Why does silver tarnish on the body. Damage or evil eye. A scientific look at strange things

11.10.2019

Until now, the reason why silver turns black on the body has not been reliably established. Many people believe that the evil eye and damage have an impact. Is it really? The silver jewelry we wear on the body comes into contact with our skin, and at the same time, the metal constantly interacts with the sweat that is released from a person. Sweat contains a variety of salts and amino acids, including sulfur. As a result of the reaction with silver, a dark layer is formed on the surface of the product - silver sulfide.

Here is the answer to the question why silver turns black on the body. Perspiration on a person's chest is especially intense. Therefore, they darken in the first place.

Emotional reasons

Another reason, on a person, can be strong feelings, stress and other emotional stress. Nervous tension affects the work of the sebaceous glands, sweating increases, which causes darkening of silver jewelry. Silver can also turn black during hormonal changes, for example, during pregnancy or due to changes in the work of the sebaceous glands.

It is also influenced by the intake of drugs containing sulfur compounds and even a new cosmetic product applied to the skin. But if silver, on the contrary, brightens, then according to some versions this may indicate a malfunction in the liver or kidneys. This is due to the fact that in such diseases, together with sweat, substances containing nitrogen are carried to the surface of the skin. Nitrogen interacts with silver to brighten the jewelry.

Why does silver turn black, which does not touch the body

Silver cutlery and interior decorations can also turn black. Therefore, skin interaction is not the main cause of silver darkening. In this case, the environment affects the metal, in particular, In addition, low-grade silver contains a large dose of copper, which oxidizes very quickly in air, which causes the product to darken.

Mystical version

There is another fascinating version of why silver turns black on the body. She appeared in the East, which is famous for its wisdom. They believe that silver is a conductor between the world of spirits and the world of people. Through it, a person receives information from the subtle world. In the East, the state of silver jewelry and products is carefully monitored. The answer to why silver turns black on the body is somewhat different from scientific research. It is believed that the metal darkens when a person escaped a great disaster thanks to the help of spirits or his inner voice.

As you can see, there can be many reasons why silver turns black on the body, and many of them are very simple and commonplace. Therefore, there is no need to look for magical explanations for this process. Just take care of your jewelry regularly. If you still believe in the mystical powers of silver items, then you should not worry if they are covered with a dark coating. Listen to your body and observe your health. If, besides darkening of the body jewelry, there are no other reasons for worries, then the product simply oxidized from the effects of your sweat.

Jewelry is no longer perceived only as an addition to the image. Sometimes they themselves dictate which dress to wear or which shoes to give preference to. For some, jewelry is a kind of investment, for others it is a memory of those who donated the product or wore it earlier. Certain tastes have already developed in the world. Some argue that there is no metal more valuable than gold. People of the opposite opinion defend the dignity and beauty of silver. Perhaps there would be much more fans of the second metal if it were not for the particular care it requires. Without them, you will be faced with the question of why silver turns yellow. There are both quite logical reasons and explanations for this, as well as mystical ones associated with various signs.

Folk beliefs

Progress has made many of us abandon superstition. Perhaps this is correct, but it should not be denied that people tried to put a deep meaning into the signs.

It makes more sense to take them as a kind of practical advice. It is not necessary to assume that something bad will happen to you, but it will be useful to think about whether we are too careless about ourselves. Often, the frantic pace of life captivates us and we forget about our health and proper nutrition.

Here are some clues about why silver turns yellow or darkens:

Has the jewelry one wears on a daily basis turned dark? This is a sign of a health problem. Another reason may be targeting damage to it. As soon as a person begins to recover or removes damage, the silver will brighten.
If the silver household utensils began to turn black, this is a signal that an unclean force has appeared in the dwelling.

However, signs give only a mystical explanation of this phenomenon. Let's move on to scientifically sound reasons.

What is Silver

This metal occupies a significant place among the precious and is included in the group of noble ones. Its use as a material for making jewelry and other products dates back thousands of years.

The appeal and popularity of precious metals lies not only in their beautiful appearance. Since ancient times, people have paid attention to the fact that things made of them are not subject to corrosion at all, and if they were exposed to alkalis, then the surface of the products was not covered with plaque.

The secret of such invulnerability of precious metals is a high degree of resistance to chemical influences of the surrounding world. However, the silver turns yellow. Why is this happening?

