If you own a silicone bracelet, you might be wondering whether or not you can shrink it. Of course, it’s important that you get the right size (pro tip: it’s just like how to measure ring size!) when purchasing your bracelet initially because it will prevent you from even needing to shrink it in the first place. But, if you accidentally ordered the wrong size or you recently lost a lot of weight and need to shrink your silicone bracelet, there is a way. We’ll show you how! Silicone is a versatile material made from silicon and transformed into a type of rubber. Because it’s made from chemical compounds, silicone can change shape when interacting with extreme temperatures. No matter whether it’s a phone case or a silicone ring, there are ways you can resize your silicone items. However, it’s important to note that this process can take some time. If you take the time to purchase a properly fitting item, you won’t need to ask “Can you shrink silicone rings” or other items. Instead, you’ll have a perfectly fitting piece that will remain durable for years to come. What Products Use Silicone? Since silicone is so durable and versatile, you can find it in a variety of products. They include: Bakeware Cooking utensils Jewelry Car care products Computer … just to name a few! Because silicone can withstand high temperatures, doesn’t typically emit an odor and doesn't often crack under pressure, it’s perfect for jewelry and loads of other products. With silicone, you have peace of mind knowing that the product you’re using won’t suddenly disintegrate or crack simply due to its composition. Is Silicone Allergy-Friendly? Silicone is an allergy-friendly material. Only silicone that’s been mixed with other materials, such as latex, can become allergy-unfriendly. Many people think they’re allergic to silicone, but instead they’re just wearing the wrong size item. It’s important to get the proper size so that you can avoid potential health hazards, such as ring avulsion. Some people complain of itchy skin, swelling around their jewelry or even a green or black color in the imprint where their ring once was. This all indicates silicone jewelry that’s too small, or hasn’t been made with pure silicone. Here at QALO, we pride ourselves on using 100% best-grade silicone to ensure that you’re getting exactly what you pay for —a great piece of silicone jewelry, without unnecessary fillers. How to Measure Properly Since measuring properly is the best way you can avoid needing to shrink or stretch any silicone products, it’s important you know the proper steps. Gather your materials. A pencil, paper, string/twine, ruler and scissors are what you’ll need. You can use a shoelace, twine or any other thin string that you can easily wrap around your finger or wrist and cut. Just remember — a thicker string might give you a bigger size, so be careful choosing your string. Ordering a Silicone Ring, Too? Learn How to Measure Ring Size First! Wrap the string around your finger or wrist. Cross the string where it overlaps, making a cross or “x” shape. You shouldn’t pull the string very tightly. Instead, it should fit snugly. There shouldn’t be any gaps or bulges where it crosses. Cut the string where it overlaps. Be careful not to accidentally loosen or tighten the string! Measure the string. Using a ruler or measuring tape, measure the length of the string. Write it down on a piece of paper. Using our ring size chart, you can easily input the length of the string in millimeters, and we’ll tell you what size QALO ring you’ll need! If you think you’re between sizes, consider the width of the band you’re looking for. A thicker band will fit more snugly, whereas a thinner band might fit a bit looser. Either way, sizing up is always a good rule of thumb if you’re between sizes. During the summer, or if you eat too much salt, your fingers, hands, feet and toes can swell, making rings and other jewelry fit too snugly. Ever tried getting your ring off after eating a few too many french fries just to find out that it would barely budge? Yep, you can thank the sodium on the fries for that. Of course, conversely, too much cold can cause your fingers to contract, which is why your jewelry fits more loosely during cooler days. If you find yourself with jewelry that consistently seems to slide off your fingers or wrists, copious amounts of salty foods aside, then you might need to shrink your silicone jewelry. How to Shrink Your Silicone Items When shrinking your silicone items, it’s important you follow the proper steps. Otherwise, you could potentially cause more harm to the items or ruin them for good. Here’s how to properly shrink silicone items, such as bracelets, rings, phone cases and more! Gather all your materials. Much like when measuring properly for a ring, you’ll want to gather all your materials. To shrink silicone items, you’ll need a pot, stovetop, water, ice, tongs and towels. Make sure the pot is big enough for the item and that it can move around in it. For smaller items, such as bracelets and rings, this shouldn’t be a problem. You don’t need a huge pot for them, but avoid small ones, too. Boil the water. Place the pot filled with water on the stovetop and get it to a boil. You’ll know it’s boiling when steam rises from under the lid or you see large bubbles forming at a rapid pace. Place the item in the pot. Using the tongs, place your silicone item in the pot of boiling water. Swirl the item in the pot. Keep the item in the tongs, swirling it around in the boiling water. Don’t let it touch the bottom or the sides! This will cause the silicone to stick — and you definitely don’t want that. You’re trying to shrink it, not stick it! You’ll want to do