How To Get a Stuck Ring Off
Having a ring stuck on your finger is definitely not a fun situation to be in. You don’t think the situation is too dire that you’d need your ring professionally cut off, but you’re having a rather difficult time getting it off your finger. You’ve tried tugging and pulling at it a number of times already, and that ring is still looking pretty stuck no matter what. Going to the ER for emergency care to have it removed is certainly an option, but probably overkill. There are some easy and ingenious at-home ways you can attempt to remove your ring without having to drive all the way to the nearest jewelry store or hospital for medical care. Here are some quick tutorials on how to get a stuck ring off your finger!
What happens if you leave a stuck ring on a swollen finger?
Getting a ring stuck on your finger is not an unheard of occurrence, in fact, it is something that should be taken into account, especially when wearing a ring has become part and parcel of your daily life. Rings can get stuck on a finger for multiple reasons: allergic reactions, pregnancies, arthritis in joints, fluid retention, injuries, or even warm weather can cause additional swelling. Not removing a ring when swelling occurs can result in numbness, restriction of blood circulation, loss of blood flow, and potential tendon damage. Take a deep breath. Thankfully, there are ways to safely remove your ring should this occur, so there’s definitely no need to panic!
Should your swelling come from finger fractures or a finger injury, we would recommend skipping these techniques entirely and head straight to professionals for emergency care to have your injury assessed! Having your ring removed properly and carefully without further damaging your swollen finger or causing permanent damage to your injured finger is of utmost importance!
The Ice Method
Before trying any other technique, it is important to first try to reduce the swelling on your finger. The ice method is an easy, important first step to take that may just be enough to safely remove your ring! All you will need is an ice pack and a lubricant such as petroleum jelly, vegetable oil, cooking spray, or even butter to make your finger slippery!
1. Submerge your hands in an ice bath with cold water or a cup of ice water. The key is to place your swelling finger in ice for a few minutes. The cool water will allow your blood vessels to constrict and help decrease the finger swelling!
2. After the ice bath or with the ice pack on the finger, elevate your hand over your head and remain in that position for 5-10 minutes. Elevating your hands will allow gravity to do its job and keep the blood flow away from the swelling finger.
3. Add a lubricant afterwards, and safely tug at the ring to remove it from the finger.
Before trying any other technique, it is important to first try to reduce the swelling on your finger. The ice method is an easy, important first step to take that may just be enough to safely remove your ring! All you will need is an ice pack and a lubricant such as petroleum jelly, vegetable oil, cooking spray, or even butter to make your finger slippery!
1. Submerge your hands in an ice bath with cold water or a cup of ice water. The key is to place your swelling finger in ice for a few minutes. The cool water will allow your blood vessels to constrict and help decrease the finger swelling!
2. After the ice bath or with the ice pack on the finger, elevate your hand over your head and remain in that position for 5-10 minutes. Elevating your hands will allow gravity to do its job and keep the blood flow away from the swelling finger.
3. Add a lubricant afterwards, and safely tug at the ring to remove it from the finger.
The Windex Method
If reducing the swelling of your finger in ice did not work, there are other ways to remove a ring stuck on your finger! You may have trie using a regular lubricant, but perhaps giving the trusty ol’ Windex a chance may just do the trick!
1. Take your Windex and apply it on your finger and on the affected area.
2. Instead of twisting your ring around, gently rock the ring back and forth as you attempt to ease it off your finger.
3. Repeat steps 1 and 2, reapplying Windex when necessary.
If reducing the swelling of your finger in ice did not work, there are other ways to remove a ring stuck on your finger! You may have tried using a regular lubricant, but perhaps giving the trusty ol’ Windex a chance may just do the trick!
1. Take your Windex and apply it on your finger and on the affected area.
2. Instead of twisting your ring around, gently rock the ring back and forth as you attempt to ease it off your finger.
3. Repeat steps 1 and 2, reapplying Windex when necessary.
If reducing the swelling of your finger in ice did not work, there are other ways to remove a ring stuck on your finger! You may have tried using a regular lubricant, but perhaps giving the trusty ol’ Windex a chance may just do the trick!
1. Take your Windex and apply it on your finger and on the affected area.
2. Instead of twisting your ring around, gently rock the ring back and forth as you attempt to ease it off your finger.
3. Repeat steps 1 and 2, reapplying Windex when necessary.
Removing a stuck ring with the plastic wrap method
It’s time to get creative! You have tried the ice and the Windex method both to no avail, so it’s now time to bring out the ever so reliable plastic wrap. This finger-wrapping method is an easy yet ingenious lifehack that has saved multiple people from going through the trouble of going to the ER.
1. Cut a small portion of plastic wrap and wrap it around your entire finger and your ring.
2. Add any type of lubricant on to the plastic wrap–petroleum jelly, dish soap, oil, or butter will do–and on the ring and let it sit for a few minutes.
3. Pull the wrap and your ring down at the same time. The idea here is that the ring should budge and move with the help of the plastic wrap!
It’s time to get creative! You have tried the ice and the Windex method both to no avail, so it’s now time to bring out the ever so reliable plastic wrap. This finger-wrapping method is an easy yet ingenious lifehack that has saved multiple people from going through the trouble of going to the ER.
1. Cut a small portion of plastic wrap and wrap it around your entire finger and your ring.
2. Add any type of lubricant on to the plastic wrap–petroleum jelly, dish soap, oil, or butter will do–and on the ring and let it sit for a few minutes.
3. Pull the wrap and your ring down at the same time. The idea here is that the ring should budge and move with the help of the plastic wrap!
The Floss Method
Not a fan of the plastic wrap? Perhaps using the dental-floss method or the string method may work for you! All you will need is dental floss or some string, as well as a needle or thin tweezers to help set up the technique.
1. Slip the string or floss into the stuck ring with the bulk of it towards the fingertip. You may use a needle or some thin tweezers to help get the thread under the stuck ring.
2. Beginning at the top, use the thread to wrap around the finger numerous times, as mummifying it helps compress the finger. Continue this until you have reached all the way up to the knuckle.
3. With the end that was under the ring, begin to unwrap the thread or floss by pulling it down towards the finger tip. This way, it will allow the ring to slide over the knuckle as the string unwinds!