What is ASTM-136?

 I’ve harped on a bit before about quality jewelry. It really is vital to the health of your piercing that you choose an implant grade material when you’re first pierced (and preferably after). Poor jewelry can result in the failure of your piercing in a best case scenario and a horrible infection at worst. Most of us pick jewelry because it’s pretty or because it fits our aesthetic without looking any further. 

Jewelry standards for initial piercing are set by APP guidelines. While these aren’t required for piercers to follow they’re what your piercer should be following if they want to your piercings to be successful. 

Not all Metals Are Equal

When modern body piercing first became a thing we had steel. Jewelry was created in the 80s and 90s specifically for piercing and the only available material was natural horn or bone as used by many tribes or steel. 

Steel is a mystery metal that can have any number of different mixes and additives. As body piercing became more popular piercers became more discerning and “surgical steel” was born. This was based on using steel that conformed to ASTM-138. While this standard says that any cosmetic item touching the body must have a low amount of nickel (note it does not say no nickel or other problem metals) it also does not require that steel be safe for internal use. “Surgical steel” as such doesn’t really exist. It isn’t used in surgery normally because there’s too high of a chance compared to safer metals that you’ll have a reaction. Even if it was once used we know better now. They used to say smoking was good for babies too at one point. 

What Does ASTM Mean?

ASTM stands for the American Society for Testing and Materials. It is the international standards measurer for metals used in medical applications and grades. The international version is ISO. These organizations set the standard for how much of any questionable material (like nickel) is allowed within a product. Some states also have specific laws beyond this for body piercing.  The ASTM sets the chemical, metallurgical and mechanical requirements for producing metals for specific (read medical) uses. 

There are also two additional ASTM standards we have to look for - ASTM2999 and ASTM 2923 which state the requirements for body jewelry itself in people over and under the age of 12. Higher standards are needed when bringing children into the equation and the percentage of any “bad” metals like nickel is even smaller because their tolerance is less.  

What is ASTM-136?

You probably noticed above where steel was called ASTM-138. Titanium that is either alloyed or unalloyed is regulated under the number 136 instead. Here’s the page from the ASTM citing titanium for more info. Titanium, unlike steel, is not a mixture of metals but a pure metal. It will have been milled from natural ore to remove impurities and to keep to the ASTM standard if it is aimed for the jewelry market. 

ASTM 136 sets a standard for pounds and inches of titanium and for the pounds of impurities allowed. These standards are rigorously tested and the mill has to provide a certificate for each batch of titanium produced so it can be traced if it is found not to conform. These mill certificates are something your piercer has access to if they are ordering quality jewelry. Every batch of jewelry has its own certificate that can be traced back to where the ore was milled into metal. That’s pretty cool! It also means that if there’s a problem it can traced and it makes companies a lot more conscious of their practices. 

The standards for titanium and steel are different because of their usage. Steel is no longer considered suitable for most medical needs and more often titanium or niobium is used instead. The body is much less reactive to titanium because it’s a purer metal. 

Conforming to ASTM standards isn’t without cost. Most studios offering $30 piercings or BYGO every other week are doing so because they’re buying cheap jewelry. I know at least one studio in town that has amazon jewelry in the case, and it’s still cheap but marked up from what you’d be buying there. Something that makes most reputable piercers cringe. If you want to guarantee that the jewelry you have or are getting pierced with is of a suitable quality ask about the mill certificates. If they don’t know what they are or tell them you don’t need them then question their jewelry and leave. The difference is minimal enough that a good piercer doesn’t mind absorbing the cost in their prices or maybe charges $5-10 more to cover it.