Material by Material: Safely & Efficiently Removing a Stuck Ring from a Finger
Rings come in all shapes, sizes, and materials. When you need to remove a stuck ring from a finger, the type of ring metal is relevant.
Gold. Silver. Titanium. Tungsten Carbide. And there are even some fashioned from irregular objects – ever see a video of someone crafting an engagement ring from a lug nut?
But if that ring, traditional or otherwise, becomes stuck on a finger, the material it’s made of does matter when considering the safest and most effective way to remove the stuck ring. In this article, we’ll take a look at the variety of ring materials clinicians are now encountering in emergency removal situations, digging into:
Understanding each ring material and how it impacts ring removal
Considerations for at-home and other traditional ring removal methods
Modern ring removal tools and the best ways to remove a stuck ring on a finger
A Closer Look at Ring Materials & Their Removal Challenges
Rings have changed over time, and many rings today are crafted from a wide range of materials beyond traditional gold and silver. Harder metals such as titanium, tungsten carbide, and stainless steel have become increasingly popular options. There’s also been an increase in popularity of non-metallic rings, such as those made from ceramic or silicone.
This diverse landscape of rings, made from a variety of materials, created a new set of challenges when it comes to removing a stuck ring from a finger. Different materials have different characteristics, and while modern ring removal tools are effective against all these ring materials, traditional ring removal methods are often unsuccessful when used against modern rings. Therefore it becomes important to understand different ring types, and different ring removal strategies, to ensure safe and effective ring removal.
Traditional (Softer) Ring Metals: Platinum, Gold, Silver
Modern (Harder) Ring Metals: Tungsten, Titanium, Stainless Steel
Nonmetallic Rings: Ceramic, Silicone, Jade
Traditional (Softer) Ring Metals: Gold, Silver & Platinum Finger Rings
Gold and silver certainly need no introduction, these materials have been highly valued for centuries and have been popular choices for rings. This photo of a Roman gold ring dates around 150 AD and is on display at the British Museum.
On this scale, platinum is relatively new, not arriving on the jewelry scene until the late 19th century. Platinum is considered one of the most hypoallergenic of the traditional ring metals.
Nowadays, less than half of rings worn are traditional Gold, Silver, and Platinum rings. Rings have changed, so what does that mean for ring removal tools and techniques?
Modern (Harder) Metals: Tungsten, Titanium and Stainless Steel
Titanium is among the strongest metals on earth, and titanium rings have become a popular jewelry choice. Titanium’s strength and durability are among the reasons consumers are drawn to it; although these same attributes create challenges for the emergency removal of a titanium ring on a finger - at least without proper tools.
Even more popular, and among the hardest metals in the world: Tungsten carbide (tungsten) rings are renowned for their distinct characteristics — remarkable durability, unique visual appeal, and exceptional scratch resistance. However, these same features that make these rings desirable can also present significant challenges when removing a stuck tungsten carbide ring, particularly in emergencies. Without the right purpose-built tools, traditional methods of ring cutting, which can work on soft metal rings like gold and silver rings, will fail against tungsten carbide.
Stainless steel is a very strong, durable, and cost-effective metal that has also increased in jewelry popularity in recent years. As with tungsten carbide and titanium, the resiliency of stainless steel has created challenges for patients and healthcare professionals when stainless steel rings become entrapped on a finger, and ring cutting is needed.
Stainless Steel, Titanium and Tungsten Carbide Rings: Can you tell the difference on appearance alone?
Removal Considerations: These modern harder ring metals are common, with approximately 1/3 of ring-wearers in the US currently wearing rings made of titanium, tungsten, or stainless steel. These metals are among the strongest on earth, and when these rings become stuck on a finger, traditional Ring Cutter devices tend to fail. Fortunately, newer purpose-built medical devices like the Dolphin Ring Cutter can safely and easily cut through all of these hard ring materials. Ring entrapment can become a finger-threatening medical emergency, and it is important to have safe and effective tools like the Dolphin Ring Cutter available to solve this problem.
