Wedding Ring Causes Chafing and Chapping Ever Since I Got Pregnant!

The same thing happens to me every few months but more so with my engagement ring than my wedding band. When it's just my engagement ring I just take it off for a few days until it heals. When it gets really bad I take them both off and wear my wedding band on my right hand instead. When I was fat and pregnant I actually wore them both on my necklace because my fingers were so swollen they wouldn't fit. Anyway, I've found that Eucerin cream works well to heal the chafing and it only takes a few days. My problem is the amount of time my hands spend in water and then not fully drying or letting air get underneath the rings.

Good luck and congratulations with you new babies!!!

K. - SAHM of 2 boys

Hello C., I am not sure what to tell you to do for it but it did happen to me with my class rings. I can't remember what I did to stop it but it did get better. Good Luck!

I find with the extra amount of hand washing I do since having children, I can't wear my original wedding band. The other reason is all the weight I've gained, my rings are tighter and the water gets trapped under neath. With my last pregnancy, I bought a plain, simple gold band in a larger size that I now wear everyday and the problem has stopped. I do miss my wedding band but until I loose some weight, I can't wear it comfortably.

Try putting your rings on a necklace/chain. Then you don't have to keep taking them off.
M.

You are most likely washing your hands so much more. I take my rings off as soon as I get home, wrap them with my watch and hang them all off my purse. This way when I run out of the house, I am sure to have my rings with me.

My skin got really sensitive during pregnancy and stayed that way. My pregancy even triggered Rosatia (the experts would probably debate me - but WE KNOw - don't we ladies?!) I had the wedding ring issue pop up too. I now have a sensitivity to certain types of dish washing liquid and got some under my ring without rinsing and drying well. It took 3 weeks of not wearing rings and no cream would work. It looked and itched like poison ivy but was only on the ring finger. My mom had the same issue with the same dish soap (DAWN)She now wears gloves when washing dishes and has had no reoccurance. I just take my rings off and rinse and dry real well. When I'm out of dawn - I'm going to buy a gentler kind!!

This is so me! Oh my gosh! My finger does the same thing and you described it perfectly! I'm a stay at home mom of 3 boys and my husband and I have been married for almost 15yrs. I still hate not waring my wedding rings! Here's what I am doing right now for mine...I take my rings off while I'm at home. My hands are almost always in water most of the day. We are a homeschooling family so we do all kinds of projects, chores and my youngest is 2yrs old and potty training. This translates to my hands are in and out of water a lot every day. The water gets trapped under my rings and breaks down the skin and just like you described they itch, burn, hurt & turn red but only under my wedding rings. Then I found Renew lotion (email me and I'll help you find it ____@____.com)and what a difference that makes! You wouldn't beleive it! Now my fingers are clear and I ware my wedding rings every time I go out of this house! And remember, the rings are just a symbol...you are still married with AND without your rings on your finger. =) N. R.

I had the same thing happen to me and my OB/GYN said to keep my rings in the jewelry box and put hydrocortisone cream on the red spots until it healed. I couldn't wear my rings at all during my pregnancy and it was quite a while after my daughter was born before I could wear them again for more than a couple days in a row. But I used the cream like she said and in a few months it healed and never came back :)

I had the exact same thing, and to be honest - you may not have the same cause - but once someone told me what it was, the problem was solved!

Your hands are constantly in the water, washing bottles, your hands etc. And you are probably washing with soap more than you ever have in your life. The soapy water gets trapped under your rings, you dry your hands, but under the rings usually doesn't get dry, nor does the soap always wash away.

SO - what solved my problem was taking my rings off while I washed - or moving them under the stream of water to make sure there was no soap under them, and also when drying moving them around to really dry under them!

It was AMAZING that it went away and didn't happen anymore! I just never thought about it!

C.,
My guess is that there is a possibility that you are allergic to metal - irregardless of the quality of the band. This is due that our body changed, especially after giving birth and also as we get older.

I know I've never had any problems with my skin but as soon as I gave birth to our daugther in 2003; I started to have eczema. I limit myself from taking long hot shower and/or bath.

In your case, it's better to stay away from wearing anything else and just put on an organic lotion called NEEM. It is one of the best, natural lotion that helped me from having dry, chapped/cracked skin. Unfortunately, you can only get it at Ellwood Thompson ( I am so looking forward the the opening of Whole Food - they have better stock, variety merchandize as well as the price is affordable compared to Ellwood Thompson).
A bottle costs about $7-$8.

Good luck!

- R. D

The same thing happened to me. I developed an allergy to white gold when I got pregnant. The condition is worsened when your hand gets immersed in water, so keep it dry as much as possible. I started taking off my ring at night only while I slept and putting Aquaphor on the area. Do it each night and it should help. If you're not familiar with Aquaphor, it is a WONDERFUL baby ointment (like A & D) that heals everything like magic. You can use it on yourself and your babies. Good luck and congrats!!

Along with all of the great advice below, I would suggest coating the inside of your rings with clear nail polish. This has happened to me, I thought at the time I may have developed an allergy to the metal. Along with continuous moisturizing, I coated my rings with the polish, and I have not had this problem since. Good luck!