Generally, body piercings are considered a fashion accessory and adornment. Some cultures even see piercings as part of a spiritual journey. Hindus believe that piercing the belly button aligns or improves the function of the solar plexus which controls emotions like willpower and self-esteem, and rules organs in the torso such as the pancreas and kidneys. While the Hindus and the likes draw spiritual connotation to the use of belly rings, many others use it for the fashion.
Belly button piercings have a couple of health risks as part of the healing and maintenance process. A common infection caused by the usage of belly rings are bacterial infections. According to a Northwestern Medicine paper published in the American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, "...about 20% of body piercings become infected." Other risks include allergic skin reactions to the jewelry used in the piercing, improper aftercare, etc.
Infection risk is even higher with a person that has certain pre-existing medical conditions such as diabetes or a weakened immune system. By choosing to wear 316L stainless steel or titanium, the associated risks may be reduced.
Materials used to make belly rings may include surgical steel, solid 14k gold, silver, niobium, or titanium. Gold or silver plated metals are seldom used because of their tendency to break down easily, encouraging potential allergic reactions or other irritations. So, it is good to be aware of the risks involved in getting a belly button pierced.
If you have already worn 316L stainless steel body jewelry and find it irritates your body piercings, why not try titanium? It is easy to switch out your belly button jewelry, after some time, to encourage a large variety of body piercing jewelry designs. If you have a few different types of metal belly rings in your body jewelry collection, you can perhaps enjoy a smooth and comfortable jewelry experience.
A trusted belly belly button piercing jewelry design is often found made out of 316L stainless steel or titanium. Titanium has natural hypoallergenic properties that encourage a smooth, worry free piercing jewelry experience. If later you find that 316L stainless steel give you no trouble, why not invest in a few dangle designs to compliment your prepared body jewelry wardrobe?