Stainless and surgical stainless are two different things...

Stainless is a broad category of steel alloy that's primary property is resilience to oxidation (rusting). Mind this does NOT mean rust PROOF, just Resistant.

Surgical Stainless is a specific grade of stainless steel, otherwise known as 440 J2 Carbon Stainless. It is a relatively high grade of stainless, meaning it is higher on the spectrum of being resistant to oxidation, but also has a high carbon content, meaning it is hard, thus holding an edge for longer periods of wear than other grades of steel. This type of steel is what you will find in very expensive higher end kitchen utensils and such.

The reactions common to stainless steel, such as in piercings often stem from the skin being irritated, broken or otherwise "weeping" fluids, which then chaffe and wear against the metal, eroding some of the nickel from it and allowing it to be absorbed into the skin and causing irritation. Often even an old piercing that is fully healed, will be irritated to some degree by the action of removing and re-inserting a new piercing, thus causing this condition.

So basically, depending on the task you are considering, it's duration, and most importantly the individual performing it's own sensitivity to such metals, it could be okay or not okay. 7/10 times there wouldn't be a reaction at all, 2.9/10 times there might be some minor irritation that will clear up upon it's removal, and once in a very rare while, the reaction could be strong enough to require some sort of medication like cortizone to reduce irritation.

So yeah, I don't know how informative that is, but in the end, it's mostly something you would have to be able to judge on an individual basis.

K