Piercing: Titanium or stainless steel? What to choose?

Rédigé par : Naald Piercing | Dernière mise à jour : 04 Mar 25

Piercing: Titanium or stainless steel (surgical)?

Piercing: Steel or titanium

What is better for your piercings? Titanium or surgical steel?

Are you hesitating between a titanium or surgical steel piercing ? In this article, we compare these two materials to help you make the best choice.

Long story short: Titanium ! While stainless steel (or surgical steel) may suit many of you, thanks to its more affordable price, titanium remains the preferred solution to offer the best for your piercing. Titanium will be the preferred option, especially for a first piercing or if you have already had allergic reactions to other jewelry.

We will see together why, what are the advantages and disadvantages of these 2 materials and we will give you our advice to make an informed choice to choose the right piercing jewelry for your navel, your nose or your ear.

Before we begin, the information you will find here comes from our own experiences as piercing professionals. We strive to apply the latest recommendations in terms of safety and hygiene and we carefully follow the communications of the APP ( Association of Professional Piercers ). We have chosen to offer the best for our customers by respecting the most restrictive standards and recommendations. These are constraints that we impose on ourselves to offer you the best.
Not going as far as all the checks and respecting all the recommendations for use will not necessarily make your piercer a bad professional. Many people have accumulated many years of experience, even before the APP centralized the different recommendations. Make the difference between a professional who has 25 years of experience and his own way of working and a beginner piercer, who has set himself the challenge of becoming a "home piercer" during confinement by watching videos on social networks.

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Surgical steel

First of all, what is surgical steel (or stainless steel)?

Surgical steel is a general term used to describe a type of stainless steel used in various medical applications, including making jewelry for your body piercings.

In other words, when you are told "with stainless steel there is no risk of infection and it is good for healing" do not pay attention to this kind of marketing arguments . The term stainless steel can just as well designate a "304" steel or any low-end steel, which is considered stainless but perfectly unsuitable for the human body.

As for the term "surgical steel", it is a term that is generally used by marketing and sales departments to talk about stainless steel. In other words, technically, this term only exists in marketing language. It is unfortunately often used to talk about any polished metal that comes along.

Without going into too much technical detail, there are many so-called "stainless" steels and they are all made from an alloy of several metals.
In our case, it is obvious that the quality we are looking for for our piercings that you will put on your beautiful body is the one that meets all the hygiene standards for an implantable material: namely, 316 LVM steel. Nobody wants to end up on the beach with a red and swollen navel.

List of quality stainless steels , starting with the most suitable for a piercing:

  1. 316 LVM steel (ASTM F-138): It is used in the medical field, particularly for implants and piercings. A refined steel, 99% free of impurities. This is the improved version of 316 L, designed specifically for implants and piercings. It meets the American standard, ASTM F-138 , dedicated specifically to medical implants.
  2. 316 L steel : It is now used in culinary tools, among other things, or for certain medical tools. It is very resistant to corrosion and offers very good strength. This steel remains of very good quality, it is not recommended for piercing, in the sense that the technical specifications no longer meet current requirements, but remains your best alternative to lower quality alloys.
  3. All other steels : We can only recommend that you stay as far away as possible from all steels whose origin or standard you do not know. The biggest risk is to come across a batch containing nickel or other alloys that are strongly discouraged (or even very dangerous) for your health. The risk can be tempting when you think you will see the same jewel at €2 or €3 instead of €20, but the health complications that you may encounter later will clearly make you regret your decision.

It's about your health! Don't look for small savings, look for quality!

The advantages of stainless steel (also known as surgical steel)

Stainless steel, or surgical steel, has several advantages as a material for piercing jewelry:

  • Corrosion Resistance: Surgical steel is corrosion resistant, making it safe for use in piercings. It is especially resistant to corrosion when in contact with bodily fluids, such as sweat or saliva.
  • Hypoallergenic: Surgical steel generally contains less nickel than other types of steel, reducing the risk of allergies and skin irritation.
  • Economical: Surgical steel jewelry is generally less expensive than titanium jewelry, making it accessible to more people. So you can easily plan on having a few replacement pieces without spending all your money.

