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 Jewelry: Detailed information

How do I know my body jewelry is safe?

Jewelry: Detailed information

Updated Wednesday May 07, 2008

Brian Skellie
Member AAMI
Member ASTM
Committee F04 on Medical and Surgical Materials and Devices
Committee F04.12 on Metallurgical Materials

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Make sure that it has been tested

We once had to accept that much about body jewelry manufacture was a trade secret. A common method used in the industry to loosely discern jewelry quality was to try a material on, and if one did not get a rash or prominent reaction, assume that it was safe sort of like a patch test a dermatologist would suggest. We have gone far beyond all that to ensure the safety of our jewelry.

The jewelry that we sell and use for long-term wear (greater than 24 hours) is certified for compliance with human implant standards by independent laboratory tests. The material chemistry, mechanical properties, crystalline microstructure and surface finish have been scrutinized, tested and certified for human implant applications, to ensure our jewelry is suitable to heal and wear in a new piercing. We most commonly use ASTM  F136 or F67 compliant Titanium with an ASTM  F86 anodized surface preparation.

Body jewelry should meet the same standards intended for human implant which are sensible, applicable and achievable. These standards were developed to ensure safety for insertion of objects into the human body in contact with broken or intact skin, soft tissue and bone. Most common body jewelry does not even come close to the most applicable specific standards for chemistry and surface finish. Many of the jewelry making traditions and materials that apply to a necklace or wedding band that are attractive on the outside of your body are not adequate or appropriate for items that are put inside your body, whether in a healed or fresh piercing.

We should not use materials that have not been proven safe for surgical implantation, by maintaining ASTM and ISO standards. If not we become directly responsible for the burden of proof to avoid any harm people may come to from the material.

What body jewelry materials do and do not work and why?

  • All materials must be documented for each lot and size of each type.

  • Random samples from each lot should be tested for compliance to appropriate standards.

  • Titanium should meet ASTM standard F67 or F136 or better.

  • Steel should be ASTM F138 or F1537 or better and worn temporarily and in healed piercings only.

  • Refined 24 karat gold is considered biologically inert, but soft and easily scratched and damaged.

  • Platinum alloyed with Iridium (90% Pl: 10% Ir) or with Ruthenium (95% Pl: 5% Ru) is considered biologically inert, but heavy and relatively soft and easily scratched.

  • Uncolored quartz glass, soda-lime glass and borosilicate glass such as Pyrex© should meet ASTM Specification F1538 for Glass and Glass Ceramic Biomaterials for Implantation.

  • Metallic surfaces should meet ASTM F86 to remove particulate matter for appropriate preparation and passivation.

There exists a body of evidence indicating that Niobium (Nb) seems inert and well accepted by the human body, along with titanium, tantalum, zirconium, pure refined gold, and platinum as the six most biocompatible elements. Although used in numerous surgical implant alloys Nb has not been adequately documented as successful by itself for surgical implants, and is soft enough to be scratched easily. Tantalum, it's closest elemental neighbor is a common surgical implant material in use today and makes jewelry that is beautiful to begin with, but the surface finish is easily marred by fingerprints, dirt and grime and is also too soft.

Consider anything else a novelty item. It may be wearable for less than 24 hours without noticeable irritation if people treat it a novelty and give their body a break from it regularly. Alternating jewelry for a healed piercing can be done safely if jewelry is cleaned properly and attention paid to the surface finish prior to insertion. Even the fanciest platinum and gold can cause allergic reactions.

Wearing material not certified for implant for more than 24 hours means risk of allergic reaction and infection, since it has not been proven harmless to your soft tissue and bone. Most such materials will keep a piercing in an unhealthy state, the skin more permeable at the contact surface, increasing your risk of damage and infection. Abscess, yeast and fungal infections are commonly reported at the site of piercings in clinical literature, and this may be related to excessive moisture in the opening. The primary clinical microbiology behind common infections related to body piercing should be determined. For the time being, the closest comparison can be made with the organisms related to infection of sutures and surgical staples.

Why not surgical implant steel?

Steel should only be considered for short term wear in fully healed piercings only. Nickel (13 to15% by volume) is dissolved in the F138 alloy to make it non-magnetic and resistant to corrosion. This alloy is supposed to trap nickel and other irritants under a layer of chrome (chromium oxide, which is susceptible to corrosion by chlorine, such as the salt in perspiration) where it releases allergens and toxins very slowly. As ions of the metal diffuse into skin, the tissue reacts to protect itself and granulates thick scar tissue around the offending item to wall it off, like a splinter.

  • Use of materials that contain nickel in human implants has been found as the culprit behind harm such as discoloration, soft tissue damage and excess scar tissue from it leaching into the contacted area and into deeper tissue.

  • In body jewelry wear, steel can be seen to cause thickened scar tissue, which contributes to loss of sensation in the scar area in addition to direct damage to local nerve endings.

  • Current uses of the steel commonly advertised as "implant grade" for body jewelry in medical devices in contact with broken skin is primarily limited to temporary devices such as surgical staples, wires and other fixation hardware and can not be used for any implant or initial piercing purpose in Europe.

  • Most of such "surgical" steel is labeled as such for marketing purposes, as the material was intended to be used for instruments such as scalpels, forceps and retractors.

  • Misdirection exists in regards steel alloys, considering that they are numerous, e.g.,  Cobalt chrome alloy steel has been used in permanent surgical implants, and may be tolerated by the body with below 0.05% detectable nickel but has other irritant properties and toxicity.

