Green Fingers

“I can’t wear copper... it turns my fingers green”

It’s true. Copper can turn your skin green. But why, and can we prevent that?

First it’s important to note - this discolouration is not an allergic reaction to copper. Copper allergies are rare and are more likely the result of ingestion vs. skin contact.

Bare copper is highly reactive. When exposed to air alone, it will naturally darken to brown.

When in contact with skin, copper can react with salty body sweat and the acidity in the oils on your skin to create a green to blue colour. Soaps, lotions and makeup can also cause the same reaction.

Since we have diverse body chemistries, we can react differently to copper. Some people have no reaction at all. Others see skin discolouration after only a short time in contact with copper. You can even have varying reactions from one day to the next.

I’m sure there are diets out there to regulate your body chemistry to prevent this discolouration, but who wants to change their diet simply to wear a copper ring or bracelet?

Too much work for me!

Here are some less drastic ways to help prevent green skin:

Clean your copper regularly with soapy water (dial dish soap is a great option) and a soft toothbrush it to remove any substance that may have been deposited on the surface.

After cleaning, dry the copper piece with a nonabrasive, soft cloth (microfibre or cotton work great)

Storage copper pieces in airtight packaging, like a ziplock bag.

If you can see some greenish areas on the copper already, soak the affected area in a little lemon juice for abound 10 min.

Rub the copper with a damp soft cloth with a little table salt (an abrasive) on it. Take care not to expose stones and beads to the lemon juice or salt, as either could damage their surface.

If bare copper has the potential to turn our skin green, why isn’t all copper coated to prevent reactions with skin?

I’ll dive into the health benefits of copper in a future post.