Why Is My Gold Ring Turning My Finger Black?

It can be an alarming experience to invest a significant amount of time and money into a beautiful engagement ring only to realize that it is leaving green or black marks on your skin. Why is your gold ring turning your finger black? Is it really gold? Is there something wrong with it?

The good news is nothing is wrong with the ring, and there are definitely some things you can do to address the problem. It's understandable that you would be frustrated when facing an issue wearing such a special piece of jewelry that you spent significant time, thought, and money on. As jewelers, we also spend a great deal of our own time, energy, and resources to craft a truly high-quality product that we are proud of and stand behind. With that in mind, here are some of the reasons that could explain why your ring finger is turning black from a gold ring and some things you can do about it.

Context: 14k and 18k Gold Are Alloys or Mixtures of Different Metals

To understand the reasons why a gold ring is turning your finger black, it's helpful to know that gold is alloyed with other metals to make it durable enough to wear. It is generally these other metals (like zinc, copper, and silver) that are at play in this situation. One might think, "Then I want my ring to be 100% gold!" but this would not be practical since gold is such a soft metal that it cannot hold up to daily wear without being combined with harder, more durable metals. Alloying the gold with stronger metals allows it to keep its beautiful golden color while making it suitable to wear, even every day.

Metallic Abrasion

Something called metallic abrasion can occur when lotions, oils, makeup, cleaning products, or other substances come in contact with your skin. These products can contain hard chemicals that cause tiny metal particles to rub off on your skin, which is why your gold ring turns your finger black. You might address this by removing your ring whenever you put lotion on, shower, clean, or put on makeup, and by cleaning any residues off the ring regularly with a diluted soap solution (we recommend 10 parts water to 1 part dish soap) and a soft-bristled toothbrush. Cleaning your rings at home is easier than you might think and can be done daily. Some people also notice an improvement when they upgrade the beauty products they use to cleaner versions that contain fewer chemicals.

Metallic Corrosion

Metallic corrosion can also happen with the alloy metals in gold. This can occur more frequently in hot, humid, or coastal climates or when the ring is exposed to sweat, oils, salty or acidic conditions. The solution is similar and involves removing the ring while exercising, swimming, washing hands, or touching substances that may contain chemicals, detergents, or oils, and cleaning the ring frequently.

What You Can Do

Keeping the ring and your hands clean and dry can often go a long way in solving the problem of your gold ring turning your finger black. When this is not possible, such as in very humid climates, you might consider a gentle powder to absorb the sweat and oils on your skin. In addition, some customers have reported that anemia was a factor in gold making marks on their skin. It may be worth getting tested or talking to a health professional about taking an iron supplement or other treatment. 

Another Option: Switch to Platinum

Taking extra care with your ring is a great place to start addressing the issue of why your ring finger is turning black from a gold ring. It’s likely that trying out all of the above tips will resolve the issue for you. If the problem persists, you do have another option. You might consider resetting your diamond in a platinum setting. All of our rings can be made in platinum. While this would be an expensive solution and potentially change the color of the ring, there are far fewer alloy metals in platinum, so it is a popular choice for reducing reactions in general, including allergies.

Hopefully, this has been helpful if you’ve been wondering why your gold ring is turning your finger black or green. Feel free to reach out if you have questions for us!