Material Guide

Pierce of Art has included this material guide to give you a better idea of what you are actually purchasing. We have included all the materials available in Pierce of Art Studio and online and we hope to inform you of what material may be most suitable for your piercing.

Titanium Pierce of Art use only Ti6AL-4V commercially pure titanium. Ti6AL-4V is certified for medical implant use, specification BS 7252 part 3, and conforms to the EU directive 94/27/EU for initial piercing. Meaning it contains less than 0.05% nickel. We recommend titanium for use in piercings with minor skin irritations caused by a high sensitivity to the nickel in materials such as surgical steel, and 9ct gold.
Titanium can also be used normally, and is most commonly bought in its coloured form. Please note all our Titanium products are manufactured in the UK!

P.T.F.E (polytetrafluoroethylene) is a flexible, bio-compatible material used in the medical services for stitching large wounds. P.T.F.E is fully auto-clavable and conforms to the E.U nickel directive for initial piercing jewellery. At Pierce of Art, P.T.F.E is used for problematic piercings, such as tongue, surface and scaffold piercings. We have found the lightness and flexibility along with its non-stick Teflon surface coating to, greatly aid the healing process of all piercings. P.T.F.E is also ideal for skin irritations, impetigo, keloid scarring and fully infected piercings.

316L surgical steel is a surgical implant grade of stainless steel, and complies with EU nickel guidelines for nickel release; less than 0.5ug per cm2 per week. However even though surgical steel is of the highest quality, it is only suitable for healed piercings and should not be inserted in a fresh piercing.

Blackline/Zircon gold Blackline and Zircon gold are surgical titanium with a PVD (physical vapour deposit) coating, offering a smooth, wear resistant finish that will not chip away. This same PVD coating is often used on medical equipment to provide a safe, rust free, fully auto-clavable finish. As Blackline and Zircon gold are both G23 surgical titanium they can be worn by those sensitive to nickel or those with skin irritations.

Titanium anodized steel Titanium anodized steel is 316l surgical steel with an anodised titanium coating. This leaves a durable coating, characterised by its strong, bright colouring. titanium anodized steel is avaliable with a black, gold or any of the titanium colourings and is only suitable for healed piercings.

Gold Gold body jewellery is often bought cheaply at 9ct and is often too impure to wear as body jewellery. Those sensitive to nickel and cheaper jewellery should only wear 14ct or higher. With the price increase for this precious metal comes higher quality designing. Meaning higher t.p.i threads, bezelled and claw set gems and on some, real diamonds. Gold, in any carat, is only suitable for healed piercings. As a guide 9ct gold contains 37.5% pure gold, 14ct; 58.5% and 18ct containing 75%.

Silver Because of the high nickel content, malleability and tarnishing of silver it is rarely used for body jewellery, only nose studs. Because of how thin they are there is very little surface contact, so does not prove a problem, much like silver earrings. It is, however, used for attachments, most commonly the attachments on navel bars and nipple shields.

Wood/Bone Wood and bone are only used for plugs and expanders, or occasionally have threads inserted to form attachments. Because of the natural instability of wood and bone, it cannot be made into body jewellery. Glass Glass is used for ear stretching jewellery as it is much too brittle and delicate to be made into any other form of body jewellery. It can be coloured and patterned, and because of its comparatively rough surface, it stays in your piercing better than the highly polished metal ear jewellery.

Hematite Hematite is a dark, black crystal mainly used to make the clip in balls of titanium bcrs, they have a hole running through them which makes for much easier insertion. We also stock haematite saddle plugs and tongue bars.
Hematite is said to improve relationships, and increasing intuition,  also improves oxygen supply to your body.

Howlite, Turquoise, Rose Quartz, Jade All these are available as saddle plugs and are genuine crystals, perfect for those who believe in the therapeutic, healing and spiritual properties of crystals without suffocating them in heavy clasps and chains.