Should A Ring Leave An Indent? [And Why Does It Do So?]

When we got engaged, my fiancé slipped the most gorgeous ring onto my finger, and I have to admit it was a little bit big. The worry of this stunning and precious ring accidentally slipping off my finger prompted us to visit the jeweler and have the ring resized. My beautiful ring fits snugly on my finger – it still slides around a little – but I have noticed that an indent is left on my finger when I remove it to shower or clean. In a bid to find out if this is normal, or have I had my ring resized too small, I did some research into what is normal when wearing rings, and what I discovered might just surprise you! 

So, should a ring leave an indent? A ring may leave a slight indent on your finger, even if it fits properly; this is entirely normal and to be expected. This is due to the fact that all hand and finger shapes are different. A ring that fits correctly should be snug over the knuckles yet be loose enough to swivel on your finger.

A ring may leave an indent or a mark on your finger if worn for extended periods of time due to the fact that the band is likely to rub against your finger.

You may see some slight color changes, too, owning to the ring prohibiting sun exposure on that part of your finger. 

Let us now take a closer look at the indentation in relation to ring size.

We will also look at why a ring indents and what this can all mean.

So be sure to keep reading. It’s important that you know how a ring should fit!

Ring Indenting And Sizing

As a general rule, if your ring is comfortable and when you push the band up off your finger, and there is a small gap between the top of the band and your finger; it is said that the ring fits correctly. 

If your ring is uncomfortable, unable to spin round on your finger, or difficult to remove, it is likely that your ring may be too tight, and you will need to consider resizing.

It is important to note, as mentioned before, that all hand shapes and sizes are different. 

A friend of ours has the most striking engagement ring that spins around on her finger and would seem that it is a little too big for her. 

However, her finger joints are wider than the part of the finger her ring sits on, so her ring is the perfect size to enable her to take it on and off with relative ease. 

Ring size is as much down to personal preference as anything else.

When we had my ring made smaller – I must admit that when I slipped it back onto my finger, I had a horrible panic that I had made the wrong choice. 

Having worn the ring daily for six months now, resizing it was the best choice!

I can still remove it easily; it still spins a little on my finger, but it is reassuringly snug, and I no longer have to worry that it may slip off what my hands are cold! 

Fluctuations in temperature are also likely to affect the fit of your ring – in warmer weather; the heat is likely to cause swelling and make rings feel tighter on your finger.

Your ring should fit you year-round and not just in cooler or warmer months – it is all about finding that happy medium!

There are, of course, other factors that may impact the fit of your ring, including weight loss or gain, pregnancy, and dehydration, to name but a few! 

Even a change in diet can cause some swelling (known as edema), and that can make your ring feel tight – particularly in the morning. 

Fortunately, resizing (to make a ring bigger or smaller) is a relatively simple process for reputable jewelers. 

However, it is crucial to consider that ring resizing can only be done a few times to ensure minimal restructuring of the ring itself. 

It is essential to be totally sure that when resizing your ring, it is going to be the perfect fit!

Why Does My Ring Leave An Indent?

Even if you do feel confident that your ring fits you perfectly, guess what? It can still leave an indent – mine does! 

Just like a pair of jeans or your bra might leave a slight mark behind on your body after you have taken it off, a ring might well do the same. 

Understanding why your ring is leaving an indent can be reassuring and put any concerns about the ring being ill-fitting aside. 

There can be a whole range of different reasons that a ring leaves an indent, don’t jump straight to conclude that your ring is too small!

A ring should be snug enough to stay on your finger but still, be able to move around. 

I don’t know about you, but I find it comforting that I can feel my ring on my finger, easing the worry that it might fall off! 

A ring is likely to leave an indent over time when you wear it for several different reasons, one of those being that our hands tend to move all the time, and therefore the shape of your fingers may change! 

The band of the ring will press into your skin when you are holding something or picking something up because the shape of your finger has changed. 

Totally normal!

Another reason a ring may leave an indent is that the skin cells under the band of the ring are protected by the metal and therefore become a little smoother. 

