Elasticity of skin

Factual Questions
1

Sorry to those of you who clicked on this thinking it was some kind of porn thread. It’s not.

As you might surmise from my screen name, I have put on a little bit of weight since I was married some 20-odd years ago. My wedding band, which once fit perfectly is now too small, although I have continued to wear it.

When I take the band off (not an easy task, but can be done using a little soap) there is a depression on my finger where the ring was (think of Luke Skywalker flying down the trench of the Death Star).

My question is, if I get the ring resized, will the skin on my finger eventually rebound and resume its normal shape, or am I stuck with this trench like a tree that has grown up around some foreign object?

Thanks,
Fat Bald Guy

2

No, you’re not permanently stuck with Trench Finger. It’s actually just that the subcutaneous fat has been compressed (nothing to do with your skin stretching), and it’ll spring back. You can test it yourself by just leaving the ring off for a week or so.

(Don’t ask me how to explain this to your wife. Will she buy, “The Straight Dope made me do it”? :smiley: )

3

Duck Duck Goose is right. I have often seen these indents in my mothers fingers. She likes broad silver rings, wears 'm day and night, and changes them every few weeks or so, after she gets bored with them.
If she does not put on another ring, the dent is usually gone in 1-2 days.
Let us know if your Trench Finger “grows back” soon!