‘I wear sterling silver in my piercings and no one’s told me this???’: Expert issues warning against silver body jewelry
A piercer issued a warning for those with piercings not to ever wear silver body jewelry. The reason why surprised many.
In a viral video that has amassed over 2.3 million views, TikTok user and body piercer Lynn Loheide (@lynnloheide) said silver jewelry can be harmful to wearers and explained why.
"You ever have a piercer tell you not to wear silver body jewelry?" the woman asked in the clip.
She then went on to provide a reason why they should be avoided.
"This is why we tell you not to wear silver jewelry," she said while pointing to a background photo of a nose with a dark discoloration spot. "This is what's called argyria. It is a permanent stain on the skin from exposure to silver."
What is argyria?
According to Cleveland Clinic, argyria is a condition that causes skin (and other parts of the body) discoloration. The skin can turn blue to gray. The discoloration is the result of frequent exposure to tiny silver compounds that get absorbed into the body.
The site also notes that treatment for argyria can be difficult because the color changes can be very difficult for doctors to reverse once they appear.
"This is permanent, folks," the TikToker warned in her video. "This is not going to go away."
Cleveland Clinic states that doctors are likely to recommend that those who receive this diagnosis discontinue using products that contain silver, including medicines, eye drops, and even supplements.
Loheide also said that there is evidence that some laser treatments can work, in some cases, to reverse discoloration. Cleveland Clinic confirms this.
Nonetheless, the TikToker believes the best thing to do is avoid silver jewelry altogether.
She also made the distinction between silver jewelry and those that just look silver. She said silver-colored body jewelry made with metals like implant-grade steel, implant-grade titanium, white gold, or platinum is fine. However, she recommends avoiding jewelry made of actual silver.
@lynnloheide #greenscreen #piercer #piercing #pierced #nosepiercing #piercersoftikok #fyp ♬ original sound - Lynn Loheide
Many are surprised they'd never been warned
In the comments section, many viewers were surprised that they had never heard of the skin condition.
"I’ve never heard not to wear silver," user Ashes wrote.
"I wear sterling silver in all my piercings and no one’s told me this???" user Bea said.
Others agreed people should avoid the metal.
"Implant grade titanium or NOTHING in this household," user Sarah said.
Several piercers have used TikTok to educate and warn others about piercings and body jewelry. One woman went viral after educating her viewers about the difference between a triangle piercing and a "stacked lobe."
Another piercing enthusiast went viral after sharing a story about joining The Satanic Temple to get a religious exception that allowed her to wear a piercing to school.
The Daily Dot reached out to user Lynn Loheide via email for comment.
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