Surgical Steel Jewellery, FAQs & Guide

For a great piece of body jewellery why not take a look at our surgical steel jewellery collection of hoops, labrets, tunnels, navel bars, and more which can add some real character to any piercing, no matter what colour or style you’re after.

You’ll probably find that surgical steel piercing jewellery makes up the majority of the piercings you will find in many shops and online, however, it is important to note that there are now EU laws which state that new piercings must only be pierced with a material that has extremely low contents of nickel. While surgical steel does have low contents of nickel, it is not low enough to meet these EU requirements, and therefore cannot be used in piercings which still require healing.

Despite this, surgical steel jewellery is still amongst the most popular type of material for piercings thanks to the brilliant shine it creates when polished. Most people find that it is a great material to wear once your piercing has healed and can be cheaper than other types of piercing jewellery material.

Surgical steel jewellery material is sometimes preferred over polished titanium solely because of the shiny look. It is important to note that some people do not find surgical steel jewellery comfortable because it is known to react to changes in temperatures and cause a little discomfort to people wearing this metal in sensitive places. If you have known allergies or sensitivities to piercing jewellery then you may prefer to choose titanium jewellery, as it has a hypoallergenic coating.

It’s true that this material is very affordable, as you can see by our great prices, and it can also be cleaned extremely easily. In addition to this, surgical steel body jewellery is particularly long-lasting and very hard-wearing, making it ideal for navel bars in particular, as clothing can rub on a belly bar, potentially causing some types of piercing jewellery to become discoloured and uncomfortable.

Surgical Steel Flesh Tubes

Part of our awesome body jewellery collection, surgical steel flesh tubes are extremely simple but fantastic looking pieces of jewellery. No matter what sort of style you fancy, these flesh tubes are a brilliant way to make your stretched piercing eye-catching, and they are available in a wide range of sizes to suit your gauged up look.

One of the most common types of jewellery for stretched ears, surgical steel flesh tubes provide a great look while being extremely hard-wearing and very easy to clean. Surgical steel is among the most popular types of jewellery for piercing for a reason, so why not explore our full collection? If it’s value for money that you’re after, then you should look no further than our surgical steel flesh tubes.

Surgical Steel Flesh Tunnel

Surgical steel flesh tunnels take that reputation up another notch, delivering an extra shine and sense of sophistication to any stretched piercing. Coming in a number of different designs, there is sure to be one that suits you.

As well as being great looking, surgical steel flesh tunnels are resistant to normal wear and tear. Importantly for any jewellery that is going to be put in a stretched piercing, they are very easy to clean and do not tend to attract dirt either, meaning you’re going to easily keep your piercing clean by using this type of metal.

Should you find your flesh tunnel begins to fade, you can polish it back to a brilliant shine, making it ideal for regular everyday wear.

Surgical Steel Navel Bars

If you’re searching for a great collection of surgical steel navel bars then you’ve come to the right place. Our great range of belly bars can add some real sparkle and character to any belly button piercing - it doesn’t matter what colour you’re looking for thanks to our wide variety of shades and styles. Every piece of jewellery stocked at Blue Banana is manufactured from extremely high quality materials that are built to last.

Surgical steel navel bars are one of the most popular types of belly bar for healed piercings, and if you have had your piercing for a while you’ll probably own some already. The beautiful designs and shine that can be created using this material means you can easily customise your piercing, but there are also other factors which make surgical steel a great choice for belly bars.

Since the material is so hard-wearing, it lasts a very long time in the navel, where it can take a high level of wear and tear before fading. If it does start to fade, it can be polished back to a brilliant shine in no time, making it look like new.

Surgical steel vs stainless steel

Surgical steel is a type of stainless steel but with a higher corrosive resistance making it perfect for use in piercings and for other medical purposes. Surgical steel is usually more expensive than stainless steel so if you are looking for a cheaper alternative (for healed piercings only) you can use stainless steel. We would not recommend wearing it all the time as it may become tarnished more easily.

Flesh tunnels and navel bars aren’t the only types of surgical steel piercing jewellery. All the classic styles are included in our collection including BCRs, labrets, and barbells. A variety of surgical steel rings are available including cylinder closure rings, segment rings, and seamless rings for a smooth aesthetic. We also have a selection of surgical steel earrings. Since lobes are one of the fastest healing piercings, it won’t take long before you can switch your new piercing out to one of these surgical steel designs.

If you would rather wear a different piercing material but are looking to customise your labret or barbell then make sure to browse our surgical steel balls. These jewelled piercing add-ons can be threaded onto most labrets and barbells – just make sure to check the size you will need! This is one of the cheapest ways to switch up your piercing jewellery. As you can see, there are so many ways to add surgical steel jewellery to your collection.