Reasons for change

Experts were able to identify a number of factors that can provoke a change in the color of silver. Basically, the reasons lie in the chemical effect of sulfur and other substances on it:

Human intake of medicines, the use of cosmetics, building materials, which contain bromine and iodine. Connections that form on the surface of a silver item can cause the yellow color to appear. If you do not put the thing in order, then over time it will begin to blacken.
The presence of sulfur in the air, which is released from objects made of special rubber. These include clothing, footwear, furniture fittings.
A reaction that occurs when exposed to sulfur compounds. Their presence in air masses often leads to the fact that they mix with precipitation, for example rain, forming acids. If they get on a silver item, it negatively affects its condition.

Why does silver turn yellow on the body? The reason for this phenomenon may be the presence of sulfur compounds in the surrounding household items: cardboard, packaging paper, clothing. They do not disintegrate, but after a while they begin to stand out into the air. By settling on silver, they provoke the formation of a yellow plaque.
Contact between sulfur and sodium thiosulfate can also change the color of the jewelry. It is the second component that is often present in the composition of food products. It acts as an oxidizing agent or complexing agent. It can also be used in the textile industry.
If you are wondering why silver turns yellow and what it means, take into account that a lot of industrial waste is thrown into the air every day. They can cause discoloration of the product.

However, not only because of sulfur and its contact with other substances, the color of this noble metal changes. There are a couple more reasons that can also affect this.

Why does silver turn yellow on a person? The reason sometimes lies in human health problems. Sweat, breath and other secretions from our body contribute to the formation of yellow plaque.
Broken silver is a sign that the item may be of poor quality. There are unscrupulous manufacturers of dishes and jewelry who pass off as silver a fake of copper and bronze. In order to make sure of the authenticity of the metal, it is worth giving it for examination.

Don't put off cleaning your silver for too long. If you notice a yellow coating on the surface of the product, you need to urgently clean it. Subsequently, it will darken until the metal is completely blackened. Then it will be quite difficult to return it to its original appearance, and you risk losing your favorite thing.

Metal purity

In order not to worry about whether you have real silver in the future, you should pay special attention to its choice. Purchase products only from trusted brands or jewelers. In factories, the metal is purified in a special way in order to minimize the amount of impurities.

However, looking for the purest possible silver does not mean completely protecting yourself from problems with it. In this case, another disadvantage may arise - the excessive fragility of the metal. Yes, you will save yourself from looking for an answer to the question of why silver turns yellow on your finger, but the jewelry can simply break or bend. That is why manufacturers mix this metal with others: gold, platinum or nickel.

Several rules of care

Having learned why silver turns yellow, you can at least partially avoid this, but it is worth remembering the rules for caring for this material, which will help keep the appearance of your favorite things longer.

It is necessary to store jewelry in a wooden, tightly closing box, inside which there will be a natural linen made of cotton or linen. After using a silver product, it should be washed well with warm water and soap or baking soda. Wipe down items from time to time with a flannel cloth to avoid plaque build-up.

You can clean your jewelry using lipstick. She lubricates the product, and then wipe it with a cotton pad. Another effective remedy is toothpaste.

Conclusion

Jewelry and other items made of precious metals do not cease to please the eye to this day. However, it is possible to preserve their appearance only by mastering a simple but necessary care for them. Then any product will look luxurious.

Silverware has always been in vogue. Chains were especially popular with the guys. But over time, the product becomes covered with a black coating. To minimize this problem in the future, you need to understand the causes. Why does silver turn black, especially on the human body? How and how to cleanse silver from blackness at home?

Reasons why silver darkens

There are many versions of what the alloy can darken. Popular beliefs say that blackened silver is bad news. Someone could damage or jinx a person. And as soon as the damage loses its strength, its natural color will return. The story tells about the secret power of this alloy, which protects against troubles and takes the whole blow upon itself. Medicine, in turn, says that the reason lies in human health, and darkening through certain chemical processes interacting with bacteria. Science sees the reason for the presence of sulfur, from which silver comes into contact. Let's take a closer look at what are the real reasons that silver darkens.

Superstition

If the cross on the neck has darkened, then someone has inflicted damage or a curse. The stronger the darkening, the more powerful the spells. It is necessary to monitor the color of the decoration, as soon as it becomes natural, everything fell into place and the damage was removed. According to legend, you can feel how life is losing color, everything becomes gray and mundane. For no reason, someone's presence is felt. Silver items take the blow and protect their owner, therefore they turn black. Under such circumstances, the question of how to bleach silver is not even close.

Before all that has been said, it should be added that a person who experiences similar symptoms is most likely depressed. Silver is useless here, just a coincidence. Metal does not care who has what opinion about its owner. And all the stories in which for some reason our people still believe are from paganism. People still cannot refuse. And this despite the fact that everyone goes to church and considers themselves Christians. It's a shame when belief in prejudice is stronger than in God.

