Pervertable Insertables - A Question

[Flaming_Redhead]

My experience is very limited and pertains to piercings. I had my navel pierced 3 years ago. They used a curved titanium barbell as "training" jewelry. When I was given permission to change it, I was told I could use surgical stainless steel. I got an infection. After that cleared up, I only tried to wear stainless a couple more times, thinking I might have scratched myself the first time or something. Each time I inserted the stainless jewelry, I had redness and irritation. Now, I only wear titantium in my navel.

The term surgical stainless is misleading. Surgeons use stainless steel equipment because it can be sterilized. They don't use it for prostheses, probably because of the nickel content which some people have reactions to.

[Karesch]

Also you're right Redhead about the reasons for surgeons not using stainless in prostesis, but there's another reason... they use plastic when possible because it's lower impact, and titanium vs stainless because it has an even lower oxidation/corrosion rate than any steel aswell as being either almost or completely (I'm not sure off the top of my head which) non-magnetic, which means it causes much less of a problem with things like airports *smiles*