Your skin will rub against the band of the ring, and you may even notice the indent or skin under your ring is a slightly paler color where it hasn’t been exposed to sunlight, or it may even be ever so slightly shiny! 

Fluctuations in temperature or the weather may cause your hands to change shape slightly too! 

In warmer weather, our hands are likely to swell, and this may cause a ring indent or some slight discomfort when wearing a ring. 

In colder weather, the opposite is likely to happen and your ring may begin to feel slightly loose. 

It could be that there are certain activities that you participate in that can cause your ring to leave an indent – working out, for example. 

Your fingers may swell when you work out and cause slight discomfort and a tight feeling when you are wearing your ring. 

It could even be that something you are holding – a weight, for example – is causing your finger to change shape slightly! 

When I was in my first year at college, I joined the rowing team. 

I wore a ring my father bought me every day; I didn’t remove it for practice until it started to become uncomfortable. 

When I took it off, I was surprised to find that the band had warped and flattened to the shape of the handle of the blade I used to row! 

To prevent your ring from causing an indent – if you are concerned about this – perhaps remove it before working out, doing heavy lifting, or in anticipation of fluctuations of temperature. 

You could always consider resizing the ring slightly if you are worried about the indent on your finger. 

I am not too worried about the slight indent that is left on my finger when I remove my ring – I quite like the smooth, pale indent as a reminder to put my ring back on when I have finished washing or cleaning! 

How Long Before Ring Indentation Goes Away?

When you first take your ring off, the indentation may be quite prominent on your finger, a small reminder of where your ring sits on your finger! 

However, this indentation will likely fade over time, so you may be wondering just how long it will take? 

Typically, this differs from person to person – we are all different! It can also depend on how long you have worn the ring in the first place. 

Rings that I wore daily on my index and middle fingers before I got engaged would leave a slight indent for a couple of hours, and the indent would fade completely by the morning as I took them off overnight. 

My engagement ring, however, I wear almost constantly. 

Even when I sleep, so the slight indent is much more prominent and definitely takes longer to fade as it is something I wear constantly. 

Some people report that it has taken anything from 6 to 12 months for their ring indent to fade completely. 

If you are concerned about the ring indent, be sure to gently massage the indent site with the tips of your fingers soon after removing your ring. 

This can stimulate blood flow to the sight of the indent, causing the skin to swell slightly and therefore make the indent less noticeable. 

How Do You Know If A Ring Fits Properly?

Any reputable jeweler will be able to give you advice about the correct fit of your ring; if you have concerns about sizing, we would always recommend having a conversation with your jeweler. 

Speaking from personal experience, I am so pleased that we did! 

When we first got engaged, the excitement and emotion of having the most beautiful ring on my finger was hampered just a little by the nagging concern: what if the ring falls off? 

My fiancé proposed in August: it was beautifully warm and sunny, and it wasn’t until the evening when it was cooler that I noticed my beautiful ring slipping down my finger slightly. 

A week or two later, we visited the jeweler to seek some advice about whether to resize the ring or not. 

The jeweler said that we should definitely consider resizing as there was a gap of around 5mm between the band and my finger when the ring was pushed up. 

A week later and half a size smaller, the ring was back on my finger, and the fit was far better. 

It is still easy to slide on and off, it leaves a slight indent when I remove it, but the worry of the ring falling off has all but vanished. 

You know if a ring fits properly if:

• It is comfortable; wearing a ring should be comfortable. You should be able to feel it on your finger without any pain or discomfort. It can be easily removed, not this doesn’t mean it should slip off easily; it means that your ring can be eased over your finger joints with relative ease and no pain or discomfort,
• It can swivel around on your finger, not that it should swivel around on its own accord, but rather you can spin it around with ease. 

Finally

If you are unsure about the sizing of your ring, seek advice from a professional. Your local jeweler will be more than willing to help!

Particularly if it is your wedding or engagement ring that you are concerned about. 

This is jewelry that you will likely wear for an extended period of time.