Nickel allergy is quite common and can cause itching, redness, rash and/or swelling if you wear jewelry with nickel in it. If you have a nickel allergy, you should use nickel-free and hypoallergenic jewelry. This applies to all the jewelry you huse, not just piercing jewelry. Fortunately, in principle, all piercing jewelry you buy from reputable, Swedish companies is nickel-free.
There are a few different materials to choose from.
Surgical steel is by far the most common material in piercing jewelry, it has been used in piercing jewelry since the 90s and is known for its durability and hypoallergenicity. The material has a very low level of nickel emission, which means that it can be used by many who are sensitive to nickel.
Surgical steel is an alloy that contains about 17% chromium, 12% nickel and 2.2% molybdenum, but the nickel that is present is so tightly bound in the metal that less than 0.1 millionths of a gram of nickel is released per cm2 and week. It is so little that 316L meets the EU directive for products that come into close and prolonged contact with the skin. The limit value is 0.5 millionths of a gram/cm2/week.
Barbarella's piercing jewelry in surgical steel is of implant-classified standard, also known as ASTM F138 and ISO 5832-1. ASTM F138 and ISO 5832-1.
ASTM F138 is a standard that specifies the requirements for surgical stainless steel intended for use in implants.
ISO 5832-1 is an international standard that also specifies the requirements for surgical stainless steel for implants. It is similar to ASTM F138 and sets requirements for chemical composition and mechanical properties to ensure that the material is biocompatible and durable for use in the human body.
"Normal" nickel allergy sufferers can usually handle 316L surgical steel, but if you are very sensitive or concerned, you should choose Titanium instead.
Most piercing studios today use Titanium when performing piercings. Titanium is completely nickel-free and is suitable for sensitive and very allergic people. It is not actually the titanium itself that is so good for the body, but the layer of titanium oxide that forms on the surface. The oxide layer also acts as a barrier against other substances in the titanium leaking into the body. If the titanium oxide surface is worn away, a new layer is formed immediately.
Titanium - Ti6AL 4V Eli Grade 23 - ASTM (F-136) which is a titanium quality alloyed with aluminum and vanadium, specially developed for additive manufacturing (according to ASTM F3001-14) and for hot isostatic pressing.
G23 titanium and F136 are the same material, one name is the chemical name, the other is the ASTM standard name.
Bioplast is a form of "plastic" that is safe to use in piercings. It is an excellent material for those with sensitive skin due to its biocompatibility and flexible nature. Bioplast® is a trademarked medical grade plastic. The material adapts to body temperature and not to outside temperature, like metals. Therefore, people pierced with Bioplast® are less likely to experience swelling and infection. The healing process is faster than with any other material and there are no recorded allergic reactions. The material is considered suitable for new piercings by the APP.
When you get an irritation near your piercing, it is common that the first thought tis that it must be the “bad” material and nickel in the jewelry that is causing this. Of course, the material can play a role, but most often it is not the jewelry that is at fault, there are more aspects to consider if this situation arises.
People with very sensitive skin or nickel allergies can in exceptional cases react to even nickel-free jewelry, even though they meet the EU’s strict requirements for nickel emissions. This can happen regardless of which of the nickel-free materials you use, i.e. even with jewelry made of titanium and real gold. The reason may be that even the smallest amounts of metals can trigger a reaction in very sensitive individuals, but more commonly, the body reacts to other metals in the alloy. In other words, even materials that are considered hypoallergenic and hypoallergenic, such as titanium and surgical steel, can in exceptional cases cause irritation depending on the individual’s sensitivity and current health status. It is easy to forget that factors such as stress, lack of sleep, illness, medication, etc. can affect how the body reacts to a piercing, as the body may then be more susceptible to irritation and inflammation.
Yes, you can definitely get a nickel allergy from piercings, if you don't get pierced with nickel-free jewelry! Piercing your ears and other body parts is one of the most common causes of developing a nickel allergy, as jewelry that releases nickel when in close contact with your skin causes the reaction. The allergy is lifelong once it has occurred and causes symptoms such as itching, redness and rashes.
Important things to keep in mind to avoid nickel allergy: