rash is common among ring wearers. You might not know if you are allergic to rings if you haven’t worn them. Thus, the first time you wear a ring should tell you if you are allergic or not. Then, you can take measures to prevent it in the future.
What Causes Wedding Ring Rash?
As previously stated, there are various potential causes of wedding ring rash. You can also develop a rash from wearing proposal and engagement rings. Knowing the causes of such rashes before you purchase a ring will help you stay safe.
In this section, we’ll look at some of these causes. They include:
- Nickel Allergy – This is one of the most prevalent causes of wedding ring rush. Research by The American Academy of Dermatology shows that about 18 percent of North Americans suffer from nickel allergy. If you fall in this percentage, wearing a ring might expose you to the rash.
- Improper Cleaning – Your cleaning routine might also expose you to a skin rash. Bacteria might develop on the skin under the ring and lead to a skin rash. This is especially true if soap and dead skin get trapped under the wedding ring when you wash your hands, more so if you do it regularly.
What are the Symptoms of Wedding Ring Rash?
Following the previous point, it will help to know the various wedding ring rash symptoms to look out for. Knowing the signs will help you take action immediately and prevent the situation from worsening. This section will look at the symptoms that indicate you might have a wedding ring rash.
The most common symptoms to look out for include:
- Itchiness that turns painful
- Skin bumps and a red rash
- Development of blisters filled with a fluid
Those three are the most common signs of a wedding ring rash. As you see, it is pretty easy to determine that you have a skin rash under your wedding ring. You don’t have to get examined by a professional. You can feel the itchiness on your skin or even observe blisters or red rash.
You can speak about the potential of developing a skin rash with your diamond jewelry dealer. It will help let them know if you’ve never worn a ring. They’ll sell it to you but on a trial basis. This means you can return the wedding ring if it makes you develop rashes that won’t heal.
Your dealer can coat it with another element that won’t react with your skin. Or, they can replace it with a ring that won’t react with your skin. They’ll recommend the best remedy depending on your situation. Ensure you remove the ring immediately after you notice the rash before it worsens.
How to Treat Wedding Ring Rash?
Treating a wedding ring rash is usually a medical professional’s task. However, you should also learn self-treatment methods that will help you reverse the rash. The best way to do it is by first establishing the cause. If it’s because of dirt, the first treatment will be to clean the affected area.
You can use warm water and a soft cloth or cotton to clean the affected area. Also, apply a hypoallergenic cream to accelerate healing. If you have to get the ring back on, consider putting a barrier between your skin and the wedding band to prevent further skin damage.
Also, you can consider getting professional help if there’s no sign of improvement. The best thing to do is ensure you get medical assistance within a few days of starting self-treatment. This will prevent the rash from spreading; if you have blisters, they’ll heal faster and better.
How to Prevent Wedding Ring Rash?
Similarly, it will also help to know how to prevent a wedding ring rash. One way to do it is reducing your skin’s interaction with nickel. You can use a hypoallergenic metal like rhodium to plate your ring. Or you can do it yourself by painting the back of your ring with clear nail polish.
We already mentioned what water and soap can do when trapped under your ring. You can avoid exposing your skin to wedding rash by removing your ring before washing hands. Ensure you dry your hands with a towel before putting it back on.
Conclusion
Now you know everything about wedding ring rash. Like any other condition, this form of contact dermatitis is better prevented. However, you might not know if you have it until it surfaces. The good news is that it doesn’t get fatal. You can recover quickly with some treatment options.
It is ideal to know who to consult when you have a wedding ring rash. It doesn’t hurt to pay your doctor a visit to get the rash checked up and treated. Also, you may need to talk to your jewelry dealer about your allergy so that they coat rings in advance when you make orders in the future.
