You Asked, We Answered: Why Does Some Jewelry Turn My Skin Green?

Skip to main content

menu

• UNMC
• Nebraska Medicine

Call for an appointment 800.922.0000 Find a Doctor Find a Location Find a Service Patients & Visitors About Us For Providers Giving Careers One Chart Advancing Health Homepage

Get health information you can use, fact-checked by Nebraska Medicine experts.

View more blogs related to Questions and Answers View more blogs related to Dermatology You asked, we answered: Why does some jewelry turn my skin green? September 23, 2021

Question:

Some of my earrings leave green marks on my ears. How can I prevent that?

Answered by dermatologist Jennifer Adams, MD:

First of all, know that the green residue isn't harmful and can be washed off your skin with soap and water.

This can happen with multiple types of metals, usually copper. If you think about copper-plated pennies or the copper-covered Statue of Liberty, you'll notice a green discoloration over time. The green color is from a chemical reaction called oxidation between the copper metal and things like water or chemicals.

The same reaction can happen with your jewelry. Some jewelry is made of copper, with silver or gold on top. What happens is, the copper in the jewelry reacts with our sweat or lotion or other products. But it can also happen with a lot of other metals, too, it's just less frequent with those.

So what can you do to prevent that strange green residue? If you've worn off the protective outer layer, you can get the jewelry recoated with the precious metal.

You also can cover the jewelry with a clear coat of nail polish, which will prevent the metal from reacting. You do have to reapply the nail polish every so often.

Related articles

Healthy Lifestyle September 22, 2021 Is showering every day bad for you? And other hygiene questions

In this article

Providers Learn more about Jennifer L Adams, MD Services Learn more about Dermatology Need help finding a doctor?

Browse our doctors or call 800.922.0000

Share:

• Link to share on Twitter
• Link to share on Facebook
• Share via email

Stay connected with the Nebraska Medicine app

Download the app

Subscribe to Advancing Health

By signing up, you are consenting to receive electronic messages from Nebraska Medicine.

Subscribe Today

Links you might like

Healthy Lifestyle March 26, 2025 The raw food diet: Does it prevent cancer? Healthy Lifestyle February 4, 2025 Is dry shampoo safe? Conditions and Services September 1, 2023 What is a Dowager's hump, and how can I prevent it? Subscribe to Advancing Health Link activates modal Open modal window Open directions modal

Modal window

You're leaving our website

You’re about to leave the Nebraska Medicine website. The other site may collect information about your visit, including your IP address. Do you want to continue?

Open in Google Maps Close modal window close modal window