Surgical Steel vs Titanium: Which is Better?

 

titaniumThere are several metals commonly used for body jewelry. They are considered safe and body-friendly.

While gold is one of the most popular jewelry materials, it’s not really suitable for initial piercings and any gold jewelry used has to be made of nickel-free gold in order to be safe.

What about other materials? The most popular ones include Surgical Steel and Titanium. In order to choose the best jewelry between them and knowing the advantages and potential disadvantages to ensure your safety.

TITANIUM VS SURGICAL STEEL PIERCINGS JEWELRY: THE  BASICS

Titanium vs Surgical Steel piercing jewelry: which ones to choose? In order to answer this question, it is important to understand the basic characteristics of both materials. Also, keep in mind that both titanium and Surgical Steel are safe materials – in many situations, there might not be a reason to use one over the other, save for a personal preference.

The main difference between the two is that titanium is an elemental metal. It means that it will include fewer alloys than Surgical Steel. It does not make Surgical Steel, particularly the high-quality 316 Surgical Steel, unsafe. Most people will not feel any difference at all. However, some highly-sensitive people might need titanium jewelry. Titanium is also recommended for new piercings in healing, although many people can use Surgical Steel straight away, as long as it is high-quality Surgical Steel jewelry.

Ultimately, the decision between titanium vs Surgical Steel piercing jewelry will be a personal one. For most people, both materials will work great so it all depends on which material you prefer and which jewelry pieces you find more attractive.

Surgical Steel as a Body Jewelry Material

Surgical Steel is one of the most popular body jewelry materials. Surgical Steel is a type of stainless steel with specific alloys. Some of these alloys include nickel, which is why generic stainless steel should not be used for jewelry.

In order to produce body-friendly material that can be used for body jewelry and implants, steel has to be treated in specific ways. What is colloquially known as Surgical Steel is a material with specific alloys and properties. There are many different grades of Surgical Steel but only a few are body-friendly and suitable for body jewelry.

The only body-friendly grades are 316L and 316LVM Surgical Steel. These are low-carbon Surgical Steel materials. They do contain alloys, however, the alloys are trapped inside the material through special process so they cannot be released from the metal. It means that even if a person suffers from allergies to some alloys there is no problem since there is no release of alloys.

In order to achieve this, it’s vital to only use jewelry made of body-friendly Surgical Steel: 316L and 316LVM Surgical Steel. Out of the two, 316LVM is a superior material and recommended for body jewelry. It offers more protection and safety than the cheaper 316L Surgical Steel.

That’s why 316LVM Surgical Steel is considered medical-grade and top quality steel material for body jewelry.

This material works for a large majority of users, save for people who suffer from hypersensitivity. Luckily, those people have a few more options to get a beautiful body jewelry for themselves.

The variety of jewelry styles, too, will be better with Surgical Steel.

Another advantage is a better variety of sizes. With Surgical Steel, you always know that you will be able to find jewelry in your gauge. The same goes for size (length, height, etc.) Many of the Surgical Steel pieces are also customizable, so you know you can get just the right type of the product you need for your jewelry collection.

Also, remember the super-large gauges. Nothing beats Surgical Steel in this case. This is particularly true for those who like their jewelry pieces to be massive and bold. If this sounds like you, then Surgical Steel is a perfect jewelry material for your piercing needs.

Surgical Steel also contain less Nickel than Stainless Steel

Steel is generally an excellent material for body piercing jewelry. However, in order to stay safe and to avoid allergies, it is important to only use high-quality body jewelry. Since nickel is one of the main reasons for allergies and other troubles with body jewelry, it makes sense to wonder about the nickel content in your jewelry. As you probably know, steel as a material does contain some tiny amounts of nickel. However, different types of steel vary in this nickel content.

One of the best things about Surgical steel is that it treats nickel differently than other types of steel. Surgical Steel contain less nickel, but that is not all. The way the nickel is inside of the material is also important. With high-quality types of Surgical Steel, nickel and other alloys are “trapped” inside of the material so they cannot go to the surface. It means that your body does not really come in contact with the nickel in these steel materials.

The best qualities of steel to use for body jewelry are 316L and 316LVM Surgical Steel. These materials are low-carbon variations of Surgical Steel. The alloys in these steels are trapped inside of the material through a special process. These alloys (including nickel) cannot be released from the material.

When it comes to percentages of nickel, different manufacturers have different values. Generally speaking, the highest quality of Surgical Steel will only contain from 8 to 15 percentage of nickel.

In other words, the best Surgical Steel contain less nickel than regular stainless steel. This is one of the reasons why it is a safer body jewelry material. However, less percentages of nickel are not the only good thing about Surgical Steel. The best types of Surgical Steel also have alloys trapped inside of the material so this provides extra safety.

IS IT THEN EVER OK TO USE STAINLESS STEEL?

It is always best to use high-quality Surgical Steel for body jewelry. Basically, it all depends on your body. Some people are more resistant than the others. If you do not have a nickel allergy, you may try stainless steel.

More sensitive persons are highly advised to only use the highest grades of Surgical Steel and, if this is not enough, to switch to titanium. Titanium is a hypo-allergenic material so it is ideal for people with allergies.

Those who might be okay with lower grades of Surgical Steel or even with stainless steel should only use these materials for the old, well-established piercings. Never use stainless steel for new piercings in healing! It is important to minimize any risks of infections, allergies and other problems. Using only high-quality materials that are safe for the body is important. This is why it is so crucial to mainly use Surgical Steel jewelry instead of regular stainless steel.

