TOP 3 reasons why a finger turns black under a gold ring + is it really dangerous?

Greetings, our dear readers! Remembering the dashing nineties, I now laugh at one story that excited our children’s hearts then. It was rumored that gold had some magical powers. And we willingly believed in it - otherwise how could we explain why the finger under the gold ring turns black? Not otherwise than from the evil eye!

And only in my second year at university, during lectures on inorganic chemistry, I learned that the reasons for such blackening are much more prosaic. Today I will try to tell you about them in detail.

Causes of skin darkening from gold jewelry

There are not many real reasons why wearing gold leaves dark spots. Conventionally, they can be divided into two groups: internal reasons, when the problem lies in the product itself, for example a ring, and external reasons - the skin turns black under the influence of environmental factors. Let's look at each of them.

Domestic

The 79th element of the periodic table, gold, is rightly called a noble metal. It does not oxidize, does not react with virtually any substance, does not darken itself and does not leave blackening marks on the skin. Yes, if marks appear in your ears under the earrings, the reason is not in gold at all, but in its “neighbors”. The fact is that this precious metal in its pure form is very soft and malleable and easily deformed.

Therefore, jewelers use it only in ligature with other, harder metals: silver, platinum, palladium. Platinoids are almost as inert as gold, but they are often replaced by cheaper zinc, nickel or copper.

If you bought a ring and noticed that the skin underneath soon began to turn black and a dark stripe appeared, most likely the product was of poor quality. So, if there is more than 50% copper in the alloy, such jewelry will soon color the skin a cheerful dirty green color.

External

It also happens that a trusted grandmother’s ring of the highest standard was sent to a jewelry salon for cleaning, and after that the skin underneath it darkened. The reason is jewelry paste and a not very conscientious craftsman who did not bother to properly rinse the product after cleaning.

Or, after a year or two of married life, the skin under the wedding ring suddenly began to darken, although before that everything was fine. If this happened to a young wife, perhaps we are talking about an imminent addition to the family. Changed hormonal levels during pregnancy sometimes lead to oxidation of the ligature. It is this process that is responsible for skin turning black with gold.

There is no need to worry about this, but it is still better to remove the jewelry: during pregnancy, due to fluid retention in the body, the fingers may swell, and soon the ring will interfere with normal blood circulation.

Changes in hormonal levels or the composition of sweat can lead to blackening of the skin in men, so if the skin under your usual ring begins to turn black, this is a reason to think about internal changes in the body or even visit an endocrinologist for prevention.

Allergic reactions occur quite often when wearing gold jewelry. In this case, the blackening mark from the ring, chain, or bracelet will be impossible to wash off with soap and water, and it will have a reddish tint. As a rule, such a reaction occurs to one of the components of the jewelry alloy or to detergents, sometimes even to ordinary hand soap.

If you wear the ring without removing it and it fits tightly on your finger, particles of detergent will remain under it. The skin becomes irritated and turns black.

Among a number of external causes of blackening marks from rings and even chains, experts sometimes name cosmetics. However, among the usual compositions approved for use in the cosmetics industry, there are no such compounds that would be capable of oxidizing traditional jewelry alloys.

That's why. if gold reacts to a change in hand cream and the skin under the ring turns black, this brings us back to internal reasons - most likely, you got a low-quality alloy.

Superstitions and signs

Another theory about the reasons for skin turning black from gold is widespread among people who are convinced of the magical power of the yellow metal. Most often, this category of gold lovers has little knowledge of chemistry. It is believed that the solar metal contains powerful energy and can protect against evil forces. Well, or at least react to them.

Therefore, if you run a gold ring across your cheek and it leaves a dark streak, it means you have been jinxed. And if the skin under a gold ring turns black, it means that it has absorbed negative energy and “notified” the owner of the evil intentions of one of his neighbors.

As an experiment, I have been running the ring over my face every evening for almost a week now - so far there is no trace. One of two things - either no one wants to spoil me, or my ring corresponds to the declared 585 standard gold.

Why does the skin turn black?

