The internet can be a fantastic place where you can find and learn about virtually anything. On the flip side, it can also be a terrifying and misleading place for the same reason. For some industries, the web can be detrimental and even harmful with its overload of information and minimally researched articles. (Did you know anyone can start a website? Did you know anyone can write a blog? Did you know they don’t have to fact-check any of their information? Eek!)
Unfortunately, one of the industries that suffer from an abundance of false information online is the body piercing industry; more specifically the body jewelry business. Since there are currently no regulations in place regarding the materials used for body jewelry, it’s important to do your research. But how do you do that? Gone are the days of finding the right Great Britannica in the library. That means finding a piercer who purchases high quality body piercing jewelry from reputable brands. Here are a few tips on what to look for when shopping for premium quality body jewelry.
A piercing starts as a wound and stays an open port as long as you’re wearing jewelry in it. That being said, you want to take care of your “hole” accordingly—the most important component to the health and longevity of your piercing is wearing high quality body jewelry. The products offered by a body piercing studio and/or a body jewelry company should always be made with high-quality materials. Implant-grade stainless steel, implant-grade titanium, gold in its solid form, platinum, and glass are the most commonly-used quality materials. Body jewelry then needs to be made specifically for each piercing and sized accordingly.
If you wear the wrong material in your piercing, your body may recognize the material as foreign and reject it. If you are wearing a porous metal, it cannot be fully sterilized, and bacteria essentially can grow in the metal, putting you at risk for infection. Additionally, a porous metal allows certain tissues to grow directly on the jewelry...you don’t want to have to have your jewelry surgically removed! You also don’t want to wear a metal that may oxidize and stain the piercing area. Often by the time you notice a problem, it’s too late to fix it. Always wear good quality body jewelry, and you won’t have to worry about issues with your piercing.
Unfortunately, body jewelry companies may not specify what exact material you are getting. For example, not all “stainless steel” is the same. You want to make sure you are wearing implant-grade stainless steel; not the same grade stainless steel your garbage can is made out of. If you buy a cheap piece of jewelry online, neither the body jewelry company, the supplier, nor the piercer is culpable or sympathetic when their customer comes down with a problem. The most frustrating thing on the internet is when higher-end products are placed alongside poorer quality ones making it hard for the buyer to see the difference.
We don’t do that at Starfire Body Jewelry Company. We never will.
Starfire is a body jewelry company that genuinely cares about how the industry is represented. We only sell jewelry made with body-piercing-standard materials, meaning they are often produced with the same grade of stainless steel and/or titanium used for orthopedic implants. “Regular jewelry” is made very differently than body jewelry that is made for body piercings. We only purchase from vendors that provide us with Mill Certificates guaranteeing the quality of the jewelry.
Starfire is known for carrying both basic and unique jewelry from the best brands in the industry. We have an excellent reputation for a reason. Check out some of our most popular pieces today to see the difference.
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