ASTM F136 ELI Titanium is the one of the best choices for initial piercing, though it is very expensive by comparison to Steel. It is a chemical element (‘Ti’ on the Periodic Table), stronger than steel but much more lightweight.
Titanium is non-magnetic, will not set off airport scanners, is MRI safe, and can also be fully autoclaved sterilized.
Even those who are sensitive to nickel can safely wear Titanium jewelry for longterm in fresh and healed piercings!
Titanium has very unique properties: it has the highest strength to density ratio of any metal element – making it highly corrosion resistant – so it does not react with oxygen or body fluids!
However, Titanium has various grades…
Titanium for use in initial piercings must be of the highest medical grade, known as ASTM F136 or ISO 5832 compliant. This is the same material used by the NHS to make bone screws and hip replacements suitable for maximum biocompatibility into the body.
Titanium has a natural silver-tone lustre and can be highly polished, and Titanium can be “anodized” to alter the color appearance of the metal without compromising its safety to be worn in the body.
Anodizing is a simple process that creates a thin oxide layer on the outside of the jewelry by passing an electric current thru the metal– this changes the color of the jewelry (different voltages results in different colors). Because there are no dyes or plating involved, only the molecular surface is altered, so nothing will chip off in the body like plated jewelry would. Another way to change the colour of titanium is to coat it with PVD (Physical Vapour Deposition), usually to give it a black or gold finish. PVD coatings are used commonly in the medical industry to coat surgical instruments safely as it changes the surface of the metal without altering the metals properties or affecting its biochemical safety.
The only quality recommended for use by the Association of Professional Piercers is Titanium that is certified to meet ASTM or ISO standards for surgical implant applications.