this for about 30 seconds, but no longer than a minute. Since you’ll probably only be trying to shrink a ring or bracelet, 30 seconds would probably be more than enough. While the silicone will stretch during the swirling, it doesn’t mean it’s going to stay stretched. Place the item in the ice-water bowl. Like we mentioned above, cool things cause contraction. This is what happens to the silicone item after you place it in an ice bath after a pot of boiling water! You’ll want to dunk the silicone item in the bowl of ice water for no more than 30 seconds. Dry the item on a towel. Place the silicone item on a clean towel and dab it dry. It won’t come to room temperature immediately, but there’s one more step you’ll need to do. Don’t throw out the ice water! Place the item on your finger or wrist. Put the silicone ring or bracelet on. As the item comes to room temperature, it’ll size itself to your finger or wrist. If it starts to get too tight, then put it back in the ice water. That will help to stabilize the item so that it doesn’t shrink too much. Enjoy your newly resized silicone jewelry! Your silicone jewelry should fit snugly but not so tight that your finger or wrist swells. You should be able to remove it easily but not so easily that it falls off as you move. Find a My ID Bracelet in Your Size Shrinking a silicone bracelet doesn’t require you to do rocket science, but it can take a while. Because it’s so time-consuming, and there’s the potential to accidentally ruin your silicone jewelry in the process, the best way to shrink silicone is to purchase items that fit properly from the outset. Let’s face it — who wants to stand around, boiling water and swirling silicone jewelry around with a pair of tongs? In the time it takes you to shrink your silicone jewelry, you could have gone out for a walk, planted some vegetables in your garden or even cleaned your entire house. Focus on ways you can find the perfect set of silicone jewelry that fits just right instead. Types of Silicone Jewelry Silicone is used in a variety of jewelry types but, here at QALO, we specialize in two specific products: silicone rings and silicone My ID bracelets. These two types of silicone jewelry are great for individuals with active lifestyles — but that doesn’t mean you can’t wear them for everyday use! Here’s why our silicone jewelry is the best option for you: Durability: Our products are durable, which means they can withstand a variety of elements and pressures. Whether you work in construction or in the office, our durable rings will pair perfectly with your lifestyle. Affordability: Let’s be honest — jewelry is expensive. With silicone jewelry from QALO, you’ll find unique pieces at an affordable price, all without sacrificing quality. You can have multiple rings and bracelets for the price of just one diamond piece from a fancy jewelry store. That’s not to say our silicone jewelry can’t be worn to special occasions, though! Safety: Since we make our silicone products with the highest quality of silicone and no fillers, you don’t have to worry about your jewelry causing you harm. Plus, a properly fitting silicone ring will decrease your chances of experiencing ring avulsion. But, there’s another aspect to safety when it comes to silicone jewelry that many people don’t realize. Because you’re not wearing diamonds, gemstones or a precious metal, you won’t be a target for thieves when traveling! Easy ordering: We pride ourselves on our no-hassle ordering process. We strive to make it easy for you to find the perfect silicone jewelry for your personality and lifestyle. You can’t go wrong with any of our amazing pieces, but the ease of our process will have you coming back to order more silicone rings in no time! With size charts, design ideas and so many colors, sizes and styles available, you’ll quickly curate an entire collection of silicone pieces! The Bottom Line Silicone jewelry isn’t designed to shrink or stretch. It’s intended to fit you properly from the outset, which is why it’s so important to get the right measurements prior to ordering your silicone pieces. Of course, mistakes happen. If you purchased a silicone ring from the early days of silicone jewelry, it might have stretched out or lost its shape by now. Knowing how to properly shrink your silicone jewelry can come in handy, but you shouldn’t have to use the method. Plus, the amount of time it’ll take you to shrink your jewelry can be used to do many other activities that bring you joy in your life! Instead of shrinking your jewelry, ordering a new silicone piece of jewelry can really ensure that you have a proper-fitting piece without the hassle. You can easily ruin your silicone jewelry by attempting to shrink it, too. Get it stuck on the side of a pot of boiling water, use paper towels instead of cloth towels to dry your piece off or don’t dunk it in ice water enough, and you could easily ruin your silicone pieces. While it might seem like the easy way out at first, ordering a new piece of silicone jewelry is just one way you can work smarter and not harder. Have information you need to update on your medical bracelet? Or, maybe you’d like to wear a stackable ring to symbolize your commitment to your spouse for a certain number of years. These are great reasons to order new pieces, especially if your old ones are looking a little worse for wear. That doesn’t mean you have to get rid of your original pieces, though! You can still place them in commemorative boxes to look at fondly and nostalgically. However, you shouldn’t sacrifice comfort or time to try to make them fit again. Image Credits: Laborant/Shutterstock.com Salmanalfa/Shutterstock.com AlexZaitsev/Shutterstock.com