Jewelry Standards

The APP membership approved the following broad Minimum Standards for jewelry placed in initial piercings:

• Jewelry placed in new piercings must be made of one of the following materials:
• Surgical Implant Stainless Steel, CrNMo 316LVM, ASTM F-138 *
• Surgical Implant grades of Titanium, including Ti6A4V ELI, ASTM F-136 **
• Niobium (Nb)
• Solid 14 karat or higher white or yellow nickel-free gold
• Solid platinum
• A dense low porosity plastic such as Tygon or PTFE
• Must be free of nicks, scratches, burrs, and polishing compounds.
• Must have a mirror finish: a high shine, super-smooth surface.
• Threaded jewelry for initial piercings must have internal tapping (no threads on posts) starting from 16 gauge.
• Rounded ends on rings.
• Threads 1.2 mm for 14 gauge and 12 gauge; 0-80 for 10 gauge (American screw threading standard)

* American Society for Testing and Materials Standard Specification for Wrought 18 Chromium-14 Nickel-2.5 Molybdenum Stainless Steel Bar and Wire for Surgical Implants (UNS S31673)

** American Society for Testing and Materials Standard Specification for Wrought Titanium-6 Aluminum-4 Vanadium ELI (Extra Low Interstitial) alloy (UNS R56401) for Surgical Implant Applications

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