Titanium and Niobium: Ideal for Hypersensitive Users

When you should not go with Surgical Steel?

Those with hypersensitivity issues should use Titanium (or Niobium)  instead of Surgical Steel. Titanium is a body-friendly material because it’s an elemental metal – it doesn’t contain nickel.

Also, titanium is a preferred material for initial piercings, though it’s not mandatory: most people do well with medical-grade Surgical Steel even for initial jewelry. If you have hypersensitivity problems, however, you should go with titanium instead.

Titanium offers another advantage: it is lightweight so it’s more comfortable. It can also be anodized to produce many vibrant colors. However, it is also a more expensive material.

While certain grades do contain a small percentage of alloys, those are low and, most importantly, biocompatible. This is why titanium is a perfect choice for people with hypersensitivity. The most popular and body-friendly is grade 23 titanium. This is a great body jewelry material.

Why should you choose Titanium Jewelry?

Titanium is not just a great body jewelry material. It also offers numerous advantages and ensures that your jewelry is body-friendly, comfortable and enjoyable to wear. All reputable jewelry makers offer titanium body jewelry because they know many people enjoy this type of jewelry.

So, here are all the benefits of Titanium body Jewelry, in a nutshell.

TITANIUM KEEPS YOU SAFE

Nickel allergies are a very serious problem that affects many people. This is why it’s important to always use only body-friendly and, preferably, medical-grade body jewelry for all your needs.

Not just for piercings: even regular jewelry, such as necklaces, bracelets or watches should be nickel-free to avoid allergic reactions.

While titanium is not the only nickel-free material (medical-grade Surgical Steel is another good choice, or you may use nickel-free gold), titanium offers numerous advantages so it’s definitely a body material you wish to consider.

Titanium is a high-quality material with no alloys in it so you know you will always be safe with this type of jewelry.

In fact, titanium is such a great material that it’s highly recommended for initial jewelry pieces. When you get your piercing, it is very sensitive and it takes some time to heal. During this healing process, it’s important to wear only highest quality, medical-grade jewelry, and titanium is a perfect material for these needs.

TITANIUM IS LIGHTWEIGHT

Titanium offers many additional benefits. For example, it is very lightweight for a metal. Unlike steel, which tends to be heavy, titanium is light and very comfortable to wear. While many people don’t mind heavy jewelry (some people even prefer big, heavy jewelry pieces), in case you are looking for something lighter, titanium is your friend.

Titanium is a hard and durable metal, but at the same time it is light enough to always stay comfortable. This is why it’s perfect for certain jewelry pieces and certain body parts where heavy jewelry would be uncomfortable.

TITANIUM IS COLORFUL

In addition to all of the above, titanium also offers an additional advantage: it is available many different colors.

Titanium can easily be anodized to create a wide range of colors, even multi-colored, rainbow jewelry pieces. This process is safe and doesn’t include harmful colors or simple color coverings – the metal itself acquires these different colors without affecting its quality.

It means that your colored jewelry stays perfectly body-friendly and safe even after acquiring all these bright colors. This is the best and safest way to get some colorful body jewelry and spice up your style without compromising your health.

Important Tips for buying Titanium Jewelry

These are major properties that every good Titanium Jewelry will have. Therefore, it is highly recommended to keep these pointers handy while buying the Titanium Jewelry

When looking for titanium jewelry, it’s best to go with the highest-quality, safe materials. It is best to look for medical-grade titanium jewelry. This titanium grade is recommended by the Association of Professional Piercers and it meets ASTM or ISO standards. One of the best titanium types is Grade 23 (6AL4V ELI F-136) implant grade titanium.

  • Titanium jewelry weighs only about 50%-60% of the weight of the stainless steel.
  • Titanium jewelry is less likely to react with body fluids, which is another significant advantage.
  • Titanium is highly corrosion resistant material and it’s not magnetic.
  • The basic color of titanium is dark-grey but of course it can be anodized to produce many different colors.
  • The most common titanium colors are blue, purple, green, yellow and rainbow (multi-color).
  • Some colors are not available. For example, titanium can’t be anodized to produce red or black jewelry.
  • Titanium can be easily sterilized in an autoclave, so it can be kept clean and completely sanitary.
  • It’s important to know that colored titanium pieces will probably fade over time. However, it is not dangerous and it won’t affect the quality or safety of titanium jewelry. Jewelry pieces won in the mouth (for tongue piercings, for example) tend to fade the fastest.
  • To clean your titanium jewelry, use antibacterial soap and warm water. You may also use specialized cleaning products if they are suitable. Don’t use alcohol or harsh cleaners on your titanium jewelry.
  • Titanium is a very tough material. In fact, it has the highest strength to weight ratio of all metals used for body jewelry.

Here’s an Infographic to summarize the points:

Update – We’ve just designed this nice Infographic compiling the points of this post. It’d be lovely if you could share it with your friends and help spread this knowledge.

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About Melina Jackson:
Melina is a staff writer, author and researcher for TheChainGang. She covers numerous subjects, from body jewelry to kinky adult toys. In addition to this, Melina also provides occasional adult toy reviews written in an interesting and sexy manner. She says: “I’m happy and proud to be a part of TheChainGang team. I enjoy every research because I know how much importance TheChainGang places on customer satisfaction and providing accurate and up to date information. I particularly like sex toy reviews: they are fun to write and experience”. In addition to writing and researching, Melina provides online research results and handy information for buyers interested in accurate and easily understandable tips and advice on choosing the best adult toys and body jewelry.

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