Piercing 101 : Best and Worst Metal for Ear and Nose Piercing

Piercing 101 : Best and Worst Metal for Ear and Nose Piercing

Interested in having your nose or ear pierced? Piercings are stylish and chic but need to be done with the highest quality metal to avoid inflammation due to skin irritation. Several metals are classified as safe for body piercing and others aren’t. It is important to pay close attention to what you put on your body as the wrong type of metal can stall the body’s healing process or cause an allergic reaction.

One common culprit for skin irritation is Nickel. Nickel is a metal that is typically used in both inexpensive and expensive metals. Many people are allergic to Nickel no matter how small the traces of the metal are in the jewellery. If you find that your skin turns red, or experiences tenderness after you have worn any type of jewellery, you may be allergic to nickel or other metal combinations. In this post, we discuss the best and worst metals for ear and nose piercings so you can make an informed decision.

 

Recommended Metals for Piercings :

    TITANIUM

    Touted as the best option for people with sensitive skin, Titanium is the most ideal metal for initial piercings. According to The Association of Professional Piercers (APP) you use either commercially pure titanium that is ASTM F-67 compliant, Implant Certified Titanium (Ti6Al4V ELI) that is ASTM F-136 compliant or ISO 5832-3 compliant. These are most suitable, especially if you undertaking an initial piercing. What makes them safer is the fact that they are used by in replacement surgeries. You are assured of body comfort if you use titanium.

    Blomdahl’s piercing jewellery are not only manufactured under compliance of ISO 13485 (quality system used by medical device manufacturers all around the word), they also comply with the limits of nickel (ISO 5832-3 compliant).  

    SURGICAL STEEL

    This is a common metal for new piercings. It is affordable and adheres to APP standards. However, it contains 8-16% Nickel. While it is the ideal choice for the majority of people, it is not so much for people with sensitive skins. 

    PLATINUM

    Classified as a precious metal, Platinum is pricey and heavy in weight thus it’s not a common metal for piercing.

    NIOBIUM

    Niobium is hypoallergenic and it is quite similar to Titanium though it is heavier and pricier than Titanium.

     

    Metals to Avoid :

    STERLING SILVER

    It is not recommended to wear Sterling Silver to new piercings. It oxidizes when it comes into contact with body tissues and fluids.

    GOLD PLATED

      While gold plated earrings and nose rings look attractive, they are not ideal for people with sensitive skin. Due to wear, the plating can rub off leaving your skin to come into contact with the underlying metal causing irritation and infection.

      IRON

      Iron rusts easily and reacts very quickly. This can cause a severe reaction to the area being pierced. It is mostly coated with gold which can flake off leaving your skin exposed to the base metal.

      Low-grade metals like nickel, tin, zinc and brass are not ideal for piercings as they cause allergic reactions and irritation and in severe cases can cause the body to reject the piercing.

       

      If you have sensitive skin, be sure to avoid metals that contain nickel which can irritate new piercings.

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