Ring Muffin Top: Is It Normal?

You’re feeling the squeeze. Or if you aren’t feeling it, you’re seeing it. That professionally sized ring that looked so good in those engagement selfies now has a bit of finger flub poking out on either side of that attention-grabbing wedding band. You’re familiar with the muffin top phenomena as a midriff menace, but you never thought you’d be battling a bulge on your finger. 

Is This Normal? 

Having a ring muffin top isn’t just normal, it’s almost universal. Everyone’s finger size fluctuates. It could be an extra bit of salt in your lunch or a dozen other factors. Your fingers swell when the temperature rises, when you exercise and when you change positions in your sleep. Medical conditions mess with your digits as well, starting with allergies and arthritis and moving on down the list. Any one of these variables might only produce an incremental shift, but since ring measurements are doled out in millimeters, even a small change makes a noticeable difference when it comes to a comfortable fit. 

Can Anything Be Done?

OK – it’s mentally comforting to know that this is a common problem. But you’re still uncomfortable. It’s not like there’s a belt buckle that you can adjust. So what’s the best way to handle a ring finger in flux? You can’t be getting your ring resized every time you go for an afternoon jog! Even if you had the time, you risk damaging the detail or degrading the material. A loose ring doesn’t sound like a good solution, either – you don’t want the ring slipping off your finger and down a storm drain during that afternoon jog. 

Finding a perfect fit for your fickle finger is almost impossible, but that doesn’t mean that you have to wear your ring as a necklace or endure an awkward squeeze. Here are a few things you can do. 

Featured: The Flex in White

Make Sure You Do, in Fact, Have an Accurate Size

We know, we know. Your finger is going to shrink and swell. But you can still set yourself up for success with a more accurate measurement that gives you a more accommodating fit. So is it better to size a ring up or down? It is easier to adjust a ring that is too large than it is to adjust one that is too small. And it’s easier to remove and securely store a ring that is a little loose than it is a ring that is painfully right. 

Select a Minimizing Band 

It might be that a snug fit means that there is a little flesh on either side of the ring. That’s perfectly normal, too, and often unrelated to how you gain or lose weight in the rest of your body. But if you do want to minimize the effect, you can select a ring with a wider band. Or you can take the same approach that you do with exercise apparel and choose a more flexible material, which is why folks with a more active lifestyle are increasingly favoring silicone rings. 

Combine Multiple Rings

Hear us out. If your finger can’t decide what size it wants to settle on, give it some options. Whether you want to slip into something more comfortable like a silicone ring for a grueling workout or the third trimester of your pregnancy, or whether you want to have an interchangeable backup at a different size, taking the multiple ring approach is possible with affordable engagement rings like those found in the Modern Gents catalog. The multiple approach isn’t just a matter of being able to swap one ring for another. If you wear a few bands simultaneously, it achieves much the same effect as a wider band, and can make a slight bulge that much less noticeable.

The most important part of this is to put your health and comfort first. If you can still remove the ring to clean it and it isn’t actually irritating your finger, don’t sweat the occasional bit of puffiness. But if it is really bothering you, don’t assume that you are doomed to a lifelong muffin top without examining your options first. We’re here to help!