Disadvantages of (surgical) stainless steel

Despite its advantages, (surgical) stainless steel also has some disadvantages:

  • Allergic reactions: Although surgical steel is hypoallergenic, some people may still be sensitive to the few impurities it contains. In these cases, titanium may be a better option.
  • Varying quality: The quality of surgical steel can vary greatly from manufacturer to manufacturer, meaning that some stainless steel jewelry is much better quality than others. If you're lucky, you'll get the right batch, if not, you'll end up with a defective/unsafe batch, leading to all the complications we know about (irritation, plaque, redness, prolonged healing, etc.)

Titanium

What is titanium?

Titanium is a lightweight metal, yet incredibly strong and corrosion resistant. It is one of the most comfortable materials available for piercing jewelry for everyday wear.

It is often used to create alloys with other metals, such as iron and aluminum, for applications in aerospace, medicine, and other industries. It is one of the best metals for the medical field due to its properties; it is stronger and lighter than steel, contains fewer impurities, and is one of, if not the, best material in terms of biocompatibility.

For a titanium piercing to be considered implantable, it must meet ASTM F-136.

Here is the list of different qualities for titanium in the field of piercing, starting with the best:

  1. ASTM F-136 : Titanium that meets this standard, specific to medical implants, is the only one that meets all the health criteria to be implanted. It is one of the best qualities currently on the market for the composition of a piercing. It is the new, purer, more worked version of G23 titanium but also more expensive, by force of circumstances.
  2. G-23 : G-23 grade titanium has been used for piercings for a very long time. It was not a very refined version of titanium but this quality was already much higher than what was on the market, especially with poor quality stainless steels. It is used today for mechanical tools because its properties are highly sought after.
    As with 316 L steel , G-23 titanium is not recommended as implant jewelry since all safety standards are not (anymore) fully respected (in particular concerning the acceptable impurity limit). However, it remains, by far, a much better alternative to a "steel" jewelry purchased on the market, between 2 sausages and 1 melon.
  3. Other titanium or unspecified standard : For piercing, avoid wearing a material whose origin or ISO standard that was respected during the manufacture of the jewel is unknown. In any case, this is what we recommend, do not trust blindly. Among the many professionals who exist in the field, and who have your health at the heart of their concerns, there are unfortunately, as everywhere, unscrupulous (or simply incompetent) sellers.

Please note: Titanium that meets the ASTM F-136 standard is G-23 type titanium BUT in its more refined version, free of impurities, and therefore implantable.

Advantages of titanium

Titanium offers several advantages as a material for piercing jewelry :

  • Hypoallergenic: Titanium is one of the most hypoallergenic metals available. It is often recommended for people with severe metal allergies or for difficult healing.
  • Lightweight and Strong: Titanium is both lightweight and incredibly strong, making it comfortable to wear while being durable.
  • Corrosion Resistance: Titanium is highly resistant to corrosion, making it ideal for piercing jewelry in constant contact with bodily fluids.

If this is your first piercing and the last thing you want to worry about is the quality of your jewelry, go for a titanium labret with, ideally, an internal thread. We have already seen the advantages of this material and the internal thread further reduces irritation when the jewelry is placed, making our articles the perfect allies for your body in the healing phase (especially for the nose and ears. The navel will have its own category very soon).

Our titanium labrets and their internal thread are perfect for an implantable piercing.

Titanium ear piercing jewelry

Discover our titanium jewelry ✨

Disadvantages of titanium

The main drawback of titanium is its price, which can be higher than surgical steel. However, for those with metal allergies, the extra cost may be worth it for the comfort and safety that titanium offers. Its lightness and strength also make it the most comfortable material to wear in terms of jewelry.

How to tell the difference between titanium and stainless steel?

