Initial jewel for a fresh piercing: what you need to know
When doing a new piercing, there is much more to consider than the action of piercing itself. The piece of jewelry is an element of high importance that is often less taken into account and yet, can have a direct impact on the healing of the piercing. There are qualities of jewelry that are common, but should not end up in a fresh drilling due to the components of the alloy. However, not all piercers bother to deepen their knowledge on the subject. In this blog, we will be talking about the various types of jewelry and suitable materials for a new piercing.
According to the website of the Association of Professional Piercers, several materials can be adapted for an initial piercing. The most popular and affordable one of them is undoubtedly the ASTM F-136 implant grade titanium. Its primary advantage is that it does not contain nickel. All people who react to this will not have to worry with a jewelry of such quality. In addition, titanium can be anodized in several colors, so it is possible to create a unique jewel for anyone!
Example of some available anodizing colors
Then there is Niobium, which is very similar to the properties of titanium. However, it does not have the implant grade designation. On the other hand, it has been proven effective and safe for years in the piercing industry. It can also be anodized and, unlike titanium, can be anodized in the color black. The anodizing of titanium or niobium jewelry can fade over time depending on the customer's body chemistry, however, unlike lower quality materials, it is not harmful and it does not stain the skin either.
Finally, for metals, there is gold 14k to 18k (white, yellow, pink) if it is nickel-free and cadmium-free. In short, alloyed to be biocompatible. Gold in a higher karat than 18k is too soft and can easily be deformed or be scratched and nicked, which would ruin the polishing of the jewelry. Everything gold plated isn’t recommended because the gold layer is thin and can easily crumble over time. The material that ends up exposed to the skin, under this layer of veneer is a "mysterious metal" whose quality cannot be verified and may therefore not be suitable.
For all types of metals mentioned above, the finish is also of great importance. Only mirror finishes are acceptable since they are smooth and without nicks, which greatly limits irritation and bacteria from lodging into micro-imperfections. Here is a comparison of a good quality jewelry with a mirror finish VS a poorly polished, poor quality jewelry:
The last ideal material for an initial piercing that is even smoother on the surface than titanium is glass. Quartz glass, lead-free borosilicate and lead-free soda-lime glass are inert and considered safe for initial piercings. They can also be sterilized in an autoclave. These are often jewelry for stretches, but they are also jewelry made of glass for medical purposes to keep the piercings open during the procedure
Source : Gorilla Glass
In conclusion, it is important to do your research well when the time comes to select a piercing studio for your ideas and long-term projects. The quality of the jewelry will have a big impact on the healing of your piercings in the long term, so good quality will be primordial!
