How to Remove a Ring

No doubt you have, at least one or more times in your life, been unable to remove a ring from your finger.

Perhaps the humidity has caused swelling in your fingers, or maybe you have been typing all day; any number of actions can cause the fingers to swell.

There is one tried and true way to remove a ring: use hand lotion.  In the old days, soap was the preferred method.  Even olive oil works.  If you have swollen fingers, these methods may be preceded by icing the fingers to reduce the swelling. 

You may have also seen some people put the ring finger in their mouths, allowing the saliva to free the ring from the finger. 

For those who have worn a ring and have never taken it off before, any type of lotion or cream will suffice. 

The last thing you want to do, however, is to pull on the ring – it just increases the swelling.  Simply twist it as far up the finger as possible.  If it gets stuck at the knuckle, use the aforementioned methods. 

Now there are some cases in which none of these methods work.  This would require a visit to a jeweler who may have to cut the ring off.   

Ideally, whenever you wash dishes – take the ring off.  When you are preparing meals that require you to mix with your hands – take the ring off.  At bedtime, do the same. 

If you decide to purchase a ring, have your finger properly sized.  If you have developed arthritis in your fingers, you may wish to wear a ring on a chain around your neck.   

Unfortunately, as we age or put on weight, our fingers are not the same size they were when we were younger or thinner.   

Ideally, if the ring you intend to wear does not slip on the finger easily, don’t wear it.