Health problems

This reason can be attributed to folk knowledge. The bottom line is that darkened silver indicates poor health. Such a symptom was noticed a very long time ago, and part of the disease may indeed be related. The bottom line is that the body constantly secretes sweat. In winter, it is practically invisible, and in summer there is a lot of it. During illness, sweating increases significantly, especially when the temperature rises. Sweat contains particles of sulfur, which, when in contact with silver, cause blackening. This is not mysticism, but a common chemical process.

One might think, if sweat is constantly released, why did the silver cross turn black on the body precisely during the illness? The reason is that there is profuse sweating during this period. On other days, it also affects, but more slowly, so the darkening comes gradually. Does this mean that the organism is to blame? No, sulfur and oxygen are more likely to blame.

The science

In fact, the reasons for the darkening of silver are understandable and do not contain any mysticism. When exposed to oxygen, the metal enters into a chemical reaction with sulfur-containing compounds. This process is also called oxidation. The color of the surface changes due to the dark layer of silver sulfide formed as a result of the reactions.

Products can darken not only on humans. Hydrogen sulfide is often contained in the air itself. But the most common reason is precisely interaction with sweat.

What enhances silver oxidation

Oxidation can occur gradually, at first it is not even noticeable. But at the same time, there are factors that can speed up the process at times. Knowing them, you can avoid problems and keep the presentable look of the jewelry.

Low sample and impurities

Premature darkening can occur due to the discrepancy between the silver sample. In other words, it is a defective alloy. Each sample has a specific recipe according to which it is made. If some metal in the alloy is more than what it should be, then the silver is not of high quality.

Another reason is the low sample. Jewelry is almost always made of 925 sterling silver. Therefore, they are less prone to blackening. Cutlery 875, they have more copper and, accordingly, the tendency to discoloration is increased.

It is worth adding to the protection of manufacturers, silver without impurities will not have strength and easily loses its shape. Therefore, it is necessary to make an alloy from different metals.

High air humidity

You can see that silver darkens faster when it rains, showers, or goes to the pool or sauna. This is due to the fact that the body sweats, and the sweat itself evaporates much more slowly. There is enough moisture in the air. Therefore, the number of sirs on the body is growing, to which the pectoral cross and other silver items quickly react.

It should be added that in addition to black, the alloy can acquire a light color. This is due to the nitrates present in the skin. Mainly, the process of destruction of silver sulfide takes place at low humidity.

How and what to clean?

The good news is that you can clean the blackness of silver at home. But it is better not to do this with expensive products and precious stones. In this case, it is better to bring it to a good jewelry shop.

Cleaning products

Silver also comes in different types. The method of cleaning is chosen depending on them. In jewelry stores they provide a large selection of various preparations for cleaning all popular types of precious metals. There you can also consult and buy suitable products. The only caveat, do not try to clean the blackened silver, entrust it to the master. It can quickly lose its appearance through a shabby surface. Chances are, you have matte silver and must be cleaned carefully as the surface could be damaged.

Folk recipes

Tooth powder and paste are highly effective. See what is in your home. Be very careful with the powder so as not to scratch the surface. It is applied in a small amount to a soft, damp cloth and gently cleaned. Attention, toothpaste is corrosive to the soft surface of silver, so be careful.

Liquid ammonia will quickly get rid of blackness. To do this, the object must be completely lowered inward for a short time, removed and wiped with a damp cloth.

Another way is as follows, add 2 tablespoons of ammonia per liter of water. You can add a little hydrogen peroxide or soap to enhance it. Immerse the item for 10-20 minutes, after the procedure it will be much easier to clean.

If you just need to wash off black plaque, you can make a soap solution. To obtain it, the soap shavings are dissolved in warm water. You can even immerse silver overnight.

How to prevent darkening of silver

It is impossible to get rid of black bloom from silver forever. This is its nature. Adhering to the recommendations, you can postpone this moment as much as possible.

Silver alloy is afraid of moisture, so it must be protected from it. Shoot before going to the shower, steam room, bath, or gym. Jewelry is not meant to be worn every day, keep this in mind and only wear it on certain occasions. Do not get carried away with cleaning, which is not great.

After cleaning the silver, leave it in the fresh air for at least 1-2 days. This time is enough for the formation of a protective oxide film, which will prevent the plaque from returning quickly. You can also use rhodium plating, which retains the mirror shine and natural color of the product for a long time. It is not uncommon for the surface to be coated with a protective varnish; in such conditions, there is no need to bleach the silver.

