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What materials can be worn in my piercing?

Jewellery can be made of a variety of materials, although some are better for your piercings than others.

316LVM Surgical Stainless Steel is safe to be worn for people without a nickel-allergy, as this metal contains Nickel. Surgical Stainless Steels are used for bone fixation screws, body pins, bone plates, total joint prosthetics amongst many other applications. Body jewellery listed here is manufactured from equivalent or higher standard material. We do not play or gamble with your health.

Titanium is a very strong metal, stronger than stainless steel and 45% lighter. Titanium does not react with the body, so most people; even those with metal-sensitivities can wear Titanium. We use grade 23, which is implant grade; the same material the medical industry uses for joint replacements as well as pins and rods. No higher qualification exists. Titanium can be coloured using a process called anodizing. Anodizing is a fast and simple electrical process that grows very thin transparent oxides on the surface of the reactive metals. There are no pigments or dyes, the Titanium surface makeup is altered therefore this colour cannot 'chip' or 'wear away'. It takes high voltage to produce the colours; different voltages give you different colours.

Blackline comprises of a PVD coating on G23 Surgical Titanium. PVD (Physical Vapour Deposition) has become widely used to deposit wear resistant, thin film coatings onto medical devices (including heart pacemakers, surgical instruments, and orthopaedic implants). The main value in PVD technology rests in the ability to modify the surface properties of a device without changing the underlying material's properties and biochemical functionality.

Zircon Gold comprises of a PVD coating on G23 Surgical Titanium. PVD (Physical Vapour Deposition) has become widely used to deposit wear resistant, thin film coatings onto medical devices (including heart pacemakers, surgical instruments, and orthopaedic implants). The main value in PVD technology rests in the ability to modify the surface properties of a device without changing the underlying material's properties and biochemical functionality.

Gold, no matter what the karat, is not recommended for initial piercings because gold is an alloy, made up of not only pure karat gold but base metals also. The fluids secreted by a healing piercing cause corrosion of the base metals in the gold. Once a piercing is fully healed, Gold can be worn (9ct gold is recommended), although best for limited periods of time as they will tarnish and discolour when in contact with bodily fluids. Try to keep the jewellery clean and polished regularly to prolong the quality.

Sterling Silver should not be used for piercing body jewellery, but can be worn on the body as general jewellery, in the form necklaces, bracelets, pendants and rings. Silver body jewellery accessories such as clip-in ball closure ring captives are also a popular, safe choice. Silver corrodes when it comes in contact with sulphur, which your body contains and this contact forms toxic substances - Silver Salt. This is why Silver must be kept clean and polished regularly to prolong the quality.

PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene), also known as Teflon, is an amazing inert biomaterial with excellent biocompatibility characteristics. PTFE has amazing 'Non-Stick' properties, lymph does not stick to it. PTFE is also suitable for initial piercings and those taking a long time to heal. Perfect for work if you're not allowed to wear jewellery, or if you're going into hospital. PTFE Barbells are perfectly acceptable in the medical world for swapping with your existing jewellery for X-Rays, scans, operations and is also used in facial reconstruction and ear surgery. PTFE barbels are often used in navel piercings of pregnant women because of it's flexibility; they bend to allow the stomach to expand.

Bioplast is independently judged to be biocompatible and benefits of use include minimised swelling, infections and faster healing times. According to the current state of knowledge Bioplast conforms to all world wide standards on use of body jewellery materials. Bioplast jewellery is flexible, making it ideal for industrial and facial applications - allowing movement will minimise risk of injury to any piercing. Bioplast jewellery is heat tolerant (suitable for autoclaving.) Bioplast jewellery can also be threaded by metal closures and cut to any length with a sharp blade. Unlike PTFE, Bioplast jewellery is available in many colours and shapes (Banana bars , Circular Bars , barbells , Labrets and Nose studs.)

PMMA (polymethyl-methacrylate) is a clear plastic often used as an alternative to glass. It is a shatterproof material as transparent as glass, allowing 92% of the sunlight to pass through. PMMA is light, hard, easy to polish and very durable. Silicone Body Piercing Jewellery is manufactured from certified biocompatible silicone acquired from one of Europe's largest pharmaceutical suppliers.

Wood is a natural, porous (absorbent) material Due only recommended for mature/fully healed piercings or stretched ears. We do not recommend that wood is submerged in water for long periods of time and avoid any drastic changes in temperature or humidity.

Glass is most commonly worn in stretched piercings. The biocompatible characteristics of glass make it an ultra compatible material for implantation and for body jewellery wear. Many companies are now manufacturing jewellery from poor quality recycled glass, which means that its origins and qualities are flawed and untraceable. We supply only Borosilicate glass so there is absolutely no lead in any of our glass body jewellery. Every piece is hand crafted and inspected to perfect standards creating new products for a new generation.

Buffalo Horn jewellery sold on BodyJewelleryShop is hand carved and crafted by some of the most highly skilled jewellery manufacturers. No animal life is taken to acquire this material and no suffering is involved in the acquisition of these products. Buffalo Horn should not be exposed to any extreme temperature. Do not autoclave or heat-sterilise any of these products. Buffalo Horn body jewellery should not be worn in new or unhealed body piercings as this is a porous (absorbent), natural material.

Mammoth Ivory sold on BodyJewelleryShop is extracted from a vast desolate wasteland deep inside the Arctic Circle. The Russian Academy of Science estimates that more than 500,000 tonnes of mammoth tusks are buried along a 1000km stretch of Arctic coast, suggesting that five million mammoths once roamed arctic wilderness. Our Mammoth products are tested by the Schreger test to guarantee the authenticity and integrity of the tusk structure, and undergo ultraviolet analysis. Classified an extinct species, fossilised mammoth ivory is a legal commodity and can be traded world wide, as it is exempt from the Washington agreement on Endangered Species. All our Mammoth Ivory is double certificated. Mammoth Ivory is sensitive to fluctuations in temperature and exceptional heating, for example autoclave sterilisation. This can cause cracks to appear on the surface. Do not expose to intense heat.

Silicone piercing jewellery sold on BodyJewelleryShop is manufactured from certified biocompatible silicone, acquired from one of Europe's largest pharmaceutical suppliers. Our silicone meets the requirements of the following: European Pharmacopoeia, Deutsches Arzneibuch, U.S. Pharmacopoeia Plastics of Class V1. Our silicone also meets the requiremements of EN30993 / ISO 10993, 'Biological assessment of medical products' and its' biocompatibility is tested according to the guidelines of the Triparite Test of the U.S. Phamacopoeia. The dye has been mixed in a ratio of 1:300 and has passed the German BGA medical standard. All silicone is tested for 30 days continuous body implant, however all silicone accessories are intended for temporary application only and designed to cover 6mm barbell ball.

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