After a Ring Removal: How to Care for Your Child

Sometimes, a ring gets stuck on a child's finger or toe and you need a health care provider's help to remove it. Stuck rings usually don't cause any lasting problems when removed quickly.

A ring stuck on a finger or toe can be an emergency because the blood under the skin can get blocked as the swelling increases. Rings can get stuck for many reasons. A child might force a ring that is too small onto a finger and then can't pull it off. Sometimes, the finger gets swollen from a reaction to the metal, insect bite, or an injury. Other circular things can get stuck too — like washers and metal nuts.

Before the health care provider removed the ring, your child might have received a numbing medicine to ease pain in the finger or toe or sedation medicine to decrease anxiety. There are many different ways to remove a ring. The health care provider might have wrapped the finger with tape or string to reduce swelling, or used soap or a lubricant like oil to help slip the ring off. Sometimes, health care providers use part of a surgical glove or special tools to remove a ring.
 
After the ring was removed, the area was rinsed thoroughly with water or saline (saltwater). The health care provider examined the finger or toe to make sure that blood was flowing to it. After ring removal there can be small cuts, irritated skin, or bruising. If your child has a cut or broken skin where the ring was, your health care provider may have recommended an antibiotic ointment to prevent infection. If needed, a tetanus shot may have been given.

• Help your child to keep any cut, raw, or irritated skin clean.

• If you were given an antibiotic skin ointment for your child, apply it as instructed.

• If your child is uncomfortable, a medication may help:

  • For children under 6 months, you may give acetaminophen.

  • For children over 6 months, you may give acetaminophen OR ibuprofen, if recommended by your health care provider.

• Your child should not wear any rings on the swollen finger or toe until all pain is gone, and the finger or toe is back to normal size.

• Your child's health care provider may have recommended a follow-up appointment for 24–48 hours after the ring removal. Be sure to keep all follow-up appointments.

• Your child's pain is worsening while taking pain medication or is not getting better in a day or two.

• Your child has numbness (loss of feeling) or pale skin where the ring was removed.

• The skin seems infected; signs include redness, swelling, or draining pus.

• Your child has a fever.