Often, when removing a ring, a dark mark is found on the finger. Many mystical and ritual procedures prescribe this phenomenon. There is an opinion that blackness on the body is a sign of a serious illness or the influence of dark forces (damage and the evil eye). Let's try to understand everyday aspects without going into popular beliefs.

Properties and composition of the alloy

Any metal oxidizes. We could stop here to find out the reasons. In fact, this is not the only factor that causes dark spots to form on the skin. Here are the main ones:

1. The presence of impurities in the composition of the jewelry. Gold is not always used in its pure form in the manufacture of rings, chains and other jewelry. Lead, nickel, zinc, and most often copper are added to the alloy. The more additives, the greater the likelihood that the skin will darken due to the oxidation of these metals.
2. The gold jewelry is fake. Unfortunately, this often happens when an item is purchased second-hand or at dubious retail outlets. In this case, the product will not only cause dark marks to appear, but will also quickly lose its appearance and may cause allergies or illness.
3. Polishing paste on the product. The coating is done to give an attractive appearance. If the paste contains substances that can oxidize under the influence of water and sweat, then dark spots will certainly remain.
4. Contact with cosmetics. Chemical components found in skin care products have a negative effect on gold jewelry, and contact with them does not guarantee that a chemical reaction will not begin, which will result in darkening of the skin.
5. Allergy. With this condition of the skin, not only darkening becomes noticeable, but also itching and rash. Often an allergic reaction occurs to nickel if it is present in the alloy.

Pay attention to where and how the gold is stored. Perhaps the reason for the appearance of dark spots upon contact with the product lies in this.

Esoterics

Mysticism is present in the human mind. And the belief that gold things give a certain signal to a person does not cease to exist.

1. Damage and evil eye. Gold is the metal of the sun. Magicians believe that if a certain ritual was performed on the owner with the aim of taking away a loved one or wishing evil, then the jewelry on the finger or neck will cause blackening on the skin.
2. A grave sin. Believers have long believed that traces left by gold jewelry remind of grave sin and call for repentance and atonement for it.
3. Mark of a bad person. It is believed that gold does not like it when someone plans to harm another. The traces will not cease to remain until the person abandons the evil plan.

However, one should not reject the assertion that health status can also signal deterioration in well-being in a similar way.

Medicine

Once upon a time, the assumption that black spots appear in sick people when wearing gold jewelry was attributed only to witch doctors and traditional healers.

However, this has now been proven by medical research. The appearance of blackness may indicate the presence of certain chronic diseases:

1. Liver and kidneys. This reaction of the body is due to the use of special medications that are prescribed to patients.
2. Pregnancy. A hormonal surge can provoke a reaction in the body, after which black marks are observed.
3. Increased sweating and body temperature leave blackness under the jewelry.
4. Radiation and exhaust poisoning also leave black marks.

Some doctors believe that any treatment - taking pills or surgery - can cause traces of oxidation.

You need to pay attention to the reaction of gold; perhaps such a signal will help eliminate the negative consequences in time. Now let's figure out what to do if blackness appears.

What to do if the reason is not clear

It happens that it is not possible or desirable to establish the authenticity of a ring, but you don’t want to part with it. Or, on the contrary, you verified the purity of the sample, checked your health, made sure there were no allergies, but the skin on your finger still turns black. In this case, you will have to put a little more effort into caring for the ring:

1. Do not wear it all the time, take it off at night and every time before washing your hands.
2. Do not use cosmetics for at least an hour before putting on your ring or bracelet.
3. Wipe the product in contact with the skin both before putting it on and when taking it off.

By following these simple rules, you will reduce the likelihood of a blackening oxide film. In any case, the reason for the blackening is not in gold, but in its alloys, and you still don’t want to wear jewelry made of pure gold.

What to do if a silver or gold ring turns black?

If your silver ring has turned black, you need to clean it up immediately. A blackened silver ring on your finger can be restored to its original appearance at home, without resorting to the services of a jewelry workshop.

There are a lot of gentle cleaning products that are likely to be found in any housewife’s arsenal: ammonia, soda and foil, food vinegar, and so on. But if you really want, you can get a special product for caring for jewelry: from the time-tested penny GOI paste to more modern and expensive cleaning compounds.

