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Severe allergic reaction after ring repair.

246204

Rough_Rock
Joined
Jul 9, 2012
Messages
6
Hi,

I'm posting this just so hopefully it doesn't happen to anyone else or at least if it does they'll know they're not a nut. One of the prong tips on my engagement ring broke after ten years so I took it in and found out the whole head needed to be replaced because it was just worn out. That was fine, the repair was fine, the problem started 6 hours after I picked up the ring. I noticed my hand felt sore, arthritis type pain, then when I tried to take my ring off I realized my ring finger was extremely swollen. Very hard to remove the ring probably lucky I caught it before I needed professional help to remove it. I am extremely allergic to wool. I didn't know until I was about 17 and wore a wool band uniform and had hives, rash, and flu type symptoms for a month.

I called the jewelry store when they opened the next day and asked if maybe they used a wool polishing cloth when cleaning the ring up and was assured that, no nothing is wool, not possible, must be something else. They use a polishing wheel, not a wool cloth. They convinced me to put the ring on my other hand because it was probably a bug bite or something else I had come in contact with. ( I feel so stupid for going along with that.) Same thing happened to my other finger, the reaction was actually worse, swelling took 3 days to go down. So I started googling polishing wheel and in short order found out they are mostly made of wool felt.

I never in a million years thought that wool would get on my ring. Finally after flushing/dousing it multiple times with hot water and vinegar it is wearable again. I was so excited to get my ring fixed and this was a real ordeal, several days of worrying I would never be able to wear it again. So if you are allergic to wool or lanolin be aware that polishing could lead to this.

Tiffany
 
!

Wow... what a scary, frustrating situation!
Thank you for sharing your story. I've never heard of a severe wool allergy before, but I'm sure there are others who have it too.
I'm glad you got your ring "decontaminated" enough that you can wear it again! And the jeweler should have known about the polishing wheel.
 
Well we live and learn.
I never encountered that in near on 40 years of front line experience.
The hard course polish mops are calico ... Many layers stapled together and cut to a round shape.
But the finishing mops are very soft layers of fabric and it is entirely possible they have a wool component.
 
Yes, that happened to a friend of mine a few years ago. She and her DH bought her a 14k yellow gold diamond anniversary band from Kay jewelers. The sales associate polished the ring and my friend's finger swelled up within hours and it lasted for days. Kay's tired steaming the ring and I believe even tried cleaning it with a solution, but it happened again. She ended up exchanging it for the same ring and Kay's did not clean it for her before giving it to her and after they soldered her e-ring to the band. She keeps it clean with a baby toothbrush and dish soap!
 
Allergy to wool, especially with the sort of reaction I have is not common. I still wanted to put this out there though for the few who have it and hopefully it might make a few people think twice before callously insinuating it's not real or possible. That is the last thing you want to hear when parts of you are twice the size they should be and your covered in hives.

Thanks,
Tiffany
 
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