How to Sterilize Jewelry for Body Piercings
No matter what type of body jewelry one chooses, it is crucial for the jewelry to meet sanitation standards to avoid potential infections and even serious life threatening diseases such as Hepatitis C. Avoid serious complications by purchasing jewelry through reliable vendors and always sterilize before each application. According to Piercing Experience, a piercing and body jewelry shop in Atlanta, Georgia, steam sterilization is the best method. They assert that steam sterilization, which includes heating jewelry in an autoclave (an industrial device used in hospitals as well as for sterilizing baby bottles), is preferred because this process doesn't leave a harmful residue behind. The autoclave has become an essential piece of equipment in the piercing industry. Does this Spark an idea?
Things You'll Need
- Autoclave
- Sterilization pouches
- Water
- Stainless steel tray
- Surgical or sanitized gloves
Instructions
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Obtain an autoclave for steam sterilization. The type of material being sterilized determines the cycle used. The majority of body jewelry may be sterilized using the dry goods setting without the vacuum function. However, keep in mind that not all materials can be sterilized via an autoclave. Plastics such as polypropylene and polycarbonate are the only plastics permitted in the machine. Polyethylene and high-density polyethylene will melt and should never be used as body jewelry.
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Place the jewelry in sterilization bags for proper handling. Correct packaging ensures steam penetration. The University of Rochester recommends using polypropylene autoclave bags because they will allow for greater steam permeability. These bags can be purchased online from autoclave, piercing and medical suppliers. Look for brands that are color coded. These bags will change from clear to a light shade of green or blue to indicate that the contents have been properly sanitized.
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Ensure the autoclave has sufficient water. Most machines use approximately one gallon of water which is poured into the autoclave's water reservoir. Without adequate water, the machine can not produce sufficient steam to effectively sterilize body jewelry.
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Place the bags on a stainless steel tray and load into the autoclave. Do not overload and do not allow bags to overlap or touch.
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Set the autoclave timer. It is essential that the jewelry process for at least 60 minutes. In addition, the machine can be set to dry the jewelry after processing. This is important because jewelry that is left wet will breed bacteria.
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Empty the autoclave with care. The contents of the machine will be hot. Wear sanitized gloves when handling the contents of the autoclave. The body jewelry pouches will self seal, so the contents should be safe from contamination as long as they remain sealed.
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Tips & Warnings
Body jewelry can also be sterilized through the use of ultraviolet radiation or ethylene oxide. However, these methods are not considered as effective as autoclave processing.