Traditional (Softer) Vs. Modern (Harder) Metals: Correctly Identifying
Identifying a ring's metal by visual evaluation alone can be challenging, as many metals look similar. For instance, white gold, platinum, and silver can all look quite similar, while tungsten carbide stainless steel and and titanium often have a similar dark gray sheen and can appear identical, especially with a similar surface finish.
The visual ambiguity becomes even more difficult when removing a stuck ring if the wearer is unsure of the ring's material or mistakes it for something else.
Since metals vary widely on the Mohs hardness scale – from gold and silver at 2.5 to tungsten carbide at 9 – a misidentification can result in using tools that aren't sufficient.
| Ring Material | Mohs Hardness Scale |
|---|---|
| Gold | 2.5 |
| Silver | 2.5 |
| Platinum | 3.5 |
| Stainless Steel | 5.5 |
| Titanium | 6.0 |
| Tungsten Carbide | 9.0 |
Ceramic, Jade, and Silicone Finger Rings
Ceramic finger rings offer a modern alternative to traditional ring materials. These rings are lightweight and available in various colors, providing a unique, personalized look. Ceramic is brittle and can crack or shatter under a forceful impact.
Similarly, jade is a non-metal silicate mineral that is very strong but more brittle than metal. Some believe jade has healing properties and encourages health, longevity, and love.
Silicone finger rings are in a league of their own. Rings made from silicone are flexible and easily cut with a standard pair of scissors, and therefore do not pose the same issues. Although inexpensive and easy to remove from a finger, silicone rings do tend to lack the cultural foundations and other desirable attributes that attracts people to metallic jewelry.
Removal Considerations: In cases where ring cutting is the recommended removal technique, ceramic and jade rings typically cannot be cut with traditional manual ring cutters, rather their safe removal requires a purpose-built medical device that can safely cut through this material, such as the Dolphin Ring Cutter.
Considerations for At-Home and Other DIY Ring Removal Methods
Many individuals with a stuck ring on their finger will try a variety of DIY ring removal methods - many of which can fail, and some even make the finger swelling worse. While removing the ring is the immediate goal, there are several important considerations.
Relieving the Entrapped Finger: A tightly stuck ring can cause progressively worsening swelling, which can lead to a restriction of blood flow, and in severe cases Ring Tourniquet Syndrome which is a medical emergency requiring urgent intervention. The longer the ring remains stuck and the swelling progresses, the greater the risk of complications.
Ensuring Safety for Both Patient and Caregiver: It’s essential to choose a removal method that not only resolves the issue effectively but also minimizes risks to both the patient and the person performing the procedure.
Preserving the Ring's Integrity: When possible, non-destructive removal methods are considered to protect the sentimental or monetary value of the ring, provided it’s safe and feasible to do so.
Evaluating Legacy Stuck Ring Removal Methods
There are several legacy ring removal methods, generally categorized as non-destructive and destructive (ring cutting). Each approach comes with its own considerations and requires thoughtful evaluation to ensure the best outcome.
Non-Destructive Methods
Traditional At-Home Ring Removal Methods:
String Wrap / Dental Floss / Elastic Band Method: This technique involves wrapping the finger tightly to compress the tissue and then unwinding the wrap to pull the ring off. However, these wraps exert significant pressure, often causing skin damage, bruising, pain, and additional finger swelling. If unsuccessful, these methods commonly worsen the situation, making subsequent ring removal efforts more difficult. Best to avoid string wraps and seek professional help!
Cold Water or Ice: Cooling the finger can temporarily reduce swelling, making it easier to remove mildly stuck rings. While this is a common and relatively safe home remedy, the effect may not sufficiently reduce finger size for tightly stuck rings.
