Choosing the Right Material for Your Piercing Jewelry
At Obsidian Piercing, we love excellent quality piercings, but more than anything, we love seeing people wear them without any issues. Inflammation or infection is never pretty, which is why it matters to keep a healthy piercing by choosing good-quality materials.
In the past, it wasn't unusual to see piercings decorated with safety pins, paperclips, and other things that were never meant to be jewelry. When people start putting just about anything in their piercings, it's easy to assume the material doesn't matter (Spoiler: it does).
Whether it's food or jewelry, you should always pay attention to what you put in your body. Using the right materials matters even more while a piercing is healing, so it's always worth knowing exactly what you're exposing your skin to.
Here are the materials considered safe for healing piercings:
- Gold (nickel-free)
- Titanium (ASTM F-136 grade)
- Niobium
- Surgical steel (ASTM F-138 grade)
- Biocompatible polymers
- Glass
Once a piercing is fully healed, more materials become an option, though not all of them are a good choice. At Obsidian Piercing, for example, we don't recommend silicone or acrylic: the risks outweigh the benefits, and the quality simply isn't there.
Here's a comparison of the main piercing materials:
Gold Piercings:
We love gold at Obsidian Piercing, and for body jewelry, it's probably the best material you can choose for your piercing.
When it comes to metals, you generally get what you pay for: the higher the grade, the purer the metal, and the less you have to worry about alloys and potential allergens. Gold is a strong, durable metal that's usually well tolerated by the body, as long as the jewelry is nickel-free (like all of our gold pieces), which is why we recommend going for at least 14 karat gold.
For healing piercings, always choose gold that's at least 14 karats, since it contains fewer alloys than lower-quality gold. You'll also need to choose between yellow and white gold first; you can switch to rose gold once your piercing is fully healed. If you go for white gold, make sure it's nickel-free: some jewelers mix nickel into their gold to get a silvery look.
Pros
- Gold is hypoallergenic (as long as it's nickel-free).
- A material that lasts.
- It has an elegant look and works just as well for special occasions as for everyday wear.
- It's comfortable to wear.
Cons
- It's more expensive than other metals.
- It needs professional maintenance every few years.
- Gold scratches, so you need to store it properly.
Titanium Piercings:
Titanium is one of the most widely used metals for healing piercings. It's one of the highest-quality materials you can put in your body: it's hypoallergenic, and its purity makes it a great fit for almost everyone.
One thing to watch for: only ASTM F-136 titanium is recognized as biocompatible for piercings. Some low-end suppliers sell different, much lower-quality grades that contain nickel.
One interesting thing about titanium is that it can be safely, biocompatibly colored through anodization. Even if the color fades over time, it won't affect the wearer.
Pros
- It's one of the purest metals you can find for your piercing.
- It's less expensive than other high-quality metals, like 14K gold or platinum.
- It's ideal for healing piercings.
Cons
- It's not considered as prestigious as precious metals like gold and platinum.
- It's more expensive than surgical steel.
Niobium Piercings
Niobium is remarkably similar to titanium, just a little heavier and more expensive. Like titanium, it can be anodized into different colors, and it doesn't react with body fluids, which makes it biocompatible. It's also naturally pure, which makes it hypoallergenic.
Since it behaves much like titanium, it's becoming more popular as a piercing material. That said, because it costs more than titanium, most piercers recommend titanium over niobium.
Pros
- It's free of harmful alloys.
- It's considered safe for healing piercings.
Cons
- It's nearly identical to titanium, but at a higher price, which often isn't worth it.
"Surgical" Steel Piercings
Surgical steel is popular for healing piercings thanks to its medical-grade standards and affordable price, and it meets the standard required by professional piercers. That said, not all surgical steel is equal, and you need to make sure you're using a grade that's safe for healing piercings: only ASTM F-138 steel, made with 316LVM (not 316L), is recognized as biocompatible. Even so, it still contains 13 to 15% nickel, which can irritate the skin and trigger allergies.
Surgical steel is a cheaper but also less reliable metal than titanium, for example, so you need to be careful when choosing a piece in this material. Be wary of sellers (online shops or piercers) who aren't clearly transparent about the grade of steel they use. Always buy from a trusted source for genuine ASTM F-138 surgical steel.
Pros
- Surgical steel is used by medical professionals specifically for applications inside the body, and it's the same type of material used in certain orthopedic devices, so you know it's generally safe for internal use.
- It's less expensive than other quality metal options.
Cons
- Not all surgical steel is the same. Make sure any surgical steel you use is safe for piercings (ASTM F-138).
- Be careful when choosing the steel for your body jewelry, especially for healing piercings. It isn't always a foolproof metal.
