Does White Gold Turn Your Skin Green (Fingers, Neck, Ears)?

White gold can turn your skin green in some cases but it is rare. White gold has different other elements like palladium, nickel, and zinc mixed with gold. Since white gold needs to be given a white color, the metals must be present in the white gold alloy.

These metals may react with the skin or oxidize and turn the skin green all around it. Such reactions will be rare, but it’s still possible, especially with older white gold jewelry, as the rhodium plating may have worn down.

Some of the reasons that so many people prefer wearing real gold jewelry are that they can have authentic jewelry that doesn’t harm them in any way. It’s no surprise that cheap metals used in artificial jewelry can oxidize and turn skin green in its wake. However, can this ever happen when you’re wearing gold or white gold? In the article below, we will discuss some of the times that this may happen due to white gold and what you should do to take care.

Pure gold is hypoallergenic, so you will not have an allergic reaction to it. Pure gold is 24K yellow gold which doesn’t have any additives. However, this kind of gold is also something you can’t make jewelry out of. Most manufacturers add different other metals to pure gold to use to fashion jewelry or sell it to people who can.

One of the significant branches of gold is white gold, and in this type of gold, mixtures are more common. Thus, your skin may turn green when you wear white gold.

To see some of the most popular white gold jewelry just click here.

What Are Some Reasons for Gold/ White Gold Turning Your Skin Green?

Now that we know that gold and white gold can turn your skin green, we can just as quickly turn to the reasons behind your skin turning green. We have listed some of the reasons below:

1. Contact Dermatitis

This skin condition is one in which the skin turns green due to an allergic reaction to the dermis of your skin. It is thought to have occurred from skin abrasion due to metal. When you put on your white gold ring or jewelry, it may react with the chemicals in your jewelry or even your makeup, which can then cause discoloration and rashes.

You may even be allergic to gold. Gold is one of the heavy metals you can get allergic to; thus, you need to check your allergens before buying any precious metal.

2. Copper Content

If you’re opting for jewelry like rose gold, you should also be aware that it may contain copper. Even white gold will sometimes have some degree of copper so that the workability and durability of the material can be increased. Sometimes you may find that your skin is naturally acidic. This may be because of your diet or some of the supplements you’re taking. In any case, the copper content in your ring or jewelry may oxidize, which will result in the formation of copper oxide, which can then lead to discoloration on your skin.

This reaction can also occur when you sweat profusely or in humid conditions.

3. Corrosion of Metals

We know that there are many metals mixed along with gold. In white gold, this is necessary to add to the color of white gold. The metals are not unreactive like gold or silver are. Most of them can easily oxidize or even corrode. If you wear your white gold ring to the gym or while swimming, the metals in the ring will likely corrode. The corrosion can lead to the leaching of colors onto the person’s skin wearing the jewelry. When you sweat, your release fat and fatty acids from your skin, and thus, these can efficiently react with the metals present in the ring. As a result, your skin may turn green.

4. Anemia

Skin discoloration can also occur due to iron deficiencies in your body. If you have anemia, the chances are that you’re not getting enough iron in your blood, which can cause the pH of your skin to drop. Your skin will then react to the jewelry, and the skin can get discolored pretty quickly.

5. Nickel Content

Nickel is one of those metals that can be an allergen with relative ease. Nickel can cause allergic reactions to your skin. However, nickel will not turn skin green, but rather it will turn it black. Nickel is found in jewelry of low quality, and thus you should be careful with jewelry that has it. In the case of white gold, you want to ask the jeweler if the article contains nickel and try not to opt for something that does.

How Do You Prevent Skin From Turning Green

If you’re someone who has skin that’s too sensitive, you may always feel left out. However, if you want to enjoy the jewelry still without worrying about the reaction, there are some precautions you can take to make your life much easier. We have mentioned some of these below:

1. Apply a layer of clear nail polish to the jewelry before you wear it. This protects the metals in the jewelry from external elements like air and sweat. It’s cheap, and you can do it on your own as you deem it necessary.
2. Keep your skin dry. You don’t want to allow the water to react with your jewelry. Try not to wear jewelry while swimming or working out. You can’t even bathe with this jewelry if you want to make sure you protect it.
3. You shouldn’t apply lotion on your fingers on which you wear rings.
4. Don’t wear jewelry while you’re washing dishes or cleaning windows. Don’t expose your rings to any bleach or household cleaning agent.

Final Thoughts

White gold, or any gold for that matter, can cause your skin to turn green. The way to protect yourself is to choose articles with good quality metals and gold. It would help if you also did everything in your power to keep the jewelry away from elements like air and water.

You should also maintain your health and ensure you protect your skin from moisture when wearing jewelry.