  • Allergic reaction to chemicals in steel alloys, such as nickel are as common as 1 in 10 individuals, and can lead to mild to severe contact dermatitis.

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To make steel safer for short term wear in healed piercings, it must be passivated as indicated by standard F86, by electro polishing or nitric acid  after it is milled and shaped into jewelry. This serves to remove irritants, seal and purify the surface structure to a cleaner and more biocompatible chromium oxide.

Polishing, ultrasonic cleaning and steaming alone leaves a significant exposure risk to:

  • nickel

  • chromium halides

  • molybdenum

  • iron

  • phosphorus

  • sulfur

  • ceramic tumbling media

  • polishing compounds

These irritants can lead to further granulation of excess scar tissue and allergic reaction. Unsealed manufactured steel products contain such impurities, therefore long-term exposure could cause serious medical hazards. The difference between surface finishes can be seen under as little as 10X magnification.

Further technical information that indicates why body jewelry should not contain nickel and explains the issue may be found at the electronic guide to the nickel issue.

More information regarding Nickel allergy, pictures, Mayo Clinic's suggestions

An interesting theory that begs further study: Long term Nickel exposure from oral braces prior to piercing may help people become tolerant to nickel.

Why not Acrylic?

  • Acrylic is rated as slightly toxic on the required Material Safety Data Sheet

  • Acrylic contains chemicals that are known to cause cancer

  • Acrylic cracks and crazes (forms a network of tiny fissures) and becomes porous

Acrylic has not been proven safe to wear for any extended period of time, especially in the mouth, mucous membrane, or genitals. The main problem with acrylic is that body temperature causes it to degrade and release monomer vapors, which are as toxic as carbon monoxide. Ethyl acetate in particular is a carcinogen. The ethyl acetate and methylmethacrylate monomers are the biggest problem with clear and or colored (Plexiglas© or Lucite© methylmethacrylate) acrylic resin jewelry. Even somewhat below  body temperature (80° F or warmer), they are constantly released into the body. These chemicals are slightly toxic and known to cause damage to living tissue, as well as increasing the risk of skin cancer in that area.

  • If you do not bother to sterilize jewelry before you wear it, you could easily pick up an infection, and the possibility exists for something as morbid as Hepatitis C virus from careless handling.

This risk is easily avoided, and worthwhile for healthy piercings. Most plastic melts in an autoclave, so you cannot safely sterilize it for wear in the first place. If chemical germicide [Wavicide, Madacide, and others] is used to attempt to clean the plastic, it can bond to the material and poison you. Hydrogen peroxide/peracetic acid solutions have come along to accomplish low temperature sterilization in as quickly as three hours to a new pre-cleaned piece [Compliance, Sporox].

Implantable plastics may be used in a piercing instead of acrylic. Polymers of polycarbonate, PTFE (Teflon©) and PMMA and elastomers such as silicone, are among many plastics used in human implants covered by ASTM. To our knowledge no well-made implant quality, safe plastic products are currently sold commercially as body jewelry. We are currently testing Kaos Softwear silicone products with encouraging results. We seek safe new materials for jewelry.

We at Piercing Experience have found that some of the jewelry from trusted manufacturers we once used did not meet these standards.

  • We have priced viable replacements at or below the current average retail for such items for your benefit. (Titanium captive bead rings in sizes 14, 16 and 18 are now only $7 each)

  • If you purchased a piece from us in the past and it needs repair or replacement you may be entitled to a further discount.

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We hope to prove that Niobium, other alloys of gold and numerous other materials are safe. We are striving to bring out excellence in the manufacturers we use, and to test and develop new materials and designs.  

||| In terms of what we use:

Mostly titanium barbells and titanium rings as well as a few custom titanium, platinum and glass items. We customize, finish, and anodize to purify and passivate the surface oxide of titanium.

||| About anodization and titanium colors:

Anodization is an important part of polishing titanium to a clean, smooth passive surface finish as per ASTM standard F 86. Without anodization, you do not receive the full benefit of titanium jewelry.

The color is not a dye, paint or coating. The surface of the metal becomes prismatic and iridescent when electropolished, and will wear with you over time without affecting your piercing. It does not chip, flake or shed in any way, and we can re-anodize for free at any time in the future for a different color, or to improve the surface finish because of wear and tear.

Friction and antioxidant chemicals will change the color down towards bronze. Chlorine bleach, peroxide and other oxidizers will change it too quickly to control without etching the surface in most cases (DON'T TRY THIS AT HOME!) and may make the surface unwearable on any metal jewelry. Oxidization makes steel release nickel and chromium halides at an irritating and sensitizing rate and can make gold weaken and fracture.

All of this makes titanium the superior metal of choice for permanent surgical implant applications, and aesthetically more versatile without as many risks.

||| Other things for decoration:

We also carry exotic and antique Organic products among other decorative pieces for collectors and special occasion short term wear. Some information regarding the safety of wood as a jewelry material.

||| A Guide to Hardwoods for the Piercing Community: Here or Here

With the proliferation of wood jewelry manufacturers on the market, Esoteric Body, Organic, and Spectrum Craft have been working in partnership to study various chemical compositions of individual hardwoods and their effects on the human body, in hopes to provide you with some information that could assist you in your wood jewelry selection.

 Check out NEW  Custom Jewelry