What is our body jewellery made of and why is it important to know? The quality of your body jewellery can not only affect your piercing during the healing stage but also when worn in established piercings. This is your complete guide to buying body jewellery, you need to know what you’re paying for, and what you need to look for in high quality jewellery.

Finishing and Polishing

Metal body jewellery should have a mirror like finish- a high shine, super smooth surface. This removes microscopic rough surfaces that you won’t be able to feel by touch or see with the naked eye, but can cause damage to your piercings.

When jewellery has an uneven surface, the new cells that are formed during healing grow into irregularities. Then, when the jewellery moves or shifts, these areas tear. As this cycle is repeated, scar tissue is formed, and healing is delayed and you may develop a piercing bump from the unnecessary trauma.

A rough finish can also introduce bacteria into your piercing and cause infections.

The most popular body jewellery materials we use at Essential Beauty

316L Surgical Stainless Steel

Surgical Steel is commonly used for body jewellery because it will not oxidize or turn black with only minimal maintenance. Its resistance to corrosion and staining, as well as its durability and sleek look, have made surgical stainless steel body jewellery one of the most popular types of material for piercing, it is both hypoallergenic and affordable. Our body jewellery products are made with high quality 316L Surgical Steel with low nickel content, which is safe for all types of body piercings or implants.

In Surgical Steel body jewellery there are traces of nickel. Many people are sensitive to even small, trace amounts of this particular metal. Don’t know how you’ll react to nickel? If your skin turns green, black or gets itchy or irritated when you wear some jewellery, it may be reacting to nickel or another ingredient in the metal mixture. In this case, we have a huge range of titanium jewellery options.

Implant Grade Titanium

Titanium is ideal for both initial body piercings and healed piercings as it’s virtually nickel-free, titanium is one of the most popular metals for body jewellery. Our titanium products are solid titanium and not titanium alloy coated over steel like some cheaper alternatives. Titanium is only half the weight of steel and twice as strong. All of our titanium jewellery meets the ASTM and ISO standards (ASTM F136 or ISO 5832-3 compliant), which is the specification to be used in surgical implants.

Cobalt Chrome

Cobalt Chromium (or Cobalt Chrome) is highly resistant to corrosion and is extremely strong and durable. This material is very hard to break, bend or even scratch, making it a great choice for body piercings. The metal itself has a gorgeous white shine, similar to that of white gold or platinum. Cobalt Chrome is widely used in surgery for medical implants like hip replacements.

The best part about Essential Beauty’s Cobalt Chrome jewellery – its 100% nickel free!

Gold PVD & Rose Gold PVD

24K real Gold or Rose Gold Alloy can be coated over surgical steel, titanium or cobalt chrome using a PVD (Physical Vapor Deposition) method. The jewellery is coated with 24k Gold or our Rose Gold Alloy in a heated chamber under high vacuum and electric voltage applied will form a plasma in the chamber and the introduction of various gases produces an ion bombardment to produce a high shine, bright gold durable finish. our Gold PVD jewellery is crafted for longevity and everyday wear. This process is different to gold plating and much longer lasting and more durable making it the best option for body piercings. Our PVD products are coated to 3 microns thick resulting in a high-quality product that will last!

Bioplast

Bioplast is a biocompatible, flexible medical grade plastic suitable for wear in new or established piercings. Bioplast adjusts to the body temperature and not to the outside air temperature, like metals. Therefore, people getting pierced with Bioplast have reported less swelling and improved healing time. There is no risk of being sensitive to metals as Bioplast is 100% metal free. If you have allergies or sensitive skin Bioplast is a great option for you. Bioplast is not visible in X-Rays if used on its own without metal attachments, it is a virtually invisible solution for school, work, sport and surgeries. Bioplast jewellery without any metal attachments or gems are referred to as piercing retainers, as they keep your piercings open when you’re required to remove them for surgeries or school.

18K Gold

Our Fine Jewellery Collection is hand crafted from 18 carat Gold, G18K- stands for 18ct (75% Pure Gold) and 42% other alloys, our 18K Gold body jewellery won’t degrade over time, even when introduced to moisture.

Many pieces of jewellery that call themselves “gold” really consist of gold-plated metals and gold plating can easily rub off and expose the underlying metal, causing irritation or infection. You may assume that pure gold jewellery is a safe bet for piercings, but that’s not always the case. For example, 24-karat gold has a very soft texture which can be scratched or bent and trap bacteria. 18k or 14k Gold is most suitable for body piercing.

Shop our full range of body jewellery here.

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