Distinguishing between titanium and stainless steel is important, both for aesthetic and health reasons. Here are some basic criteria to differentiate between these two popular metals:

  1. Weight : Titanium is remarkably lightweight compared to stainless steel. This lightness provides superior comfort, especially important for body jewelry worn for long periods of time. If you hold a titanium piercing in one hand, with a very similar size to a stainless steel piercing in the other hand, you will notice a slight difference in weight.

  2. Appearance : While both metals are aesthetically pleasing with their metallic sheen and mirror finish, titanium offers a wider range of finishes. Titanium will, however, be slightly duller than a steel piece of jewelry.
    Titanium jewelry can feature a variety of iridescent colors achieved through anodizing, while stainless steel typically sports a shiny silver hue.

  3. Magnetic Properties : Stainless steel can exhibit mild magnetic properties, depending on its composition. Titanium, on the other hand, is completely non-magnetic, which can be an advantage in environments where magnetic interference must be avoided (scanners, MRIs, airports, etc.)

  4. Corrosion Resistance : Titanium excels in its exceptional resistance to corrosion, virtually never rusting, even in humid or salty environments. Stainless steel is also resistant to corrosion, but can, in some cases, under extreme conditions, show signs of degradation and begin to rust.

These differences make titanium a popular choice for piercing jewelry, especially for users with sensitive skin or specific requirements for weight and corrosion resistance . Stainless steel, however, remains a viable and cost-effective option, valued for its strength and long-lasting shine.

Quality standards for piercing jewelry

When it comes to choosing piercing jewelry, it’s important to consider quality standards. Two key standards to look for include:

  • ASTM F138: This standard covers 316LVM surgical steel, which is considered hypoallergenic and suitable for body piercing jewelry.
  • ASTM F136: This standard covers implantable grade titanium, which is also hypoallergenic and recommended for body piercing jewelry, including during the healing phase.

ASTM F-136 Titanium Piercing Ring

Discover our titanium piercings ✨

Initial and replacement jewelry

First pose

The first pose refers to the jewelry used when making a new piercing. For a jewel to be implantable, it is important to choose hypoallergenic and corrosion-resistant materials, such as surgical steel compliant with ASTM F138 or titanium compliant with ASTM F136. It is also ideal to have a jewel with an internal screw thread in order to eliminate any irritation that could be caused by the friction of it in the canal. This is in no way an obligation, it is a plus, whether it is for the healing of your ear, or any part of the body (tongue, nose, navel, etc.)

Titanium is often considered the best choice for initial jewelry fittings due to its hypoallergenicity and corrosion resistance in addition to being incredibly lightweight and comfortable.

There are more materials for your piercing such as silver, gold, platinum, acrylic or silicone, glass, stone and wood. However, each material is not implantable and are generally reserved for specific products. Wood, glass, silicone, acrylic or stone are generally reserved for expanders. As for silver, gold or platinum, they are more used for very well healed piercings but rarely as fitting jewelry.

Titanium piercing jewelry for ears

Replacement

Once the piercing has healed, you can choose replacement jewelry based on your aesthetic preferences and tolerance to different materials. Surgical steel and titanium jewelry are still great options, but you can also consider other materials like gold, silver, plastic, acrylic, silicone, or wood, depending on your taste and how your body reacts to these materials.

Conclusion

When it comes to choosing piercing jewelry, whether it’s for your belly button, nose, or ears, it’s important to weigh the pros and cons of each material. Surgical steel and titanium are two popular options due to their resistance to corrosion and compatibility with the human body. Titanium is often considered the best choice for initial piercing jewelry, while surgical steel can be a more economical option for replacement jewelry. No matter which material you choose, be sure to consider quality standards and how your body reacts to different materials.

To go further:

Titanium Piercing: Why Does Quality Make All the Difference?

Sources:
316L Steel vs 316LVM Steel (English)
Specifics of 316LVM steel (English)
Alloys and stainless steel (French)
Why not use Titanium G23? (English)

Metals in the medical field (French)

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