This is a super common question, especially from clients with fresh piercings or permanent jewelry who suddenly find themselves scheduled for medical imaging. So let’s break it down: Can you keep your body jewelry in during an MRI?
Short answer? Sometimes yes, sometimes no. Let’s dive into the details.
🧠 What Even Is an MRI?
MRI stands for Magnetic Resonance Imaging. These machines use incredibly strong magnets (like, stronger than anything you’d find in daily life) to take detailed scans of your soft tissues, organs, and bones. Because of the strength of these magnets, metal is a major concern in MRIs.
That’s why they make you take off anything metal. Watches, belts, earrings, underwire bras, etc.
🧬 So What About Piercings?
Whether you can leave jewelry in during an MRI depends on:
- The location of your piercing
- The jewelry material
- What body part is being scanned
- Your hospital or technician’s specific policies
🧪 Safe Jewelry Materials for MRI
If your jewelry is made of:
- Implant-grade titanium (ASTM F-136)
- Niobium
- Glass
- Bioplast/PTFE
you’re in luck! These are all non-magnetic materials and are generally safe during MRI procedures.
Gold (14k-18k) and platinum can also be okay, but it depends on purity and if there are any ferromagnetic alloys mixed in.
However, 316LVM surgical steel can be slightly magnetic depending on its composition, and is often flagged as questionable.
🧍♀️ Does Placement Matter?
Yes! If you’re getting an MRI on your:
- Head/neck – you may be asked to remove ear, nose, or oral jewelry.
- Abdomen – navel or genital jewelry may be affected.
If the piercing is nowhere near the area being scanned, some techs will say it’s fine to leave in but others may still ask you to remove it just in case.
🔁 If You Need to Take It Out
Don’t panic! I’ve got options.
If your piercing is fully healed, you can usually remove the jewelry and pop it back in after the scan. But for healing piercings, taking it out (even briefly) can lead to:
- Irritation
- Difficulty reinserting
- Risk of the piercing closing
That’s where retainers come in.
I carry high-quality glass retainers. They’re perfect for medical imaging, non-reactive, and non-metallic. Plus they keep your piercing open and safe.
📝 Pro Tip: Talk to Your Tech
Always tell your MRI technician ahead of time what piercings you have and what materials you’re wearing. Sometimes they’ll let you proceed as-is. Other times, they’ll ask you to swap out for something MRI-safe. And you’ll be prepared.
📍 Final Thoughts
Your health comes first. Always! But that doesn’t mean your piercing has to suffer. If you’ve got a scan coming up and aren’t sure what to do, book a check-up appointment. I’ll help you figure out whether you can keep your jewelry in, or safely switch to a retainer.
📆 Schedule online: book.ipricku.com
📍 Located on Staten Island
📱 Text us with questions: 347-770-7653
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