Recurring rash/peeling skin under wedding ring

For the last 6-8  months I have been unable to wear my wedding rings for more than 3-4 days before red itchy bumps appear (usually along the hair follicles on below my middle knuckle.)  I take the rings off and within a day or 2 the rash is gone and in it's place is dry peeling skin which usually heals within a week or so.  Again, this has been happening for over 6 months!  I am wondering if this is a fungus and if so, how do I treat it?  Do I need to apply some anti-fungal to my rings as well?  I have been married 5 years and this just started happening.  

Please advise.

Thanks!

Lindsay

[gerrisherry69]

stop wearing it till it clears up and in the summer dont wear it every day sweat can cause a itchy rash heat gets trapped then dead skin will peal off

[Bhupinder Kaur, MD]

Hello,
From the symptoms it can be sweat dermatitis or eczema skin. Take some antihistaminic like Benadryl or Claritin and apply some calamine lotion on the rash. Also do not wear the ring for some days and apply Vaseline on the rash. If the symptoms persist then please get it examined from a dermatologist.
It is very difficult to precisely confirm a diagnosis without examination and investigations and the answer is based on the medical information provided. For exact diagnosis, you are requested to consult your doctor. I sincerely hope that helps. Take care and please do keep me posted on how you are doing.

[kristi1965]

I have a white gold set of rings that are rhodium plated.  I had the same problem, and was trying to find out what to do.  I would take them off, clean them good, put triple antibiotic on my finger until it seemed to heal, then put the rings back on and the same thing would happen (a reddish rash under where the rings touched my skin).  I have a ring on my right hand that this did not happen with, and I noticed that the rash was confined to the area where the diamonds were (so bacteria could have accumulated there due to moisture and caused a form of athletes foot).  To test this possibility, I took off my rings (cleaned them and put them on the dresser to dry all night), put Lotrimin (athletes foot medication) around my ring finger, and put a band aid on it overnight.  The next morning the rash was gone, I put my clean and dry rings, and haven't had a problem since.  I hope people read this and I hope it helps.

Kristi