Body piercing jewelry made of metal is the most recommended by professional piercers because non-metallic products like plastic, resin or wood tend to have porous structures that can harbor bacteria while the wound is still fresh. After the piercing is fully healed, customers have more freedom to choose the jewelry that they want though it is still recommended that they should be made of materials that have high biocompatibility to prevent infections or allergic reactions.
Minimizing risks should always be the main priority when it comes to body piercing. And the first step to safety is choosing the right kind of jewelry, not just based on its style or design but most importantly, the material it is made of.
Jewelry today is available in thousands of different types, designs and materials, each with its own desirable qualities. But when picking out jewelry to be used for the initial piercing, materials with high biocompatibility are the safest choice.
Here are some of the most popular materials used as initial jewelry and their properties.
Gold. A very popular metal used in jewelry, 18k gold is one of the safest materials to be used for initial jewelry because of its inert characteristic. But using lower grade gold like 14k or 10k can be risky due to the other metals present in the alloy that can trigger allergic reactions.
Surgical Titanium. Having very high biocompatibility, titanium has long been used for implants and bone braces. Today, titanium jewelry is gaining popularity due to its wide range of available colors and lightweight property. Titanium is also the hardest and highest grade of metal that virtually does not require any addition of nickel making very hypoallergenic.
Niobium. Though durable and highly biocompatible, niobium has just begun to get popular in the jewelry industry. Rarely used in its pure form, niobium is alloyed with other metals to improve their characteristics and appearance.
Surgical Stainless Steel. Dubbed as the "industrial precious metal," stainless steel has become one of the most popular materials in jewelry. Hypoallergenic, durable and lustrous, stainless steel is also highly recommended because of its affordability.
Body piercing jewelry made of metal is the most recommended by professional piercers because non-metallic products like plastic, resin or wood tend to have porous structures that can harbor bacteria while the wound is still fresh. After the piercing is fully healed, customers have more freedom to choose the jewelry that they want though it is still recommended that they should be made of materials that have high biocompatibility to prevent infections or allergic reactions.
Increasing popularity of body piercing and jewelry to diverse markets today should not become a surprise to many as the industry has grown from being a self-expressing minority into a branch of mainstream economy. But the rising consumer appreciation also gave way for the market to get flooded by products that are made from substandard materials which can threaten not just the health of consumers but also give a dent to the growth of the business. By knowing which jewelry materials give the best quality, both retailers and customers can continue to benefit to the popularity of body piercing.
Titanium Jewelry: Profitable And Satisfying
Nevertheless, the non-precious status of titanium can also serve retailers and customers well because unlike gold and silver whose prices are volatile, the price of titanium is not dependent on economic forces.
Profitability Of Titanium Jewelry
A great part of the consumer market for jewelry made of titanium are men who either buy it as casual accessories or as special occasions jewelry like engagement or wedding rings. Women are also great patrons of titanium accessories as more and more designers adapt the metal to their lines and collections.
Physical Effects Of Wearing Body Jewelry
The style and design are not just the things to consider as the material of the jewelry should be taken into account too. Low quality body jewelry that contain lead or nickel can produce allergic reactions for many people which can be uncomfortable and even dangerous.
