What is ASTM F136 Titanium and Why Does It Matter?

If you've spent any time shopping for body jewellery you've probably seen the term ASTM F136 titanium.

But what does it actually mean, and why should you care?

ASTM stands for the American Society for Testing and Materials, an international organisation that sets standards for materials used across industries including medicine and surgery. F136 is the specific standard for implant grade titanium alloy, the same material used in surgical implants, bone screws, and joint replacements.

What makes it different from regular titanium?

Not all titanium is created equal. The F136 standard specifies strict limits on trace elements including nickel, which is one of the most common causes of metal allergies and piercing reactions. Regular titanium or titanium-plated jewellery may contain nickel levels high enough to cause problems, particularly in healing piercings where the metal is in constant contact with open tissue.

ASTM F136 titanium is also biocompatible, meaning your body doesn't recognise it as a foreign substance and doesn't try to fight it. That's why it heals so cleanly compared to lower grade metals.

What about surgical steel?

Surgical steel is a term you'll see everywhere in body jewellery, but it's largely meaningless without a grade specification. Some surgical steels contain nickel. Some are perfectly fine. The term on its own tells you almost nothing about whether the material is safe for a healing piercing.

ASTM F136 titanium is an unambiguous standard. There's no grey area. Either it meets the specification or it doesn't.

Why we only stock F136

We've been in this industry long enough to see what happens when people use the wrong jewellery.

Reactions, rejections, scarring, piercings that never quite heal right. Most of the time the jewellery is the problem, not the person's body.

Stocking only ASTM F136 titanium isn't a marketing decision. It's just the only standard we're comfortable putting our name behind.