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Get a Piercing on Belly Button: Procedure and Aftercare!

Wanna a fancy piercing on your belly button? Do you know how it's done? Do you know how to take care of it afterwards? No worries for we get it all covered!

Also known as the umbilical dip piercing and navel piercing, belly button piercing ranks at the top of all popular body piercings. The most common technique involves piercing the upper rim of the navel. Despite the name, the belly button or true navel is not actually being pierced. If you want a belly button piercing, the most important step is to find a reputable piercer. Some areas require a license and documentation of training that qualify them as a certified trained piercer.

How Is Belly Button Piercing

Here are the common steps for piercing the belly button:

The piercing room must appear clean and smell clean. The chair should be clean and have either a disposable or washable covering.
The piercing professional should wash his/her hands thoroughly before putting on a fresh pair of surgical gloves. A mask is optional.
Your belly button will be prepared by using a surgical scrub to clean and sterilize the area inside and around the navel.
Topical anesthetic may or may not be used.
The piercing expert will then grasp the skin and puncture with a surgical needle or puncture tool. Most commonly this will occur from just inside the opening of the navel and be directed towards your head. Mild pain is normal, but this part is relatively quick.
The needle is then replaced by your new belly button piercing.
The area will be cleansed at the end and you are all set with your brand new belly button piercing.
Avoid the temptation to touch or play with your new piercing even after it is fully healed.

Watch this short video to see an actual belly button piercing being performed by a skilled and trained piercing artist:

How Much Does Belly Button Piercing Cost?

The following are a few must-know facts about what affects the cost of belly button piercing:

One of the biggest cost is the material of the piercing is made out of. Options vary widely and consist of simple designs all the way up to very intricate and complicated works of art. Several popular options include silver, gold, titanium and other metal alloys. The choice greatly influences the overall cost.
Like any purchase, shopping around is key. Prices vary from piercing artist to piercing artist. Do a bit of research and find yourself a reputable piercer who offers a good price.

Take into consideration the above information, belly button piercing cost on average between $40 and $100. The price is never fixed and be sure to negotiate. If you already have your own jewelry, the cost should be less, around $30. No matter what you decide, be sure that a reputable and licensed piercing salon does your piercing.

What Risks Will You Face When Getting Belly Button Piercing

There are some of the most common risks of the belly button piercing:

Naval piercing takes a long time to heal and if proper care of the wound is not taken, it may get infected, most commonly, an abscess. And what's worse, the infection may spread if left untreated.
Improper healing of the wound may result in scarring and sometimes even keloid formation.
Other less common risks are excessive bleeding, pain and allergic reactions to the metal in the jewelry.
You may get infected with transmittable diseases such as HIV or hepatitis through unsterilized needles.
Young teenagers (age less than 16 years) should avoid getting naval piercing. The growth of the body may alter the position of the piercing and it may move upwards.

How to Take Care of Your Belly Button Piercing

Think of your piercing as minor surgery. The healing time varies from person to person, but generally it takes several weeks. Some heal slower and some heal faster, so this process can take two or three months for some and much longer for others.

Follow these aftercare instructions closely to help speed up the healing process and minimize complications.

Aftercare Instructions for Navel Piercing
How to Get Rid of Hypertrophic Scars From Piercings
How to Treat an Infected Belly-Button Piercing
The Healing Process of a Nose Ring
How to Know When Your Belly Button Ring Is Healed

Underneath Your Clothes
Daily Saline
Scrub Up
Watching Out

Navel piercings typically take four to 12 months to fully heal, but if you take proper care of your piercing, you can make the process go more quickly and painlessly. Cleaning and caring for a fresh belly button piercing prevents the irritation and infection that could otherwise slow down the healing process. Incorporate a cleaning regimen into your daily routine, and you'll be showing off a fully healed piercing before you can say "midriff" — well, maybe not quite that fast.

Underneath Your Clothes

Excited as you may be to show off your latest accessory, you need to cover it up, especially for the first few days. Wear baggy, loose clothing that hangs comfortably and gives your piercing room to breath 1. It may not feel as flattering as something more form-fitting, but your piercing needs oxygen to heal, and it will become irritated and slow the healing process if it's constantly being rubbed by tight clothes. If you're worried about snagging on your clothes, turn your tummy into a pirate — a vented eye patch from the pharmacy gives your piercing protection without cutting off its air supply.

If you just got a new piercing, you are probably full aware of how important aftercare is to make sure that your piercing heals correctly. However, if you found a bit of blood near your new jewelry and are not sure what to do if your piercing is bleeding, take a breather. I'm here to help. The most important thing to remember is that regardless of the cause of your bleeding, it's going to be OK!

A little bleeding is part of the natural piercing healing process, and you really don't need to do anything special about it. As long as you're following your piercer's aftercare instructions (which likely include a saline rinse and/or a little antibacterial soap) and not touching your piercing except for cleaning, there's really no reason to freak about bleeding. If the amount of blood seems excessive to you, simply ice the piercing until it stops.

When you do need to do something beyond standard care for a piercing, however, is when the bleeding is due to an infection. If you're experiencing bleeding along with other symptoms that suggest your piercing is infected like swelling and green or yellow discharge, it's incredibly important to call your doctor and figure out the best way to end the infection. It might be as simple as taking a few antibiotics, but in a more dramatic case, the piercing could have to go.

