Pillar guide
Materials & Jewellery
Healing skin is fussy about metal and construction, and the jewellery trade is vague about both. These guides cover what a healing piercing actually requires — implant-grade titanium or solid gold, flat backs, threadless fittings — what healed piercings can relax about, and how to see through words like "hypoallergenic" and "surgical".
The one-line version: for anything still healing, insist on implant-grade titanium (ASTM F-136) or solid 14k/18k nickel-safe gold with a flat back, and make any studio tell you precisely what a piece is made of. The pages below are the why.
What is implant-grade titanium?
Implant-grade titanium means titanium certified to a medical implant specification — most commonly ASTM F-136 — verified nickel-safe, lightweight and suitable for healing piercings.
Is titanium or gold better for a piercing?
For healing, both qualify: implant-grade titanium (ASTM F-136) and solid, nickel-safe 14k or 18k gold are both accepted for fresh piercings.
What is threadless piercing jewellery?
Threadless jewellery fastens with a push-pin: a slightly bent pin on the decorative top press-fits into a hollow post, held by tension.
Why are butterfly backs bad for piercings?
Butterfly backs trap skin, hair and debris in their coiled spring, are hard to clean, and press against the ear when it swells — all bad for healing tissue.
What does 'hypoallergenic' actually mean?
Legally, very little.
Can you be allergic to your earrings?
Yes — and nickel allergy is overwhelmingly the usual cause.
Can you wear diamonds in a healing piercing?
Yes, if the piece qualifies: a diamond is chemically inert carbon and irrelevant to healing — lab-grown or mined alike.
What gauge are ear piercings?
Most ear piercings are 18 gauge (1.0mm) or 16 gauge (1.2mm) thick; lobes are sometimes 20 gauge (0.8mm).