Looking individual or unique is the reason many people choose to have body piercings. This is why there are so many different body piercing accessories available. But with body piercings it makes sense to choose the best quality. After all, the piece of jewellery in question will be inside your body; so choose to buy from a retailer who uses the finest quality materials. Choosing good quality handmade body jewellery is easy if you understand the materials used.Solid gold is a safe material for body piercing accessories.

Plated gold can deteriorate and the cheap material underneath will be exposed to your bloodstream, and it may contain harmful irons. Similarly, 9ct yellow gold contains less than 40% gold, and the remaining 60% are alloys which may release metallic ions into your bloodstream. 14ct and 18ct yellow gold however, can create healthy body piercing accessories such as nose studs, providing that they are nickel free. Platinum is more pricey but is considered the best material for body piercing accessories. It is hardwearing and doesn't oxidise, tarnish or discolour, and is not affected by bodily fluids. It will not cause allergic reactions and won't blacken in piercings. This is why platinum makes the ideal handmade body jewellery material for any type of piercing, be it nose, ear, eyebrow, belly button or elsewhere.

It will keep its shine for years and looks beautiful. Silver is considered by many as a safe material for body piercing accessories. It is not. Pure silver contains harmful alloys like nickel and is very heat conductive, so not suitable to being exposed to the sun or sun-beds. 14ct white gold is a compound of gold with white metals, sometimes including harmful nickel. As long as it has no nickel or plating, white gold is ok for use in handmade body jewellery.Nickel should be avoided because it causes a reaction inside the body. It reacts easily with the amino-acids inside the body, and the immune system will fight it. This is the reason for many people's nickel "allergy". Stainless steel is considered to have too high levels of nickel to be safe for body jewellery.Therefore, it is best to keep your body piercings healthy with good quality handmade body jewellery. Choose body piercing accessories made with solid gold, 14ct or 18ct yellow gold, platinum or 14ct white gold, and ensure that they contain no nickel.