Silver is a ductile and generous metal. It is understandable to people since ancient times and is intensively used for the production of various jewelry, coins and the rest. Most of the ladies and guys adore decorating themselves using beautiful silver items, but from time to time they are disappointed with one thing - a change in the color of their beloved ring, chain or earrings. Then a logical question arises: why does silver jewelry blacken when worn on the body? Usually there is no visible circumstance for this, but color changes still occur regardless of the prescription of the purchase of the product or its cleaning.

Common signs and beliefs

Because the population of the earth has long since found out about the different properties of silver, it is often used in religious rituals. It is clear that metal ions destroy bacteria, which is why silver cutlery is highly prized.

In most cases, to the question of why this generous metal darkens on the body, folk wisdom gives one logical answer - damage. In other words, if, for example, the ring on the finger of a lady or a young girl has darkened, it means that she is wearing a celibacy crown. Changed the color of the earrings put into the ears - a strong evil eye occurred. Suddenly the cross on the body darkened - it’s even creepy to think about it.

Also, silver is often used in their own rituals by snow-white and dark sorcerers. Products made from it are considered the best way to recognize witches, werewolves and vampires. According to legend, if silver touches the skin of these creatures, then severe burns will remain on it.

In the East, it is believed that a person's silver decorations darken at certain moments when he successfully managed to avoid severe problems.

Generous metal is a massive talisman against evil spirits and vile people, and it turns black, therefore, that it is able to absorb all the negative effects of the world around us.

In most cases, products change color, which look like closed circuits: bracelets, rings, chains or pendants with pointed elements. This is justified by the fact that such decorations close the channels connecting the human energy field with the energy of the narrow world.

It is only natural that many people believe similar interpretations and have every right to do so, but there is a harsher, scientifically based explanation of why the color of silver changes.

Chem reaction

Virtually all of the silver decorations that people are used to wearing on their bodies contain copper. Under the influence of sweat, wet air and other external reasons, copper begins to oxidize, despite the fact that silver itself is a generous metal.

Water or wet air also contributes to the formation of plaque on the surface of the decoration, which is evenly compacted, which leads to its darkening.

Internal processes in the body can also have a significant impact, especially those people who wear silver items on their bodies all the time.

External prerequisites can also affect how rapidly a generous metal can turn black. These include a change in weather criteria, an increase in air humidity, and the ingress of various chemicals on the scenery.

Configurations in the body

If in a person not all the decorations turn black, but only some, this means that it is not only external factors, but in the body itself. Accordingly, there can be a lot of reasons why silver changes its own color. But you do not need to immediately beat the alarm, it is better to listen to your own physical condition and direct attention to which specific sets have darkened.

The largest number of sebaceous glands is located on a person's chest, therefore, with prolonged contact with the body, pendants and chains first turn black. This process is caused by excessive sweating. The darkening of such jewelry is usually caused by hormonal changes in the body. For example, among pregnant women and adolescents during the period of maturation, jewelry decorations rapidly lose their initial color. With all this, configurations can occur very rapidly, in almost a certain number of days.

Another reason for darkening silver can be attributed to strong sensory stress, stress or anxiety. All these conditions affect the work of the sebaceous glands, therefore, sweating increases, and silver darkens. Also, a prerequisite may be taking a medicine that contains sulfur compounds.

Violation of the work of internal organs

There is another version that explains the change in the color of silver items - the incorrect functioning of the liver or kidneys. The lightening of the metal can also indicate this problem. In this case, nitrogen-containing substances are released together with later, which can give the silver shine. The difficulties of the nervous system can also affect and lead to the fact that the scenery will darken. If jewelry changes color on certain parts of the body, this indicates changes in the endocrine system.

There are also more common explanations of the color configurations of silver jewelry: heat, physical activity, the effect of certain chemical compounds. Therefore, it is better not to play sports and not go to the bathhouse in products made of this generous metal, which will help to preserve their initial appearance for a longer time. In this case, if these measures do not help and the silver still darkens, you should pay special attention to your own health.

Everyone at least once in their life has come across a situation when a black coating appears over time on silver jewelry. Of course, you can get rid of it by cleaning the silver with tooth powder, paste or wiping it with a special solution, but why does it appear at all? Why do silver jewelry blacken on a human body?

Chemical interaction

If we consider blackening from the point of view of chemical processes, then silver, like many other metals, is susceptible to oxidation. The whole "secret" of blackening lies in the interaction of silver with another chemical element - sulfur. It is found in human sweat, water, air and cosmetics.