Lubricants (Soap, Oil, or Lotion): Reducing friction by applying lubricant is another popular at-home strategy, and this approach may allow mildly stuck rings to be removed. Be aware that forceful ring manipulation attempts can irritate a finger, which can worsen the finger swelling and if unsuccessful can make the stuck ring problem worse. It’s also essential to ensure that any lubricant used is safe for skin—for example, products like Windex, though frequently mentioned, are not intended for direct skin application.
Destructive Methods:
The Ring Rescue Kit is the only registered medical device that comprehensively addresses stuck rings for safe and effective removal through compression or safe ring cutting. Ring Entrapment is a medical problem that has the potential for serious finger damage if not manged properly. Using purpose-built registered medical devices for patient care is important, and it might be shocking to learn that repurposed hardware tools and other non-regulated devices have been used on fingers for stuck ring removal! Those approaches impose several risks:
Medical Device Ring Cutters like the Ring Rescue Dolphin are safe and effective at cutting any ring metal, including titanium and tungsten carbide, in minutes, with no heat or burn risks.
High-speed rotary tools (Dremel’s): These hardware tools are not medical devices, and the tool manufacturer directly cautions against use for medical purposes, stating serious personal injury may result. These tools require precision, multiple people to operate for this purpose, and the risk of harm is very high. For example, cutting heat generation can cause severe finger burns within seconds, and the high speed cutting disc can cause serious lacerations to either the patient and/or caregiver in a careless fraction of a second. Let’s keep the grinders in the workshop, and ensure that safe and purpose-built medical devices are used for medical procedures.
Locking Pliers (Vice Grips): Clearly also not intended for medical purposes, using these tools in attempts to shatter brittle ring materials such as tungsten carbide and ceramic is a risky technique that has been described. If sufficiently high compression forces are applied to these types of rings, they abruptly shatter and crack, often with sharp fragments being projected into the skin and outwardly at velocity. It is important to recognize that rings made of other similar-looking materials (such as stainless steel, silver and titanium) are not brittle and will deform inwards, crushing instead of shattering under high pressure. This can result in a ring being crimped firmly onto a finger, further complicating the existing entrapment. For many reasons, this Locking Pliers method is risky, subject to precise knowledge of ring material, and in general this should not be a treatment method for ring entrapment. Especially given that safe and effective medical device options are widely available for all these types of rings.
Vice Grips shattering a Tungsten Carbide Ring - Demonstration on a Mannequin Hand, with an aftermath of sharp ring fragments.
The Easiest & Most Effective Ways for Removing a Stuck Ring From a Finger
When a ring becomes stuck on a finger, caregivers have two main objectives:
1) Remove it safely, and
2) Remove it promptly.
The Ring Rescue Kit, a comprehensive stuck ring solution that includes the Dolphin Ring Cutter and the Compression Device, offers efficiency, safety, and consistently successful outcomes.
Dolphin Ring Cutter: With this device, a single person can cut through even the toughest ring metals, including tungsten carbide and titanium, with ease. It features an integrated finger guard to protect the finger and an AssureCUT Disc that completes a precise and controlled cut. The onboard computer automatically controls the cutting speed to avoid ring overheating. This registered medical device ring cutter can safely cut any ring metal, in minutes, by a single healthcare provider.
Compression Device: This device temporarily and comfortably reduces finger swelling by applying external air pressure. The cuff is placed onto the finger and is inflated to compress the area around the stuck ring, displacing the swelling fluid out and reducing finger size. This process allows the ring to be removed after as little as five minutes of compression in some cases. When feasible, shrink the finger, and remove the ring!
Removing a Stuck Ring Safely & Efficiently
While the variety of materials rings are made from is more diverse than ever, the need for safe & efficient techniques for removing a stuck ring on a finger is unchanging.
Ring Rescue innovated and created the best tools in the world, for safe and efficient stuck ring removal, elevating the standard of care.
Explore Our Solutions for Removing a Stuck Ring
For more information on our Ring Rescue Kit, including the Compression Device and Dolphin Ring Cutter, visit our website.
