Has gold and other jewelry ever left greenish or black marks on your skin? It’s happened to most of us at least once or twice, and even though some people are allergic to certain materials, most staining isn’t caused by an allergy–it’s a reaction between our skin and the metals used in jewelry, especially when the jewelry touches areas that perspire.

Copper Jewelry. Copper reacts to turns skin green. The piece you’re wearing might not be pure copper, but it might have enough copper in it to cause a reaction, and some people seem to have body chemistry that’s prone to staining.

Sterling Silver. Sterling silver is 7.5 percent copper, but the most common stains from sterling silver jewelry are black, and occur when the metal tarnishes (darkens due to a reaction with gases in the air). (more…)

Tags: black marks, copper jewelry, gold, greenish marks, jewelry, platinum, stainless steel jewelry, sterling silver