Since the composition of sweat is individual for each person, the same silver jewelry on someone may turn black in a few days, and on another it will not blacken at all, or it will darken quite a bit after a long period of time.

First, a thin gray film appears on a silver item after interaction with sulfur, and after a while it darkens.

The darkening of silver and the speed of this process also depends on the composition of the jewelry. Neither gold nor silver is used in pure form to create jewelry, since these metals are very soft and easily deformable. That is why various metals are added to the alloy, for example, platinum, gold, copper, zinc and others. And the less pure silver is in the composition, the more it is subject to oxidation.

The globally accepted share of silver in alloys for making jewelry is 92.5%, that is, the usual 925th test for us. This alloy is optimally suited for jewelry making and is slightly oxidized.

In addition, silver can turn black very quickly after contact with various household chemicals or products, for example, onions, salt, raw eggs.

If you want to buy a chain, bracelet, ring or other piece of jewelry that would not undergo oxidation at all, you should pay attention to the rhodium-plated models. Thanks to this substance, the jewelry will not only not darken, but will also delight you with its unique bright shine. However, such a coating can wear off after a few years, and also chip or scratch if the decoration is not handled carelessly.

Health problems

There is an opinion among the people that silver jewelry turns black on a person who is sick with something, and there is some truth in such conversations. What does it mean? As noted above, silver oxidizes from interaction with human sweat, which contains sulfur in it. The more it is, the more the decoration will darken.

Sweating is a natural process in a healthy body. That is, the blackening of jewelry in itself cannot speak of any health problems. However, if it is noticeable that the jewelry darkens much faster than usual, and sweating has intensified against the background of some pain in the body, it may make sense to undergo a medical examination. It is worth observing the state of your body to make sure that the darkening of silver does not indicate a developing disease.

Of course, increased sweating is not always a sign of illness. This phenomenon can be observed during physical exertion, during periods of stress or nervous tension. Hormonal surges are considered to be another of the most common reasons for darkening of jewelry against the background of increased sweating.

There is an opinion that such a reaction of the body with silver can occur due to kidney or liver diseases, but this judgment has no scientific confirmation. Therefore, you should not once again wind yourself up and worry, it is better to think about how the lifestyle, body care has changed recently, whether new creams or cosmetics have been added.

Certain medications can also affect the darkening of silver. They can change the composition of sweat, which is reflected in the blackening of silver.

If the cross is darkened

If a silver cross or any other favorite piece of jewelry has darkened, don't be upset. There are many ways to get rid of a specific plaque:

Special means for cleaning silver items. You can buy them not only in jewelry stores (where the price will be several times higher), but also in ordinary stores that sell household chemicals. The label contains simple and detailed instructions for use. However, if finding such a remedy is problematic, it is quite possible to use home methods.
Ammonia will quickly and efficiently remove plaque from silver, but you need to act not with pure ammonia, but with its solution with water in the ratio of 1 tablespoon to half a liter of water. To speed up the cleansing process, as well as to give shine, a little soap and hydrogen peroxide are added to the resulting solution.
A strong remedy for black plaque is soda. It is enough to dissolve it in water and immerse the jewelry in the solution for a few minutes, then wipe it well. There is another way to clean silver with baking soda, but this still requires foil. You need to bring a soda solution with water to a boil, and then throw ordinary foil into it, crumpled into small balls. After that, you can remove the resulting solution from the heat and put jewelry in it. In a few minutes they will be completely transformed! But it is not recommended to use soda powder for cleaning jewelry, since after the procedure there will be noticeable scratches on them.
The usual 6% table vinegar, which can be found in the household of any woman, is also suitable for cleaning silver. It is enough to moisten a soft cloth in it and thoroughly wipe the blackened jewelry.
Sparkling water "Cola" also works well on the black film. You can leave the jewelry in it for several hours, but the boiling process will reduce the holding time of the product to literally a few minutes.

In order for silver jewelry to last a long time, you need to take proper care of them. First of all, do not forget that these are delicate items that require careful and careful attitude:

No need to wear jewelry all the time without taking it off at night. Of course, many people are accustomed to wearing crosses or save-and-save rings around the clock, but playing sports (with increased sweating), house cleaning, cooking and other processes can significantly spoil the appearance of jewelry.
It is also recommended to remove silver items before applying cosmetics to the skin.
Do not spray perfume on jewelry.
It is necessary to store silver in a special box lined with a soft nap cloth inside.
If there are stones in the product, they also need care. Such jewelry should be wiped with a soft cloth that will not leave micro-scratches on the surface.

Subject to these simple rules, jewelry will retain its beauty in its original form for many, many years, and they can be safely inherited!