I'm sure it hurts or itches. Neosporin sounds like a good idea.

I had a quarter cup of bleach on the shower floor once, kneeling to clean it, when I knocked over the cup and was almost overcome by the fumes. It was like being hit in the face, though not a drop splashed on me. My eyes burned, my nose ran, my lungs filled...it was awful, just from the fumes. Took a couple days to stop coughing. I can well imagine an actual product with bleach would harm your skin.

I am now very, very careful with bleach and products containing it.

I hope you heal quickly.

It could also be a reaction with the metal of your rings. That would happen to my mother and she had to switch to silver.

I wouldn't worry about it. You might try buying an aloe plant and breaking some off and using the clear gel inside it (probably is available as a commercial gel product also). Or neosporin.

I get something like this just from water under certain rings. If I wear just a band type ring that fits more closely - or a wide ring. I use cortisone creme. I now try to remember to take my rings off when washing my hands and make sure they are good and dry.

I don't wear rings when cleaning.

Try the cortisone - hope that helps!

tina

Geez, I hope it's not because of my rings LOL! This did happen once before in the same spot but I'm trying to think if I was using bleach. Think I did.

I really should take care of my hands better. I remember when I was a kid my Mom's hands were dry and cracked at times. I always thought I'd never let mine look like that. Just use lotion I thought! Ha. Using lotion one time doesn't fix it.

It's weird it's also not the whole way around my finger. Starts in the middle and goes to the left down the side but isn't on the right side or the bottom.

Might be some dermatitis. I get this on occasion, under my ring. Come to think of it, I don't get it now that I have my new ring, but my old set caused me to get it. It was like you describe, on one part, not the whole finger.

Water really irritated it, especially if my hands were immersed, such as doing dishes, and it was worse when using cleaners. So go with a hydrocortisone to alleviate the burning/itch, and keep it dry. Also keep lotion on your hands (but avoid the finger and take off your rings for a while) to keep your skin supple.

Pesky I just did a little reading since you mentioned it and I think you hit the nail on the head! Never heard of it until now. Last night once I noticed the rash I also noticed the underside of my rings were filty! Dried lotion, probably shampoo and what not stuck up there. I'm sure that didn't help with anything. Cleaned them all up. They're white gold. Just read that platinum or titanium doesn't cause it.

I had the same problem with my wedding rings unfortunately - I took them off and let it clear up and put the rings back on and it came back within hours :( I unfortunately had to switch to platinum (teeheehee ... I mean, boohoo...)

Kwglisa - Ha, that's what I said to DH last night! :)

Shee, I have had that kind of thing under my wedding rings from time to time also. Cortisone ointment cleared it right up :)

But I noticed you said your hands are really dried out/cracked right now. I get that every winter and it drives me crazy! But I found some lotion last winter that I think you might like to try. It's Moisture Therapy Intensive Hand Cream by Avon. Someone at my church recommended it and it sure does the trick! It also stays with you all day, even if your hands get wet a few times.

Be forewarned, it's got a *thickish* feeling right after you put it on. My mom tried it and did not like that feel. But my hands are soooo dry I don't care. Better to have *gumpy* hands for an hour than to have them chapped and cracked!

Anyhoo, I hope your hands are better soon :)

Tomorrow - Oh, I have that lotion!! *hanging head in shame because I don't remember to use it much* A friend discovered it last year for me and bought me some. It actually feels feels like it does something though! My hands visually look better when I put it on. I'll make a point to start using it.

Do people that do have the contact dermatitis thing develop it overtime? Do they have the problem with all jewelry? I'm just curious. My sister is allergic to nickel and has a hard time finding jewelry she can wear. I've been wearing the rings for a couple of years now. I've also worn a lot of rings and jewelry all my life. Some cheap, some more expensive but my wedding rings are the most expensive ones I own.

With all seriousness though, hopefully it just came out because of the bleach. I'm pretty sure the last time I had it involved bleach also. I jokingly mentioned to DH last night about getting new wedding rings in platinum. You should've seen his face. LOL it isn't an option at the moment.

I had a hard time (don't know why!) *coming to terms* with the fact that I need to use lotion--I guess it makes me feel Old Lady or something, haha! What I finally did was to get several bottles and put them all over the place. I've got one bottle on the windowsill in the kitchen, one in my bathroom, on on the nightstand, one in my purse, and the most important, ONE IN THE CAR! Oh, I do also have one in the basement in the bar. If I see them, I'll remember to use them.

I've also caved in and started using gloves when I clean the sink/shower/tub. I NEVER used to do this, but it is so worth it when your skin is sensitive. I even started buying the medical-type gloves for doing the dusting. I'm 42 and I think my skin is getting as cranky as I am!

My rings have spaces under them that trap water, etc. So, that keeps the skin there wet and causes irritation. I really don't think my problem is an allergy to the metals, the rings are 14K gold and I've worn them for 21 years...although the thought of changing to platinum does appeal! I've also quit wearing them to bed--I need to let my skin breathe. I keep them in the cleaner jar overnight and rinse them in the morning before I put them on. (remember, I'm gunking up my hands with Moisture Therapy every night!)

It sounds to me like your issue was a one-time thing brought on by the combination of cracked skin and extended contact with bleach. I would not worry unless the problem continues to recur.

Seriously, the best place to put a bottle is in the car. Put some on while you are sitting at (long) red lights, or while you wait in line at the drive-through. My lotion sits right next to the car's bottle of hand sanitizer :)

FYI, if you get bleach on your skin again, pour on some lemon juice or vinegar (any mild acid will work) and the bleach will be neutralized.

