Today, we’re going to talk about an un-glamorous situation that almost every jewelry lover has encountered: what to do when a ring is stuck on your finger.
Ideally, we’d all be perfect, sweat-free unicorn humans who never get overheated or swollen anywhere, but that’s just not real life.
The next time you get that sinking feeling that your finger bling just isn’t going to come off, don’t worry. Here are some tips and tricks you can try at home, and what to expect if you do end up needing to have the ring cut off of you.
What to do when a ring is stuck on your finger.
First things first: don’t panic.
If a ring is stuck on your finger and you start yanking on it, all you’re going to do is irritate your finger and make things worse. Try wiggling and twisting the ring instead. Pull firmly, but don’t force it. Relax your hand, rather than holding it rigid.
If none of that helps, then stop. You need to try to reduce the swelling of your finger before you try again. When a ring is stuck on my finger, the first thing I do is run cold water over my hand for 10-30 seconds. After that, I’m usually able to wiggle the ring off without much trouble.
If the ring is still stuck on your finger, you can try some other things to reduce swelling: like holding your hand up above your heart, to encourage excess blood/fluid to drain, or putting ice on your finger for 5-10 minutes at a time.
(The Google image results for “ring is stuck” are HORRIFYING, so we’re going with GIFs of cute things stuck in other things.)
There are also various slippery substances you can try when a ring is stuck on your finger. Soap can make the skin of your finger slippery, as can lotion or petroleum jelly. You can also try Windex; Windex isn’t just slippery, it also apparently contains some properties that will help shrink your finger slightly. (Although Windex isn’t great for delicate pieces of jewelry).
Another option: waiting. Let some time pass and see if whatever your body is doing to keep your ring stuck on your finger will resolve itself – especially if has an immediate environmental cause, like humidity or exertion.
Disclaimer: Please note that all of this advice is for non-urgent situations. If your ring is stuck because your finger or hand is injured, or if your finger/hand starts to do anything worrisome, like tingle or turn odd colors, stop reading this and go to a doctor.
If the ring is still stuck on your finger.
If the basic swelling-reduction methods have failed, there are a few more home remedies you can try.
Isn’t it fabulous?
Here’s a closer look at those daisy-like elements: you can see the tourmillated quartz inside its gold-plated border, surrounded by colorful sapphires in darker metal.
This necklace stopped me in my tracks – and led me to an introduction to a fantastic new dealer, Faerber NY. I’ll be showing you a few things of theirs and you’ll love all of them.
This little hourglass is a Georgian era French love charm. It has naughty phrases on the sides in French!
I have a weakness for spectacular agate specimens in beautiful settings, and this antique ring from Craig Evan Small is one of the best I’ve ever seen.