Whether you’re the proud owner of a brand new body piercing or you’re looking to update your current piercings with some fresh and funky new hoops or bars, there are lots of factors to consider when selecting the perfect body jewelry.

In the past, checking out the limited selection in your local piercing studio was often the only way to buy new body jewelry. But now, much like almost every other product on the planet, it’s quick and easy to choose from a wide range of body jewelry options online.

That said, with more jewelry choices and vendors comes more confusion and indecision for buyers.

So, what should you bear in mind when choosing body jewelry? Here are seven tips to help guide you.

1. Wait Until Your Piercing Has Healed

While pierced earlobes can heal within four to six weeks, it can take up to one year for a helix or tragus piercing to heal, while navel and nipple piercings can also take this long.

We know that this healing process can be frustrating. Especially when you want to branch out into different body jewelry options beyond the plain one they gave you at the piercing studio. But trust us, rushing into wearing body jewelry before your piercing has healed is a bad idea. Not only can this prolong the healing process, but it might even lead to an infection.

2. Consider the Anatomical Placement of Your Piercing

There are almost as many options for body piercings as there are body parts. This makes it easier to create unique looks and show off your personality with body pierce jewelry that suits your style and mood.

But, with so many different body jewelry options out there, you must double-check the description and make sure that it aligns with the anatomical placement of your piercing.

For example, you might see a curved barbell and assume that it’s for a navel piercing. But curved barbells can also be used for eyebrow piercings.

Likewise, a straight barbell stud could be for a tragus, tongue, or ear cartilage piercing, depending on the size, length, and other factors. And although there are some body jewelry options that you can wear in several places, such as hoops for a septum, daith, or ear cartilage piercing, the description will always make this clear.

3. Measure, Measure, and Measure Again

If you’re buying body jewelry online, you’ll need to measure the jewelry you have in place to find out these important numbers:

• The thickness or gauge of the plug or jewelry item
• The diameter for hoops, rings, and circular barbells
• The length for curved or straight barbells

Many websites also include a gauge chart for measuring body jewelry, although this can be difficult to read on a screen, so it’s worth finding one you can print out to get a more accurate measurement.

4. Check Sizings With Your Piercer

Wearing body jewelry shouldn’t be an uncomfortable experience. Unless, of course, you’re trying to force a new body jewelry piece into a hole that it wasn’t made for.

If you’ve ordered body jewelry online that you suspect doesn’t quite fit, it’s worth visiting your piercer and getting them to check your sizings. Asking them to give you the specifics on your jewelry measurements is a surefire way to get accurate numbers, and much more so than attempting to measure it yourself.

5. Make a Note of the Material

It’s essential to recognize that certain materials work better for specific jewelry options.

For example, while sterling silver is an excellent material for rings, earrings, and more, it’s not at all suitable for body piercings. Silver is quick to oxidize and is not biocompatible. And, even if you can wear silver in your earlobe piercings, you might find that other areas of your body react badly to it. In particular, navel piercings can react to the silver beads or charms that adorn body jewelry made for navel piercings.

You should also avoid body jewelry made from aluminum or gold-plated inferior metals. Wearing jewelry made from aluminum can cause neurological damage, while gold-plated body jewelry is often poor quality and prone to breakage.

So, what materials should you go for when shopping for body jewelry? Low-carbon stainless steel, titanium, nickel-free white gold, 14k yellow gold, niobium, or glass are all safe for piercings, although some people may react to these due to individual differences.

6. Read the Return & Exchange Policy

Whether you’re shopping in-store or online for body jewelry, it’s essential to know the store’s policy regarding returns, exchanges, and refunds.

While you’re unlikely to be able to return body jewelry if you’ve taken it out of the packaging, what are your rights if a part is missing, they sent the wrong size, or the item was damaged in transit? What’s more, will you be able to get a closer look at the item in question without opening the packaging and forfeiting your rights to a return?

This makes it even more critical to double-check everything from your measurements to the materials used before placing your order. But also, you’ll want to make sure that you choose a reputable site or store when shopping for body jewelry. This way, it’ll be easier to ensure that you get your order right the first time with a quality piece that more than meets your expectations.

Your Guide to Choosing the Perfect Body Jewelry

While you might be able to experiment with costume jewelry options when it comes to bracelets, necklaces, and rings, body jewelry is a whole different matter.

With so many different body jewelry options out there, from various anatomical piercing locations to different materials and potential reactions, it’s important to consider certain factors before you buy.

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