Black magic is often blamed for blackening silver on a finger. Allegedly, the person was jinxed or was deliberately damaged - that’s why the energy field protecting him turned black. Therefore, it is not surprising that the owner of the blackened jewelry subsequently falls ill.

What is most interesting is that there is a rational grain in this sign, explainable from a scientific point of view. The fact is that when a person gets sick, his hormonal levels change and his natural secretions contain more sulfur. Sulfur has a detrimental effect on silver: it becomes covered with a layer of sulfide, which forms a thin black film.

Silver ring in the SUNLIGHT catalog

Blackening of silver, especially high-grade silver, is a serious signal from the body about danger transmitted through the jewelry. You may not believe in all kinds of damage and evil eyes, but it is necessary to undergo examination by a doctor.

But if the gold ring turns black on your finger, there can only be two options, which we have already mentioned. This is either a low gold content in the alloy, or banal dirt.

Why are other metals added to gold jewelry?

999.9 standard gold is a very soft and ductile metal. And very heavy. Thus, a pendant in the form of a droplet of pure gold with a diameter of only 2 cm will weigh almost 500 g, and it can be easily scratched even with a fingernail. Therefore, in order to increase strength, reduce specific gravity, and also give gold an unusual color, other metals are added to the alloy. Thus, the presence of copper gives the alloy a pleasant pink tint, platinum adds noble white, and when alloyed with silver, gold turns green!

Not the least important factor in the choice of metals for the ligature is the cost of decoration, so often an alloy can contain up to eight different metals. It is they, or rather their oxides, that are the culprits of the blackening stripes on your fingers.

Possible consequences of black marks and ways to eliminate them

Often people, noticing that the skin on their finger is turning black from the ring, begin to worry greatly, suspecting either a defect in the product itself or serious health problems in themselves. However, other than aesthetic unattractiveness, blackening traces of oxides do not pose any particular danger if allergic reactions are excluded.

To remove the mark, just wash your skin thoroughly with neutral soap. Don't forget to wash and dry the product itself.

Bad ecology

Statistics show that people living in big cities and near busy highways are more likely to notice dark spots on their bodies from wearing fine jewelry. This is a direct dependence on the polluted environment.

Exhaust fumes, factory emissions, and smog can also react aggressively with gold and cause black streaks. Each gold item contains a certain amount of copper. It is copper that reacts to poor ecology and oxidizes, producing such an unpleasant effect as a black mark from a ring or chain.

How to avoid darkening of the skin

Rarely do dark marks remain on the neck from the chain; most often the skin under the ring turns black. To prevent jewelry from streaking, you need to follow simple rules:

1. Buy jewelry only from stores you trust and ask for a quality certificate.
2. Do not take gold with a purity lower than 585.
3. Choose expensive alloys. White gold with nickel looks no worse than with platinum and palladium, but nickel allergies are common.

If you already have jewelry that has a habit of leaving black marks, try to identify the cause. If you take it to a salon for cleaning, you need to thoroughly rinse off the remaining polishing paste: rinse the jewelry several times in warm water, and the leather will stop turning black.

If the reason is a change in cosmetics, go back to the one in which the rings did not oxidize and did not stain your fingers. Don't forget to take care of your jewelry - wipe it often, take it off when bathing and cleaning.

All that glitters is not gold

Why then can gold leave dark marks on the skin? Before you start theorizing about your health, make sure you know what kind of jewelry you wear. You may find that the gold is low grade or mixed with other base metals. Check the gold standard. If it is high, but you still notice marks on the body, think about the reliability of the company that makes your jewelry.

It all depends on the quality of the alloy, that is, on the material from which a particular product is made, and what alloying additives it contains. Gold owners may not know that they have purchased low-quality jewelry. Others, more curious, appear at the door of a jewelry store with a product and ask to check its contents.

Perhaps the main advice that can be given when buying gold items is that you should not skimp on them under any circumstances. Very often, scammers sell ordinary copper products under the guise of gold. Moreover, they are so skillfully processed that they cannot be distinguished from the original. Such jewelry will leave streaks on the skin, which is quite natural.