MATERIAL COMPOSITION

316L Surgical Steel is the most common material used for body piercing in the United States. It is a strong and durable metal which is very easy to clean and maintain. It is also corrosion-resistant so it doesn't rust or tarnish. It can be polished to a shiny surface giving it that lustrous look with only a fraction of the price as compared to other metals.

925 Sterling Silver should not be inserted into any part of the body. Therefore, all of our sterling silver jewelry comes with 316L surgical steel shafts. The softness of sterling silver allows it to form unique and intricate designs. Sterling silver also has a lustrous shine.

Acrylic body jewelry is lightweight and very flexible so it is comfortable for your body. Most of our acrylic jewelry is ultra violet light reactive or glow in the dark. Acrylic body jewelry offers many choices in colors making it a very attractive material for body jewelry.

Bio-Pierce is an incredible, flexible material that conforms to world body jewelry standards. It is heat tolerant and can be auto-clave sterilized which makes it perfect for initial facial piercings. Studies have shown Bio-Pierce body jewelry to reduce any swelling from initial piercings, accelerate the healing process and minimize allergic reactions or infections

Bone and Horn are relatively lightweight and can be carved into a variety of shapes giving it that "natural" look. They have a very smooth surface. They usually come in natural shades of white and black. Like wood, bone and horn gives your body some breathing room so it significantly cuts down on smell.

Glass is an excellent material for body jewelry. It has been used for over thousands of years. It is virtually bio-compatible so you don't have to worry about any allergies. It is comfortable to wear. It is non-toxic so it is safe for the body. Glass may be sterilized in a steam-autoclave but heat may cause cracking in cheaper glass products. Glass is one of the best things you can wear in newly stretched piercings. There are several types of glass jewelry:

a) Borosilicate Glass which is commonly known as "pyrex". This is commonly used in glass ware. This type of glass can withstand much more stresses than ordinary glass and when it breaks, it tends to crack instead of shattering dangerously. This comes in a huge variety of colors and designs.

b) Quartz (Silicone Dioxide) is one of the most common minerals found on the earth's surface. It has a unique hexagonal structure and it is corrosion-resistant. Like Borosilicate glass, Quartz can endure sharp temperature variations.

Gold is a precious metal which symbolizes wealth and power. Gold is highly sought after due to its rarity and high economic value. Gold is the most malleable and ductile metal known. Things like heat, moisture and oxygen have a very minimal effect on gold. This makes it a desirable metal to use in making jewelry.

Pewter is a metal alloy which consists of tin and copper. In addition to its bright and shiny appearance, Pewter is also a very malleable metal. It is great for carving very intricate designs. It also takes good impressions from punches and presses.

Titanium is a hypoallergenic metal. It will not produce skin irritation or discoloration. A lot of piercers love Titanium because is stronger than steel and yet approximately 45% lighter. Titanium can also be anodized to create a wide variety of surface colors such bright blue, bright purple and a rainbow mix. This involves a process where the jewelry is submerged in an electrolyte solution and then voltage is applied. The color results from the refraction of light through the oxide layer. The thickness of the layer determines the resulting color. Titanium can be sterilized in an autoclave. It is ideal for customers who are sensitive to other metals. It will not oxidize, corrode or rust under normal use.

Wood is one of the oldest materials used in body jewelry. Body jewelry made out of wood has great versatility. Wood is lightweight. Wood also gives your body some breathing room so it significantly cuts down on smell. Properly finished wooden jewelry tends to thicken the skin of a piercing thereby drastically improving its health.

MEASURING BODY JEWELRY

Gauge refers to the thickness of the body jewelry.

Lengthrefers to the length of the shaft or the inside length between the balls. For captive bead rings and circular barbells or horseshoes, length refers to the inside diameter.

BODY JEWELRY CONVERSION CHART

There are two systems used in measuring body jewelry: metric and imperial. The metric system uses millimeters and the imperial system uses gauges and inches. Below is a conversion chart for you to use as a cross reference.