Is Stainless Steel Hypoallergenic for Jewelry?

Introduction

Your customer buys a new necklace, and suddenly, after a couple of hours, they have a neck with a rash, inflammation, and severe itching. It is one of the main complaints of jewelry buyers that you have often heard.

The problem is that nickel leaching from inferior-grade metal usually results in this.

In this article, we answer the question of whether is stainless steel hypoallergenic, which types are safe to wear, and what to watch for when buying or choosing jewelry so that you can always pick the right option.

What Does “Hypoallergenic” Actually Mean?

The term hypoallergenic has the prefix hypo, which means less or under. Thus hypoallergenic is less likely to cause an allergy, not free of or not allergic to nickel. This is an important difference in the field of jewelry.

What Makes Jewelry Hypoallergenic?

Not all products labeled as “stainless steel” perform well on your skin. Three factors will determine if you can wear a piece or if it is dangerous.

Metal Grade and Quality

The first & foremost factor to help determine if a piece can be worn is the grade of materials. Why this matters:

• 316L -Lower carbon count, high amount of chromium & nickel stability. The nickel is lock-in to the structure of the alloy, therefore releases only an extremely Small amount of nickel. This is considered a gold standard for manufacture on skin-safe jewelry.

• 304 – Also very safe for most people. Slightly higher amount of nickel than 316L, although still within acceptable levels for most wearers.

• 201 – A less pricey option that substitutes some of the nickel with manganese.  The nickel that remains is less stable, causing a higher chance of being leached out from the stainless steel onto the skin. This is the most common type of material for which people complain about having red rashes.

If a supplier presents “stainless steel jewelry” for an unbelievably low price, it is pretty likely they are using 201. Always ask.

Plating & Wear

Lots of the stainless steel jewelry has a plating overcoat of either gold, rose gold, or black PVD. If the plating is nickel-free, the item is totally safe as long as the plating is intact on the stainless steel.

The issue is that the base metal will be exposed after the plating wears down. If that base metal contains unstable nickel (like most inexpensive gold plating over 201 stainless steel), skin exposure to the underlying metal generates a reaction.

That is why the plating used is as important as the metal.

Personal Sensitivity

There are times when a person can wear the same piece of jewelry as someone else but their experience will be different. For example, if you have very sensitive skin, you might get a little irritated after wearing 304 stainless steel for a while – but most people would feel comfortable wearing it all day, every day.

The Science of Stainless Steel

Stainless steel chromium has this property: it does something impressive. It reacts with oxygen in the air, producing a clear, invisible, and significantly self-repairing surface covering on the metal.

A passive layer is what this is, and it creates a barrier to rust – and, most importantly, to the nickel in the alloy. This is what makes it seal off the skin contact with the nickel.

This is exactly why 304 and 316L are considered hypoallergenic materials and why they’re the most popular choices for stainless steel jewelry manufacturing. Here’s a direct comparison to help you decide which grade fits your product line:

For more information on selecting material, the best stainless steel for jewelry guide elaborates further.

Who Should Wear It (And Who Should Avoid It)?

The Green Light

304 and 316L stainless steels are great for:

• People who are slightly metal sensitive and react to cheap fashion jewelry but not good metal;

• People looking for jewelry they can wear every day without worrying about the items tarnishing, rusting, or changing color;

• People want low-care items and waterproof jewelry

• Price-sensitive shoppers who want metal items that are still easy on the skin, without paying the high price tags of pieces made of silver or gold.

The Red Light

Stainless steel is not suitable for individuals with a severe, clinically diagnosed nickel allergy. For those people, even trace, stable amounts of nickel in 316L can cause a reaction.

For these customers, the better options are:

• Titanium: Completely nickel-free and extremely lightweight

• Niobium: Another nickel-free metal, often used in body jewelry

• Pure 925 sterling silver: Although it’s good to know that not all silver alloys are nickel-free, so be cautious when recommending it.

The “Piercing” Rule

When healing from a new piercing, using 316L IMPLANT GRADE stainless steel (minimum) is recommended; however, pure titanium is now being recommended by many professional piercers.

For healed piercings, 304 and 316L are both good options; keep in mind that when you are searching stores for stainless steel earrings for retail customers, you will want to list the specific material grade so people know what they are buying.

Tips for Buying Stainless Steel Jewelry

1. Check out carefully with your supplier what grade of stainless steel they use. Ask for the test report if needed.

2. Inquire as to whether the coating is either PVD or regular electroplate. High-quality PVD jewelry will last significantly longer than standard electroplated jewelry and keep the protective layer between skin and base metal intact. If the supplier cannot provide you with a proper answer, that is a significant warning flag.

3. Familiarize yourself with the advantages and disadvantages of using stainless steel jewelry prior to determining if you want to build an entire product line around it. While it is a very strong material, by understanding its limitations you will be able to properly position it for your target market.

Conclusion

Both 304 and 316 stainless steel will be safe and affordable choices for most people. Nickel will be contained by the passive layer created by chromium, so you can expect that nickel will remain within the standards of safety for all individuals who wear this type of jewelry; furthermore, both types of stainless steel resist tarnishing, making them ideal choices for everyday use.

If your production costs need to be kept lower, then use 304 for your pieces; conversely, if you are creating a high-end product line(s) or have clientele with sensitive skin, then use 316L.

OOTB Jewelry manufactures custom pieces from both 304 and 316L grade stainless steel in our factory located in Guangzhou (Canton), China. Please go to our contact page and submit an inquiry for a catalogue or request custom pricing.

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