Maybe you’ve had the following experience. You buy a snack or get a fruity beverage at the store, and even though you weren’t necessarily looking for the healthiest option, you buy something that says “All Natural” because, hey, who doesn’t like things that are natural? If you’ve ever delved into the world of nutrition and food labeling, you will have learned a sad truth: “all natural” has no legal definition, and anyone can put it on virtually any product. In fact, at this point, a product labeled “All Natural” might even deserve some healthy skepticism: why bother using a meaningless phrase to sell a product?

Not all claims made on food products are created equally, though. Some claims are vigorously enforced and regulated. The same is true for jewelry and the terms associated with metals and other materials.

Oftentimes, when we are discussing body jewelry with a client, we bring up the phrase “implant grade”. For the average customer, that terminology is wholly unfamiliar. Often we are then asked if the jewelry is “hypoallergenic”, “surgical” or “sterling”, and this brings us to a dilemma. The words here really do have meaning, and they are a confusing landscape of industry jargon and misleading marketing terms. 

Certain terminology has been applied to jewelry which sounds great but actually does not have a legal or scientific basis, just like with food. The most confusing of these words has to be “hypoallergenic”. This term is most often used in reference to cosmetic products, but has found its way to the jewelry industry as well. What does it mean, exactly? From the FDA “There are no Federal standards or definitions that govern the use of the term ‘hypoallergenic.’ The term means whatever a particular company wants it to mean”. Source The term “surgical steel” is similarly loosely defined. “There is no formal definition on what constitutes a ‘surgical stainless steel’, so product manufacturers and distributors often apply the term to refer to any grade of corrosion resistant steel”. Source “Sterling silver” may bring to mind ornate rings and valuable heirlooms, but silver is not an acceptable material for body jewelry. Valuable doesn’t necessarily equal biocompatible. Sourc

This is why piercers prefer to use the term “implant grade” when referring to our steel, titanium, and niobium jewelry. Implant grade, as a specific terminology, distinguishes itself by having real, objective standards backing it up. Two organizations, ASTM International and The International Organization for Standardization (ISO), develop and constantly reevaluate standards for metals to determine biocompatibility for medical applications. These standards are then followed by metal foundries and manufacturers to comply with and document along the way. These objective standards are not merely for marketing, they have incredible importance in all kinds of medical devices, from replacement hip joints to dental implants. 

The body piercing industry decided in the late 1990’s that the steel and titanium that was used in our jewelry should comply with ASTM International and/or ISO standards for biocompatibility. Only the best jewelry manufacturers complied, but this has resulted in a truly dazzling array of extremely safe jewelry. Gamma only works with steel and titanium that meets these implant grade standards, which is required to maintain our piercer’s memberships in the Association of Professional Piercers.

The essential thing to understand is that terms like “hypoallergenic” may sound really compelling, when in fact, they are marketing phrases that any company can put on any product without consequence. Implant grade products, on the other hand, have an enormous amount of science, research, checks and balances, and accountability involved. These standards have stood the test of time by being constantly challenged and evaluated by organizations like ASTM International and ISO. 

At Gamma Piercing, we are always excited to discuss our beautiful array of jewelry, especially the safety standards we employ to help your piercing heal without incident. If you have any questions, please call, visit, or email us.