Is sterling silver bad for piercings?
Sterling silver is 92.5 percent silver and can contain other elements that cause irritation. As silver is such a soft metal, it can be easily scratched or tarnished. These imperfections can then harbor harmful bacteria, which are then harmful to your piercing, potentially causing irritation and infection.
Sterling silver body jewelry is safe to wear in healed piercings. But it should never be in an unhealed piercing or in a piercing in a moist area of the body.
For the first six months to a year, still steer clear of metals containing nickel (like white gold). There may be trace amounts of nickel in sterling silver, but it's generally considered safe.
One common irritation culprit is nickel, a metal that's used in many inexpensive and expensive alloys, or mixed metals. Many people are sensitive to even small amounts of nickel,1 and popular piercing metals like sterling silver often contain it.
Your best bets will be surgical-grade steel, titanium, or 14-karat gold. In terms of style, comfort and versatility are key. Stud earrings are recommended for new piercings because they're non-bulky for sleeping and less likely to snag on clothing and get pulled. (Ouch.)
Surgical steel is hard-wearing which is perfect for everyday wear and regular wear because although it 'can' scratch, it will not scratch or break as easily as Sterling Silver. Steel does not oxidise which means it does not tarnish or discolour and it does not require regular cleaning.
A) Not silver. Most ears are pierced with 9ct yellow or white gold, surgical steel or titanium. Plain polished titanium is the purest metal for the initial piercing. In truth gold or surgical steel are ok for the initial piercing.
Titanium is Ideal for Hypersensitive Users
Those with hypersensitivity issues should use Titanium instead of Surgical Steel. Titanium is a preferred material for initial piercings because it's an elemental metal – it doesn't contain nickel. Titanium is as strong as steel, but as light as aluminum.
Niobium has been widely used by piercers with good results for many years. It is very similar to titanium, but does not have an implant-grade designation. Like titanium, niobium can be anodized to produce different colors. (And, unlike titanium, it can be anodized black.)
Like gold, sterling silver is typically a safe bet if you have sensitive ears.
When can you wear sterling silver earrings after piercing?
Once your ears have healed and you can begin transitioning to regular earrings, you should first wear small earrings, preferably studs, that are made from sterling silver or gold for at least the next three months.
Any metal can be rhodium-plated, but nickel-free sterling silver is the best hypoallergenic option. No matter the base metal, rhodium-plating will protect against a reaction to nickel.
With both metals combining, sterling silver is hypoallergenic too making it perfect for earrings and rings. Plated silver on the other hand is often created using nickel which can irritate skin easily, coated by a layer of pure silver. This means that silver plated is not as hypoallergenic as the other kinds of silver.
For anyone getting their ears pierced, whether it's the earlobe or outer ear cartilage, we recommend stud piercing earrings rather than hoops or dangling styles. Inverness stud piercing earrings are made with a sharp tip and narrow post to gently pierce the ear and then stay in place while the piercing heals.
There's no reason to rotate your piercing. You could damage the delicate, healing skin by rotating the jewelry. In the past, rotating the jewelry was recommended, but it has been found to cause damage that can lead to infection and scarring. For happy healing, NEVER rotate your body jewelry.
Jewelry should not be expected to rotate or move freely in most piercings, even after healing. Most piercings will shrink or close very quickly if the jewelry is removed, so if you like your piercing it is vital to LEAVE YOUR JEWELRY IN AT ALL TIMES!
Is sterling silver hypoallergenic? Sterling silver jewelry is often hypoallergenic. Sterling silver is an alloy containing mostly silver in addition to other metals that add strength to pure silver.
Stainless Steel (surgical)
Low-carbon surgical stainless steel is ideal for body piercing as, even though they contain alloys, these are trapped in the metal through a special process and aren't released. 316L and 316LVM are the only types that are body-friendly.
The most popular type of nose ring metal is surgical stainless steel. The reason it's the most popular is because it's hypoallergenic, affordable and is a safe metal for healing from a fresh nose piercing.