In all seriousness, the first thing I had problems with was gold earrings - I could not wear them without my ears getting all puffy, scaly and itchy (that developed over time). The last time I wore gold earrings was for my wedding 11 years ago because I was wearing a pearl necklace with a large gold clasp that belonged to my great aunt. My ears were just starting to react when I took them out afew hours after the wedding and I haven't tried since.

Then about 5 years later I started having a problem with my rings. I took them off and let them completely heal and it took no time at all for me to start to have a problem again when I put them back on. Took them off and waited about 6 months and then tried a platinum wedding band (just a plain band as my other one was plain as well) before going through the trouble and expense of having my engagement ring re-set (which we did while on a cruise when we found the perfect platinum setting).

Then for my 9th anniversary I ran across the most perfect estate platinum and diamond ring ever - it's from the 30's and is a combination of baguettes and pave diamonds with a pretty filigree open sides. It was just "me", DH agreed and we celebrated our big 10 a year early. Turned out to be a good thing because I got knocked up and our son was born less than 2 months before our 10th, which went by without a peep. Dh does not just buy jewelry on command for occasions, he has to see the PERFECT piece and agreed that this one was completely me. I get a piece like once every 5 years or so due to his strict standards, haha. :)

I get that rash under my rings too when using bleach. It is contact dermatitis, and cortisone cream soothes & clears it up.

These things help me when my hands get dry & cracked:

1. dishwashing gloves for washing dishes or cleaning produce. Nothing helps as much as this.

2. When going to bed at night I rub Vaseline into my hands and let it soak in overnight. Works better than rubbing hand creams in throughout the day.

I have had the same problem with my wedding rings. Diamond is set in a tension mount and band is diamond pave all the way around. Unfortunately, while this is a beautiful look, with the tension mount and the fact that my band has small holes from the pave diamonds, water tends to get trapped under my rings. I recently bought a cigar style gold band from my jeweler. It covers the affected area on my ring finger perfectly, and I wear it if I have to go out when I've had what you are experiencing. Mine has been so red and irritated at times that I wouldn't go out socially without covering it. Cigar band ring works perfectly. My finger gets red and very, very itchy. I remove my rings for days until it clears. The skin usually ends up looking very dry and peeling. Gross, I know.

Also, another endorsement for the Avon product suggested above.

I stay away from Neosporin or any type of antibiotic cream in the event there is a yeast situation going on. I would use a good cream a few times a day and keep the rings off until it heals. I've recenty been using my morter & pestle on the counter near the kitchen sink to hold my rings while I wash dishes or whatever. I don't like using plastic gloves.

Also, I have a pair of cotton gloves that I use nightly in the winter. Lather my hands up with either Aquafor or Vaseline and put the gloves on for an 8 hour treatment. A bit Michal Jackson looking, but I've been married a longggg time, so DH is never surprised by some of my before bed regimins. Just shakes his head. LOL

Hmm, there can be a few reasons for this. Allergies to copper (in less than 18k gold); no air gets between your ring and finger (are your rings too tight?). If your rings are too tight, it may be hard to rinse the soaps, etc. from under your rings

Then again, change of season - moisture in the air, etc. Your body produces acids and the more moisture in the air may make you react to the alloys in the gold.

Most people are allergic to the copper alloy in yellow gold but some people are allergic to nickel alloy in white gold. The higher the gold content, the least likely you are to have allergic reactions. Of course, the higher the gold content, the softer the metal is and the quicker it will wear out. Oy.

I won't wear anything less than 14K on my fingers but any jewelry that goes in my ears must be 18K or I have a reaction.

Make sure your rings aren't getting too tight! LOL!

Maybe it's a copper allergy I have then because I can wear white gold (though I only wear one delicate ring that belonged to my grandmother). I can also wear any gold chains, so I think my problem is a combo of no air getting in there and something in gold. Earrings are the worst followed by rings for me.

Apart from the allergy issues, it might be a good idea to remove your rings when doing anything with cleaning products.

I used to get rashes under my wedding band when using cleaning products. Someone told me to paint clear nail polish on the inside of my band, It worked. I'd wait for the irritaion to clear up first.

Tomorrow - My rings both have that space underneath for water and what not to hang out. Thanks for the tip about lemon juice or vinegar! I'm going to pick up gloves this weekend.

Kgwlisa - Your ring sounds gorgeous! I love old jewelry. Like anything else, they just don't make it like they used to IMO. My DH is also all about the perfect piece. The interesting thing is sometimes our idea of perfect doesn't match! LOL Thankfully I like a lot of other styles of jewelry. I really like my rings he picked, we did go ring shopping and I showed him styles I DID NOT like, but if it were solely up to me I would've picked something antique.

Awm - I did the Vaseline thing last night! Actually used cotton gloves over them and my hands look peerrddy today. :)

Workin - My finger has the scaly peeling thing going on as I type this. I'll have to make a habit of doing the glove and Vaseline thing often. I also have a paraffin waxer. For those who don't know what that is it's a medium sized tub you plug into the wall with paraffin wax. Wax melts, you smear lotion on your hands and dip in the wax a couple times and put plastic bags and a mitt over your hands for 20 min. Do you think I use that thing?? NOOOOoooo.

Golddust - Oh I can't stand my rings to be tight! I normally don't have that problem because my knuckles are boney and bigger than the rest of my fingers. Yep, I sure wasn't meant to be a hand model! lol

Judiegal - A friend told me about the clear nail polish. I may try that when it completely goes away.

Thanks for all your feedback and thoughts guys!