"Ring" Rash after pregnancy

[Anonymous]

Now that I am almost 6 months PP, I have developed a TERRIBLE rash on my wedding/engagement ring finger. Has this happened to anyone post-pregnancy? Did my body chemistry change and I'm having a metal sensitivity to platinum? I originally attributed it to all the new dishes I was washing with bottles, but after a week off to test, there's no change. Any advice is welcome!!

[Anonymous]

Have you been putting cortisone on it?

If its eczema, it may not go away quickly without some help (cortisone).

[Anonymous]

You might be washing your hands a lot more then you used too. You are probably getting irritated from the cleaners and water. Take your rings off at night or when home.

[Anonymous]

Yep, same issue here. I use a lot of moisturizer and wear only my band a lot which seems to help the irritation. No excema anywhere else for me either. I thought I developed a sensitivity to platinum as well.

[Anonymous]

Sensitivity to platinum? Oh NO, the horror, the horror! Form a support group!! (just kidding)

I have exactly the same thing with my rings (post babies). You can tell if it's an allergy to metal by putting some good quality clear nail polish on the inside of your bands (let dry before wearing!). If that fixes it then you are proababaly allergic. So can't wear your rings often, you'll need to keep nail polish in the fridge and for something to wear everyday you'll want to pop to the mall with DH and buy a plastic ring because you have developed a sensitivity. (My kids gave me a blue daisy with a ladybug on it for my birthday and it was most reasonably priced at $6). I wear it often.

If the nail polish doesn't make a difference then it's probably a rash/skin condition and you do need to go with the cream recommendations.

Whatever the case, I've also found that keeping moisturizer handy by sinks, in handbags, car etc is good because my rash gets much worse when my hands are dry.

[Anonymous]

Yes! I have really bad eczema on that finger, as well, and not on any other fingers. I stoppped wearing my engagement ring. I find that calendula cream and wearing cotton gloves to bed helps a lot.

[Anonymous]

I had the same problem. It did eventually clear up and hasn't returned. Not sure if it was a sensitivity to the platinum or something else. I wore my rings on a chain around my neck for the end of my pregnancy b/c of swelling and when I started wearing them again got the rash. It would get better if I took the rings off.

Good luck

[Anonymous]

Switch to unscented dove or cetaphil for handsoap and aquaphor for lotion. It's most likely eczema. I get this too.

[Anonymous]

This happened to me, as well as my sister and my SIL. No idea why. For both me and my sister, once we stopped wearing our rings for an extended period and it totally cleared up, we could go back to wearing them and the rash didn't return. My SIL stopped wearing her rings but I don't think ever tried to wear them again, although she now wears a ring her late grandmother gave her, and it doesn't seem to bother her.

Btw, all of us wore at least two rings on the fingers that bothered us -- wedding band / engagement ring combo for my sister, and me and my SIL both had stacking bands (three for her, two for me). Not sure if that had anything to do w/ it.

[Anonymous]

I have several friends this has happened to. It's the constant handwashing. I've never had the problem but I don't sleep/shower in my rings and I often take them off when I wash my hands. I always take them off when I put lotion on.

Stop wearing them for a while to give it a chance to clear up then do the same.

[Anonymous]

I had this too! Looked it up online and did find references to something called "wedding ring rash." But I didn't realize that it was a common thing postpartum. I too, wear two rings and one of them is platinum. I had it all last summer and its been better this winter. I hope it doesn't come back!

[Anonymous]

I had it too. Took my ring to the jewelers and they cleaned the ring (my home attempts hadn't done anything). There are some grooves on the inside of the band that had collected miniscule amounts of dirt/grit/whatever. I left the ring off my finger (used cream) until the rash and all traces were gone. Haven't had a problem since. (please ignore any typos - haven't had the right dose of caffeine yet).

[Anonymous]

OMG, this is happening to me & I didn't connect could be related to post-pregnancy! I have a 9-month old, and a platinum wedding ring. It keeps me giving me an itchy rash, and I switch hands, and within a few hours the rash comes back again. I thought maybe it was dirty and I took it this weekend to get it cleaned, and the jeweler said water could be getting stuck in it after washing my hands, and to take it off until hands are dry. I tried that, and still getting the rash. I know I have sensitive skin, but I couldn't figure out why I would be allergic to platinum!

[Anonymous]

I think it might be metals in general. I develop eczema after my second pregnancy, and now I can't wear a watch with a metal band. Same one for years. I think our bodies do change in weird ways.

[Anonymous]

OP here-- thanks, this is really helpful! I have sensitive skin in general, but put this one in the column of "things that happen with pregnancy no one tells you about!"
(I'd like to add MASSIVE hair loss to that list as well).

Neosporin doesn't seen to do the trick, so cortizone is next.