Anyone searching for the best non-metallic body jewelry alternatives has come across PTFE jewelry.
But PTFE being a type of plastic and some forms of plastic considered unsafe in the world today, you may be wondering if you should even think about wearing PTFE body jewelry in the first place.
Well, this article explores the world of PTFE body jewelry, where you will learn more about the meaning of the PTFE body jewelry and if this type of plastic is safe for the nipple, navel, or lip piercings among other types of body piercings.
So, let’s get right into it!
Brief Introduction of PTFE Body Jewelry
PTFE or polytetrafluoroethylene is a fluoropolymer type that has, over the years, gained use in numerous fields, with its use in body piercing jewelry being the most common.
PTFE was accidentally discovered in 1938 and was popularly called Teflon. Since its invention, it has been used for several medical applications, and for many years now, PTFE has been used to make skin and body-safe piercing jewelry.
It is considered one of the most flexible varieties of body piercing jewelry, it’s also ultra-lightweight, and its use in body jewelry is made possible by the fact that it is 100% nickel-free.
On top of that, PTFE can withstand very high temperatures without breaking down, which is why it can be easily sterilized in the autoclave at high temperatures of up to 230 degrees Celsius.
Thanks to these properties, PTFE is actually surgical-grade plastic that’s 100% free of allergens and also non-toxic. PTFE is also known as Bioplast. It’s not just ultra-comfortable, but also healthy and quite durable.
As a result, it is one of the recommended materials for initial piercing jewelry for persons with sensitive skin and allergies to most metals like nickel and others.
Is PTFE Body Jewelry Safe? Why?
Opinions about plastics vary, and Teflon or PTFE has received some backlash in the past, especially where Teflon was used to make the non-stick inner linings of cooking pots where exposure to very high heat when cooking would breakdown the Teflon releasing monomers that are carcinogenic.
The discussion on the same is ongoing, and people are largely selective and even impartial when it comes to PTFE. However, this is not the case in the medical and jewelry world, where PTFE is considered one of the biggest and the best things invented.
Ideally, there are medical-grade PTFE tubes that are used in IV catheters, among other medical applications. And in jewelry, PTFE is used to make the best piercing jewelry quality which is used for body piercings – here, the use of PTFE is made possible by the fact that PTFE is very flexible and 100% biocompatible, meaning it is safe for use with all body piercings.
It is also non-porous and has been shown to help with the fast healing of the body piercings. Its flexibility cannot be compared to that of titanium or surgical-grade stainless steel, which is the other reason why it is an ideal fit for the body piercings – it bends to the movement of your body and will not cause harm.
What this means is that if you are looking for the best non-metallic piercing material, PTFE would be your go-to option. You only need to find the medical-grade variety, which though expensive, is safe.
This also means that if the PTFE piercing jewelry is not the medical-grade kind, you shouldn’t use it because the industrial version of PTFE harbors bacteria, turns yellowish, cannot be sterilized, and may start to break down in the body.
Pros and cons of PTFE body jewelry safe
Pros
- PTFE is ultra-flexible, and it follows the movement and the shape of the body, hence use in body jewelry
- PTFE jewelry is safe and biocompatible
- No allergies or irritation since it is nickel-free
- You can leave on the PTFE jewelry when undergoing medical procedures as it is safe for CT scans, MRI scans, and X-rays.
- Versatile and can be cut into the desired length for the piercing
- Safe for pregnant persons too
- Can be sterilized in the autoclave
- Ideal for new piercings, and it encourages healing
- It is lightweight and very comfortable on the skin.
- Suitable for all kinds of body jewelry like scaffold piercings, oral, and the navel piercings
- It’s durable
Cons
- Medical-grade PTFE is rather pricey
Should you buy PTFE body jewelry?
If you have sensitive skin and struggle with nickel allergies, you may want to think about getting body jewelry made of PTFE – the medical-grade variety.
The PTFE body jewelry is made from the most biocompatible materials that are used in jewelry making, it is not irritating, and you will not have to worry about redness from an allergic reaction, which is why it is an ideal material fit for anyone with very sensitive skin.
Its biocompatibility also makes it the perfect material for new piercings, and the best part is that it reduces the healing times for the person wearing it.
What this means is that if you got a new piercing and it’s taken longer than expected to heal and is even damaged or irritated, it might be time for you to switch to the PTFE body jewelry.
The other reason why you should buy PTFE body jewelry is that the jewelry options are available in pretty much all the designs you could think of, and there is always something for everyone.
There is also the fact that PTFE is non-stick and also very easy to clean. So, even as the piercing heals and there’s the release of lymph fluids and other bodily fluids, there will be no build-up and no risk of infection from the PTFE – This is the reason why PTFE is ideal for oral piercings too.
As mentioned above, it can be sterilized in the autoclave, which is another great thing about body jewelry made of PTFE.
Conclusion
PTFE is one of the safest kinds of non-metallic material used in jewelry making, and we recommend using medical-grade PTFE for body jewelry because it is safe, biocompatible, durable, nickel-free, flexible, non-stick, and encourages fast healing of piercings.
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Leo is an Amazon Seller. He is selling fashion jewelry & fashion Products on Amazon.com and Amazon.co.jp. He writes a lot of fashion jewelry reviews and some great Fashion buying guides. He will teach you guys how to save money online.