| There are only a few types of metals
that are suitable for body piercings. The most important factor about
choosing the metal structure for jewelry that is inserted anywhere in
the body is that it will not react adversely to body tissues, which
can lead to serious health risks.
The most common types of body jewelry
utilize the very same metals that are used in surgical implants, i.e.
surgical steel 316 LVMF 138.
It's important to note that most
"fancy" body jewelry (i.e. dangling belly rings, etc.) may have
the charm or outside part of the piece constructed of sterling silver
or some other metal, but the portion that is actually inserted into
the body is most often (except in the case of solid gold, titanium, or
platinum) surgical steel.
The majority of people will not have
any reaction to high-quality surgical steel. However, lower-quality
surgical steel (which can often have a higher nickel content) should
be avoided. Always insure your body jewelry retailer only
carries the highest quality surgical steel in their products (Note:
WE do!).
Having said that, even the highest
quality surgical steel will have trace amounts of nickel. If you are
allergic to nickel, even slightly, you should only use body jewelry
constructed of the alternative metals noted above, and/or use acrylic
or plastic body jewelry.
Disclaimer: The materials on the
AllPiercings.com web site are presented for informational purposes
only, and
are not intended as a substitute for professional dental / medical
advice, and accordingly you should not use this information to
diagnose or treat a health problem or disease without consulting with
a qualified healthcare provider. |
