What is Silicone Body Jewelry?
High-quality silicone body jewelry is made from an implant-grade synthetic material known for its comfort, flexibility, durability, and hypoallergenic properties.
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Pros and Cons of Silicone Jewelry
Like any other material, silicone has advantages and disadvantages, which depend on your preferences and needs. Here's a summary of some of the pros and cons:
Pros:
- Hypoallergenic: Silicone is generally well-tolerated by people with metal allergies or sensitivities, making it a great alternative if you react to metal or other materials.
- Comfort: Silicone's comfort is what makes it shine. It's soft and flexible, making it more comfortable than rigid materials like wood, metal, or acrylic.
- Lightweight: Silicone jewelry is lighter than other materials, reducing weight and strain on the pierced area and making it super-comfortable for daily wear. This is why silicone plugs are so popular for those with large stretched piercings. Unlike other large types of jewelry, you can comfortably wear a large silicone plug.
- Flexibility: Silicone's flexibility allows it to accommodate swelling, movement, and changes in the size of the pierced area more easily than other materials. However, it shouldn't be used for stretching.
- Variety: Silicone body jewelry is available in various shapes, sizes, and vibrant colors.
- Cost-effective: Silicone jewelry is generally an affordable and budget-friendly choice.
Cons:
- Durability: Silicone is less durable than materials like stainless steel or titanium, which means it will wear down or break more quickly, depending on the wearer's activities and how the jewelry is treated.
- Infection risk: Silicone can harbor bacteria if not properly cleaned and maintained, increasing the risk of infection. This is why it's crucial to clean and sterilize silicone jewelry regularly. It can also get micro-tears, which can harbor nasties.
- Unsuitable for fresh piercings: Silicone isn't recommended for use in new or unhealed piercings because it can impede healing. Fresh piercings typically require implant-grade titanium or surgical steel.
- Silicone allergies: Some people are allergic to silicone.
In summary, silicone is an excellent choice for you if you:
- need a discreet silicone piercing retainer
- have a piercing that's 100% healed
- need to increase the comfort of your piercing
- have metal allergies or sensitivities
- love bright or neon colors
Important Safety and Stretching Information for Silicone Piercings
The Association of Professional Piercers categorizes silicone as unsuitable for fresh or unhealed piercings.
It's also not advised to stretch your piercing using silicone. While silicone's comfort and flexibility may lend itself to stretching, its "auto-stretch" qualities can stretch your tissue too fast, impede your body's healing process, and cause damage and infection.
This damage often results from a buildup of scar tissue and the reduction of healthy blood flow. Tissue can also "thin" in an unsafe manner or cause a "blowout," when skin is pushed out from the piercing's interior. If the stress on the skin is excessive, a piercing's fragile lining can be torn or damaged.
Stretching with silicone has been done successfully, but it's too problematic to recommend.
Silicone Piercing Jewelry and Types
Once your piercing is fully healed, silicone is safe for many piercing types. You can easily find silicone plugs, eyelets, O-rings, ends, hider plugs, and retainers.
Here are some ideas for how and where to use silicone body jewelry:
- Ear lobe piercings: Silicone gauges (plugs or tunnels) are super-popular choices for earlobes.
- Septum piercings: Silicone plugs can be worn in the septum.
- Nostril piercings: Silicone retainers are best for this area.
Care and Cleaning of Silicone
Silicone is one of the easier materials to clean. If you have silicone eyelets or plugs, use a lubricant to remove or insert them. This helps remove the chances of tearing the jewelry. To clean silicone jewelry, wash it with fragrance-free antibacterial soap and warm water. Allow it to dry thoroughly before re-inserting it. Don't soak in harsh materials.
Most Commonly Asked Questions
Can silicone be sterilized?
Silicone can be sterilized in an autoclave.
Can you get pierced with silicone?
It’s not recommended to be pierced with silicone jewelry.
Can I sleep with silicone jewelry in?
Yes, silicone is very comfortable to sleep with.
Can eyelets be worn in cartilage?
Yes, many silicone eyelets can be worn in cartilage.
What can I use to lubricate silicone jewelry when taking out and putting in?
Body-safe oils like jojoba, emu, and vitamin E work well.
Is silicone micro-porous?
Yes, silicone is micro-porous. This is why you should never expose it to harsh chemicals because it will absorb them, making your jewelry toxic!
We hope this guide answers all your questions about silicone! Find silicone plugs and eyelets & silicone piercing retainers in our silicone body jewelry collection.
