Everything about body jewelry: from metal to care

 Nose rings, chains, barbells—if you're looking to accessorize, body jewelry offers plenty of choices. 

But what metals are best? What types of jewelry are available? And how do you know your piercer has sanitized your new bling before putting it in your skin?

Keep reading. We're about to answer all your body jewelry questions and help you take the next step towards getting the body piercing and jewelry combo you've been waiting for.

Types of body jewelry to look out for

Beaded rings and hoops

Beaded rings and hoops are some of the most versatile forms of body jewelry. Hoops are simply a circle of thin metal, while beaded rings involve a bead or gem held in place by pressure on the hoop. They can be bold and elegant at the same time.

Captive beaded rings and hoops can be worn with almost any healed piercing.

Barbells, studs, bones and screws

Barbells, flat studs, bones and screws have the same effect, although we do not recommend or sell bones as they are known to be very harmful to both healed and fresh piercings. They each have a gem or ball on one or both ends and allow the rod to pass through the puncture. The band "disappears", leaving only the gem visible.

Barbells can be worn in almost any piercing. Flatbacks are generally used only in ear piercings.

Chains 

Chains take body jewelry to the next level. Chains wrap seductively around your piercing, adding an interesting twist to any outfit. Some chains connect to the navel piercing and pass through the abdomen.

How do you clean body jewelry?

It is important that your piercer fully sanitize your body jewelry and also make sure the needles are disposable needles before piercing. With proper and safe procedures, this will avoid any risk of hepatitis, as well as any blood-borne diseases. 

At Pierced, we use a device known as an "autoclave" to make sure your piercing is hygienic.

What is autoclaving?

Autoclaving is a high-quality sanitation method that destroys all bacteria and harmful organisms from your body jewelry. 

An autoclave is a boxlike or cylindrical machine. After jewelry has been placed inside the autoclave, it fills with high-temperature steam for a specific amount of time. This completely kills any living organism that could harm you on the surface of your jewelry and eliminates the risk of infectious disease.

How can I cleanse my body ювелирные изделия at home?

If you don't have an autoclave, don't worry. Most people don't have an autoclave at home; they cost thousands of dollars and require special training to operate. 

If you're not worried about hepatitis or other life-altering diseases—simply hoping to avoid smaller infections—you can use rubbing alcohol, alcohol-free mouthwash, or even antibacterial soap to clean your jewelry. 

What is the best material for body jewelry?

Jewelry can be made from almost any material. However, some materials are particularly easy to keep clean (while remaining hypoallergenic). 

Gold

Gold is one of the most popular hypoallergenic metals since different jewelry will have different karat weight though—you won't find pure gold jewelry anywhere. Pure gold is too soft to retain any specific shape. Because of this, all gold jewelry is a mix of gold and “other metals.” You could be allergic to some of the “other metals” in your gold jewelry, so if you notice irritation in your piercing, don't be surprised.

Titanium

Our favorite piercing material is titanium. The titan seems to be eternal (Sia sang "I'm a titan", not "I'm fine china", so that should be your first clue). There is an ASTM code for proper implant jewelry to distinguish it from other not-so-good titans. Proper quality titanium for implants is strong, clean and hypoallergenic. 

Glass

Rarely, our clients prefer glass jewelry. Glass is beautiful, elegant, and safe. It can be cleaned in an autoclave, and it's hypoallergenic; unfortunately, it's also fragile. For this reason, we advise clients to be selective in wearing glass earrings.

Stainless steel

Stainless steel is a common, affordable and attractive piercing metal. Easy to clean and maintain, retains its color over time. Unfortunately, stainless steel jewelry is sometimes mixed with a common metal allergen: nickel. If you are allergic to nickel, stay away from stainless steel jewelry until the piercing has healed, especially if you have nickel sensitivity, it is unwise to ever wear jewelry containing nickel. 

Conclusion

Body jewelry is a fantastic way to personalize your look. From simple flatbacks to fancy chains, there are as many options as you have moods in a day. 

Now you know the best way to store your jewelry and also know a little more about what to look for in good quality body jewelry and avoid certain types of jewelry. The only question that remains is: what will you be flashing next? And who will you force to do it?

If you don't already have a piercer that you trust, and are in the Newmarket, ON area, head on over or give the team at Pierced.co a call today. Their friendly and experienced team is ready and waiting to help.