Have you ever laid in bed at night and felt your piercing jewelry poking you? Have you ever put in a pair of plugs and found them to be uncomfortably heavy? Have you ever wished you could find a nice pair of tunnel plugs that didn’t aggravate your metal allergies? Perhaps the solution to these problems is simply…. silicone!
Why Silicone?
Silicone has a wide range of uses ranging from lubrication to dry cleaning, but it also makes some of the coolest and most comfortable body jewelry you could want. While silicone retainers can be found for cartilage or nostril piercings, the most common use of silicone in body jewelry is plugs for stretched ear lobes – so that is what we will primarily focus on.
Silicone Pros:
Silicone plugs have numerous pros on their side. They are lightweight and flexible, making for some of the most comfortable wear that you could ask for. Many people who wear silicone plugs frequently report forgetting they are wearing jewelry at all. They also come in a mind-boggling array of styles and colors. Round tunnels, teardrop shapes, double flare – if you can think of it, it probably exists in silicone. Better still, it probably exists in almost any color you could possibly imagine. Simple black or white, bright fashion colors, even a whole range of flesh-emulating tones can be found. (Those flesh-style tones are great if you are trying to hide your piercings, by the way!) Silicone plugs are also cost-effective and easy to find, which is great if you like to switch up your look frequently. It can be super easy to put together an entire plug wardrobe with just silicone jewelry.
Silicone Cons:
While silicone plugs have all these wonderful characteristics, they do also come with a few downsides. (But of course, doesn’t everything?) Silicone lacks the durability of other materials like stone, glass, or metal. And because silicone tunnels are rather thin, it is possible to accidentally damage them while inserting or removing them. Careful with those fingernails, folks! Another issue is that they are a potential allergen, and you may not know you have a silicone allergy until you react to the jewelry. (If you know that you have a silicone allergy, please do not wear silicone jewelry.) Finally, silicone is wholly unsuitable for fresh piercings or stretches. Silicone clings to the skin, which is one of the reasons why it’s so comfortable. The downside of that is that moisture can accumulate and cause issues - click to learn more about that. Or, even worse, it can cling onto a fresh piercing so well that when you remove the jewelry, you inadvertently remove the fragile cells healing within the fistula. So even if your piercings are totally healed, don’t forget to remove your silicone jewelry periodically and let that skin breathe!
Another nice thing about silicone is that it’s easy to clean and maintain. All you need to do is wash it with mild soap and warm water. What could be simpler? Whether you need a discreet retainer for your piercings, like to rock bold styles and colorful jewelry, or have severe metal allergies and are looking for a jewelry alternative, silicone may be just what you’re looking for! But remember, ONLY if your piercings are fully healed! And don’t forget to take that jewelry out for a breather sometimes!
