How to take off a ring when a finger is injured or swollen

Sometimes it happens that our fingers start to swell for various reasons. This can be due to injury, heat, illness or rapid weight gain. In such cases, it can be difficult to take off the ring. It can also happen that we put on a ring that is too small and then lo and behold, it won't come off 🙂 . What to do in such moments and how to deal with it? No need to panic, there are different ways to go about it. We will describe some of them here, from the simple ones to cutting the ring itself. So if you need to take the ring off a swollen finger, here are a few options on how to do it.

 

With a slightly swollen finger, sometimes it helps to simply raise your hand above your head for a few minutes. This will reduce the swelling and the ring should come off the finger more easily.

 

You can also try taking the ring off your finger by soaking it in soapy water. The soap is slippery and will allow the ring to slide off your finger more easily. Gently twist and slide the ring off your finger.
Instead of soap, you can use oil or other slippery materials such as vaseline, butter, lard, shampoo or hand cream.

If your finger is very swollen, try putting a cold compress on it. The cold will help reduce the swelling and the ring should slide off your finger better.

 

If you've put a ring on your finger that feels tight and your finger is slowly starting to swell, try using string or dental floss to get it off. A length of string about 70 cm should be enough. Carefully pull the thread or string under the ring and wrap one end around the swollen finger towards the nail. Using the loose end of the thread, pull the ring slowly in spirals downwards over the joint.

You can see the illustrative instructions, for example, here:

If none of these methods work and you still can't get the ring off, you will need to have the ring cut or snipped. This is easier with softer materials such as gold or silver. But rings made of 316L surgical steel, titanium and damascus steel can also be cut with a saw or snip with suitable cutting pliers.

 

Using cutting pliers should be sufficient for narrow and thin rings. For wider and thicker rings, you will need to use a microsander to cut through. If you don't have a microsander, a hacksaw can be used. However, this is a little more difficult and extra care must be taken. Steel and titanium rings do not spring back, if necessary they can be gently stretched with pliers after cutting. 

 

This procedure should only be carried out in extreme cases and if the ring is not removable by other methods. Take extra care when doing this to avoid injury.

If you are not sure how to do this or if you suspect a serious injury, you should seek professional help. Prevention is also important. When doing risky activities, it is better to take the ring off to avoid possible injuries.

Here is a video demonstrating what to do if you need to cut or snip your ring: