Don’t Do It: Welded “Permanent” Earrings
Welcome to my new blog series “Don’t Do It”, where I’ll be sharing piercing and jewelry trends that are best left alone.
Our first topic: the TikTok trend with welded earrings. I wrote this post about 2 weeks before publishing and thankfully have seen more people coming out against this trend instead of for it, so here's to hoping it stays that way!
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As a professional body piercer since 2017, I have seen trends come and go. In 2023 the trend of permanent / welded jewelry was so big I added it to my services and it seems it is here to stay, but the latest welded jewelry trend on TikTok and Instagram—permanent earrings—raises significant safety and hygiene concerns. While having earrings permanently attached may seem appealing, it is crucial to understand the dangers associated with this practice.
Safety Concerns
1. Improper Metals and Risk of Embedding
Permanent jewelry materials are not always body safe for internal wear. Most permanent jewelry is made with sterling silver or gold-filled chains, which are not suitable for wearing through a piercing. Yes, sterling silver is NOT a safe body jewelry material but that’s a whole separate blog to write. Metal sensitivity can cause inflammation and irritation. When swelling occurs the chain can become entrapped in the skin, and if left too long the skin can begin to grow together through the chain no matter the diameter of the chain links.
Even without metal sensitivity, there's a risk that the skin could grow through the chain.
“But, Kelsey, there are chain ‘threader’ earrings by reputable companies made of safe material”. Yes, we’ll cover that in a moment.
For now, please understand an embedded chain can cause severe complications, leading to painful and potentially dangerous conditions that would require medical intervention.
2. Potential Trauma to the Earlobe
While all earrings carry some risk, many styles, such as threadless labrets and clickers, are designed to minimize injury. Earlobes are made of soft tissue, which is far more delicate than the areas where welded jewelry is typically applied, such as the arm, neck, or ankle. These areas provide solid breakpoints that can withstand pressure. The earlobe is much more fragile, and if the chain is snagged it can tear through the lobe causing significant damage and potentially requiring plastic surgery to correct. Chain styles used for welded bracelets or anklets should be designed to break under 12 pounds of pressure or less.
3. Safety of the Welder and Procedure Itself
Welded jewelry should be applied only to the outside of the body. When performed correctly, the artist uses a leather patch to protect the skin. However, when the chain runs through the body there is nothing to protect the skin from burns / electric shocks. Not all welding machines are created equal, and some are known for malfunctioning and burning clients or artists.
There are very few regulations on welded jewelry artists. How many clients have to be injured before regulations are passed or insurance companies refuse to cover our businesses because of the selfishness of artists looking to make a quick buck?
Hygiene Concerns
1. Difficult / Impossible to Clean
Permanent jewelry worn internally poses a significant hygiene risk because it cannot be removed for cleaning. Over time, this can lead to a buildup of dirt and bacteria, increasing the risk of infections. Rough edges and abrasions can lead to tears through your piercing tract.
2. Is it Healed? Who Knows!
Unless they are also an experienced piercer, welded jewelry artists do not know the status of the piercing they are working on. If the piercing is not fully healed and matured (multiple years old and well maintained), inserting material through the piercing tract can expose others to bodily fluids and blood-borne pathogens. Professional body piercers use gloves and clean materials to work with clients and their jewelry, not only for new piercings but any jewelry change or check up as well.
Should a welded jewelry artist try and insert a chain through a piercing the risk of tearing skin is very high, and where there is open skin there is a risk of infection.
Comparing Welded Earrings to Threaders
As stated above, there are body safe “threader” earrings where a chain rests in the piercing tract. There are several key differences between those and welded earrings.
- Threader earrings are designed for temporary wear. They still carry risks if used improperly and should only be worn in extremely healed and ideally slightly stretched piercing channels. Over time, even a mature piercing can constrict around the jewelry, making removal difficult if not impossible. If skin grows through the chain of a threader or welded earring, it goes beyond the scope of a piercer and would require a referral to a medical professional.
- Body safe materials should be used for threaders. This means 14k or higher gold or implant grade titanium. The style is typically a very thin diameter link to reduce drag and there is a solid bar on either end to make insertion easier.
- Threaders can be removed for sleeping, cleaning, or a day at the amusement park where wearing a chain would be a poor decision. If sleeping in threaders or wearing for multiple days / weeks, the chain should be checked regularly to ensure it is not becoming embedded.
- If discomfort occurs you can swap styles easily. There are plenty of ways to decorate your ears with chains without having to run them through the piercing channel. Dangles, charms, and connectors can be added on the outside of hoops and posts to add movement and texture to your jewelry curation.
While the trend of permanent welded earrings may seem fashionable, the potential safety and hygiene risks far outweigh the benefits. As a professional in the field, I urge those considering permanent earrings to think carefully about the possible consequences and to seek safer alternatives. Your health and safety should always come first.
To the businesses who are actively refusing to listen to these warnings, do better for your clients. A sale is not worth risking the health and safety of your customers.
Thank you to my client who inspired this blog post and allowed me to share our conversation 😊
Wording side note: I prefer using the term “welded” vs “permanent” as clients are under the impression that permanent and indestructible are synonymous. Just like any form of jewelry, welded pieces can be broken or lost and require proper care. Welded jewelry may not be suitable for certain lifestyle and work environments.
If any piercers or PJ artists have photos of embedded jewelry they wouldn't mind sharing / being credited for I would love to add some to this post.
