What's The Deal With Stainless Steel?

You see it everywhere. It's marketed as hypoallergenic. It's one of the most common types of metal used in jewellery making. But what actually is it? And is it really hypoallergenic?

What is stainless steel?

Stainless steel is one of the most popular types of metal used in jewellery making due to its strength, durability, and affordability. It is composed of a variety of metals, usually including (but not limited to) nickel, iron, chromium, and titanium.

What's the difference to surgical steel?

In a nutshell, surgical steel is still a type of stainless steel, designed for sugical tools and/or cutlery. These stainless steel variants are the least resistant to corrosion and have different grades based on its use (you may hear of 316, 440, and 420 grades).

Is stainless steel hypoallergenic?

The short answer - it depends.

Most people have no reaction at all to stainless steel. However, some do... But what people are usually reacting to is the NICKEL in the stainless steel. According to some sources, about 5-10% of the population are sensitive to nickel.

I have really sensitive ears... what do i do?

Buy, or ask your jewellery maker, to use nickel free fixings.

Look for items labelled genuine 925 sterling silver (925 = 92.5% of the alloy is silver and the rest should be nickel free. If it is NOT genuine sterling silver, it is likely the remaining component will include nickel).

If you see jewellery labelled as stainless steel 420, it doesn’t contain nickel. However it is not used much in jewellery making so it is uncommon to see products with this component.

Know Your Limits

Personally, I have sensitive ears, but I can wear stainless steel. However, if I wear stainless steel earrings everyday for more than 2 or 3 days, I get sore itchy ears. So, I will give my ears a break for a day, or use an antiseptic such as the StudEx Piercing Antiseptic Lotion (NZD $5.50 in my store) to help with the itchiness.

What does Zhoosh use?

As of writing this article, Zhoosh products are made with stainless steel.

I'm careful about what I claim. You won't see me labelling my products as hypoallergenic as I know for myself, and others, that stainless steel can cause itchiness due to the nickel. Know your own limits before purchasing any Zhoosh goodies.

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