All about Nickel
Are you sensitive to metals? Nickel is most likely the reason for it. Jewelry makers around the globe use a variety of materials to produce the most beautiful pieces. Most metals used consist of various elements to make the material better usable for jewelry making.
By adding nickel, the metal becomes harder and more durable. Without it, some materials would not be suitable for creating quality jewelry. Although safe for most people, there are quite a few people sensitive to nickel, and some even have a severe nickel allergy. When you are sensitive to nickel, you must be careful when purchasing new jewelry. On Piercing Mania's product pages, you will find all information necessary to buy the right piercings and earrings for your situation.
This article summarises the metals you can safely buy in this article. These metals are all entirely free of any nickel. We also look closely at so-called plated jewelry and explain the potential risks of wearing such products.
Materials free of any Nickel
The metals in this summary are safe to use. Bear in mind that some piercings and earrings contain multiple materials, so check properly before making the purchase.
Piercing Mania states the primary material for each product by looking at the part that goes through the body. From earrings to belly piercings, the material used for the bar/posts determines what the main material is.
On the product page, you can see if a second material is used and, if so, what this material is. Knowing what you buy prevents unwanted surprises when shopping for new earrings and piercing jewelry.
For each category in the webshop, you can use material filters to search nickel-free products.
Metals containing Nickel
This list of metals all contains Nickel. Some only trace amounts, while others a bit more. All jewelry sold at Piercing Mania is safe to use when you are not sensitive to Nickel, as the nickel release is compliant with international standards.
Always check both the primary and second material, if any, of the piercing or earrings you like. If you only experience minor discomfort when wearing piercing bars or earring posts containing Nickel, you may consider only making sure the main material is free of any Nickel.
Please note that 14 Kt. White Gold may contain Nickel. It's not always present, but we recommend you don't take any chances unless stated explicitly that the particular product is nickel-free. Gold jewelry below 14 kt. usually contains Nickel as well.
Learn more about the materials used for our products by reading the extensive material guides that are available.
Material Platings
Changes are that the piercing or earring you love comes with a plating. Material platings give jewelry a lovely color, variating from gold to more vibrant colors. Although the plating may be free of any Nickel, it is extremely thin. It will fade away at some point, so your skin will contact the base material underneath the plating.
When you are sensitive to Nickel, it is strongly recommended to only buy plated jewelry when the base material is nickel-free as well. If one of our products comes with a plating, you can find the material plating used on the product page. Read our detailed article about material platings for more information.