Occasionally gold jewelry will leave green or black marks on skin. Some people mistake this for an allergy but it as actually a chemical reaction. So what can you do?

The most common culprit for these green and black stains is copper. Some jewelry can be all copper, but most of the time it is a copper alloy mixed with gold. Also, some people’s body chemistry makes them much more prone to get these green discolorations. This explains why two people can wear the same gold jewelry and exhibit very different reactions.

What You Can Do

Get rid of the copper jewelry
This is the easiest solution, however, it’s also the most expensive. The karat rating of your gold can give you a good indicator of how much nickel is present. 10k and 14k gold can cause problems, but if you go with 18k or higher, you probably won’t have any problems. If you love your current jewelry even though it turns you green from time to time, don’t worry there are other solutions.

Get the jewelry re-plated
Many pieces of jewelry are gold plated with a higher copper content underneath. When this plating wears off, the discoloration can begin. Bring your pieces to a trusted local jeweler and ask if they can put a new layer of gold plating on them. As an added bonus. this will make your jewelry shine like new again!

Avoid areas that perspire
Any type of moisture, especially sweat, tends to speed up the chemical reaction. If you can, try to avoid wearing jewelry near parts of your body that sweat a lot. Also, try not to wear jewelry while exercising or in high stress situations. This should go a long way towards limiting the amount of discoloration you see.

Keep your gold jewelry clean and tarnish free
There are many easy ways to clean your gold jewelry safely at home. Read this article to find out how: 6 Ways to Clean Gold Jewelry Safely

Don’t go swimming with your jewelry
Chlorine has a strong reaction with copper. Avoid swimming with your jewelry on at all costs.

No household cleaners while wearing your jewelry
Many household cleansers contain chlorine to help disinfect while cleaning. Even in small amounts, this chlorine will often produce a reaction with your gold jewelry.

Wear your jewelry for shorter periods of time
This is mostly common sense but it should be said. The less time your jewelry is in contact with your skin, the less likely you will end up with green discoloration.

Are you getting a red, itchy rash from your jewelry?
If your jewelry is giving you an itchy rash, you probably have an allergy to one of the metals in your piece. Read this article for more info on this problem:
Why Does My Jewelry Give Me A Rash? | How To Prevent Rashes From Gold Jewelry