Glass Piercings
Glass is a material considered safe for healing piercings. It's easy to sterilize, its smooth surface makes it ideal for healing, and it also feels pleasantly cool to the touch.
That said, glass is delicate and can chip, which could damage a piercing that's still healing. It can also shatter inside your piercing, so even though it's comfortable during healing, it might not be the best choice if your piercing is in an area that sees a lot of movement.
Pros
- It's considered safe for healing piercings.
- It comes in tons of different colors, styles, and designs.
- It has a look that's a bit more unique than metal varieties.
Cons
- It can break.
- It's heavy, which could put strain on a healing piercing.
Organic Material Piercings
Organic materials like bone, horn, wood, and stone make for visually unique pieces. These options are ideal for anyone who loves a look that feels closer to nature.
Organic materials are also more eco-friendly than plastic or metal options, making them a great fit for anyone after a more environmentally conscious style.
However, many of these materials are porous and can harbor bacteria; some are even treated with chemicals that can be harmful to a healing piercing, so you should wait until your piercing is fully healed before choosing organic jewelry.
Pros
- Organic materials are environmentally friendly.
- They offer a unique aesthetic.
- They're often hypoallergenic (though some may be treated with chemicals that can irritate your skin).
Cons
- Porous materials can't easily be sterilized, so they tend to harbor bacteria.
- They're not safe for healing piercings.
Silver Piercings
Silver is a popular metal across all kinds of jewelry, but even though it's often seen as high quality, it doesn't make great body jewelry.
Silver is one of the least pure metals: most silver jewelry is made from a mix of various alloys, which more often than not contain large amounts of the well-known metal allergen, nickel.
For small-gauge nose hoops, silver is generally acceptable, but beyond that, you run a fairly high risk of an unpleasant reaction.
Pros
- 925 silver is often cheaper than white gold.
Cons
- Silver is generally very impure, which can cause allergic reactions.
- It tarnishes easily, so it needs careful upkeep.
Bioplast Piercings
Bioplast is a flexible, synthetic material available in a variety of shapes and colors. It's hypoallergenic and biocompatible. The term "bioplast" combines "biological" and "plastic," which sums up its purpose pretty well: a synthetic material designed to work well with the body.
That said, it's still a lower-quality material and isn't meant for long-term wear. It can change color, hold on to bad odors, and pick up bacteria in grooves left by scratches.
This material can be autoclaved and works for fresh piercings that still need time to heal. It's designed as a plastic that's gentler on the body than others, like acrylic.
Pros
- It's considered safe for healing piercings (though we still recommend metal).
- Bioplast is specifically designed to be gentle on your body.
Cons
- It's not meant to be worn long-term.
- It comes with many of the same drawbacks as other plastic options, including trapping moisture, which could make your piercing smell.
- It scratches easily, creating grooves that trap bacteria, which could lead to infection.
Silicone Piercings
Unlike acrylic, silicone is biocompatible, which makes it a slightly better option among plastic materials. That said, plastics in general aren't ideal for body piercings. If you're allergic to metals, try a hypoallergenic metal type or another material instead.
Pros
- It's soft and flexible.
Cons
- It should only be worn temporarily.
- Its flexibility means it could stretch your piercing, leading to tearing.
- It tends to suction against the piercing, blocking natural discharge, which could lead to infection.
- It's not easy to maintain; you'll need to make sure the jewelry stays clean and dry at all times
Acrylic Piercings
If you're after colorful options, acrylic is an inexpensive choice, especially for anyone stretching their ears. Since you need to size up every few months while stretching, cheap acrylic is a good choice until you reach your desired size and can invest in jewelry you'll keep for longer.
Acrylic jewelry comes in all kinds of styles, but keep in mind it isn't made for long-term wear.
Pros
- It's inexpensive
Cons
- It's fragile. This type of jewelry scratches and cracks easily, so handle it gently. Otherwise, you risk creating tiny nooks in your piercing where bacteria can grow, increasing your risk of infection.
- It can't be autoclaved. This type of jewelry is very sensitive to extreme temperatures, so any form of heat sterilization is out of the question. You can wipe it with small amounts of alcohol or peroxide, but keep in mind these are also corrosive, and the plastic is likely to break down as a result.
- It can't be used in healing piercings (since it can't be autoclaved).
When it comes to choosing the perfect piercing, make sure you're treating your body with good-quality materials instead of simply picking the cutest look.
At Obsidian Piercing, we don't think you should have to choose between treating your body well and building a stunning jewelry collection. That's why we only offer body jewelry in 14K and 18K gold, as well as ASTM F-136 titanium: the best piercing materials you can get.