If you're certain your piercing isn't bleeding due to infection, one of the reasons below might be the cause.

1. Bumping The Piercing

Something as mild as pulling your shirt over your head quickly could cause your piercing to start unexpectedly bleeding.

2. Taking A Blood Thinner

If you take pain killers that also thin blood, it's not uncommon for your piercing to bleed more easily.

3. Picking The Crust

First, you should not be touching your piercing at all! But if you're an uncontrollable scab picker like me and brush the crust off from around your piercing a little too roughly, bleeding can occur.

4. Rolling Around In Bed

If you accidentally start tossing and turning in your sleep and end up putting too much pressure on your piercing, a little blood is 100 percent normal.

5. Drinking Alcohol

Similar to certain pain killers, alcohol is a blood thinner that can cause excessive bleeding of a fresh piercing. In fact, getting pierced with alcohol in your system could cause so much accidental bleeding that you end up in a hospital. Don't let that be you!

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How to Care for a New Navel Piercing

In This Article

The months after getting a piercing are key to making sure it heals properly and doesn't get infected. Despite how casual and common it is for people to get pierced, each new piercing is essentially a wound. And like the aftermath of any trauma, aftercare is extremely important. Slacking off on your aftercare or using harmful products will only prolong your discomfort and the healing process.

Before you leave the piercing or tattoo shop, most piercers will give you aftercare instructions. Since they are the experts, it's best to listen to their advice and follow it closely until the piercing is completely healed. Even if you forget a step or lose the instructions, you can always give them a call for a reminder. But if you're really at a loss, these rules are reliable guidelines to help heal any basic piercing.

How to Clean Your Piercing

First, wash your hands thoroughly. You don't want to introduce any bacteria to the piercing because it's an open wound that is vulnerable to infection. So it's important to never touch your piercing or jewelry with dirty hands.
Saturate a cotton ball with warm water, and gently wipe away any "crusties" that have gathered around the piercing site. If you have a scab, do not pick at it. Then throw the cotton ball away.
Apply a generous amount of unscented liquid soap to your fingertip, and apply it to the piercing site and jewelry. Make sure you get the soap everywhere, but rotating your jewelry is not necessary as long as you work the soap around the piercing and jewelry completely. If you do rotate the piercing, this could introduce bacteria from the jewelry and into the wound, causing irritation or even infection. It's best to just clean the piercing and jewelry thoroughly without actually moving it.
Rinse the piercing and jewelry several times with warm water, ensuring that all soap has been removed.
Dry your piercing with a clean paper towel and then dispose of it.

Acceptable Healing Aids and Products

If standard soap and water isn't your thing and you'd rather turn the healing up a notch, these products can help keep your piercing nice and clean.

Emu Oil: This oil is full of fatty acids that can help to reduce inflammation and pain. It's known as a universal healing product that produces exceptional results when healing a piercing.
H2Ocean: This sea salt saline solution is often used by piercers to help clean the piercing area.
Saline Solution: Less expensive and more readily available than most other products, saline solution is very effective in soothing and healing a new piercing. It's also an acceptable substitute for sea salt soaks which is when you submerge your piercing into salt water to help clean it.
Ointments: Ointments are usually the number one most-recommended therapy post-injury and piercing to stimulate wound healing. Just avoid antibacterial products, which are typically unnecessary unless the piercing is infected.

Do Not Use These Products

Hydrogen Peroxide – Hydrogen peroxide kills bacteria, but it also kills the white blood cells attempting to heal your piercing. It can cause irritation and lengthen overall healing time.
Rubbing Alcohol – Alcohol will dry the skin and irritate the raw piercing, which could actually lead to infection.
Glyoxide – This is a product that contains hydrogen peroxide and hinders healing rather than aiding it.
Ear Care Solution – Solutions that are provided by jewelry boutiques and department store piercers usually contain alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, and other harmful chemicals that only aggravate a new piercing.

New piercings and sometimes irritated piercings can greatly benefit from a sea salt soak. This simple remedy can soothe pain and even draw out infection when it's done properly.

Whether it's displayed by a crop top or hidden under a baggy T-shirt, there's something about a navel piercing that makes you feel edgy. This is no one-size-fits-all modification. Besides the typical top bellybutton piercing, there are procedures that pierce the sides of the belly button, along with the bottom. As with any piercing, bellybutton piercings come with the risk of infection, rejection, keloids, and scars. Taking care of your wound post-piercing should help to eliminate most of these issues, but keep an eye out for indications of abnormalities.

How to Care for a New Navel Piercing

Check Swelling Daily

Some people experience more swelling than others, but generally speaking any swelling at the piercing site should start going down a week after your piercing. Complications along with swelling include discomfort around the navel, tenderness and irritation as a result of the wound rubbing against clothing. The Association of Professional Piercers suggests placing a hard vented eye patch over the navel to protect the area from irritation. If swelling continues to increase after a week or so, go back to the piercer.

Expect Mild Pain

During the first week post-piercing, pain and tenderness are completely normal. Depending on your pain threshold, you may be unable to bend at the waist or wear tight clothing. If the pain doesn't get better or continues to worsen after a week, contact your doctor as it's possible that you may have an infection at the piercing site. Infections may be serious, entering the blood stream and causing numerous complications.

Monitor for Redness and Warmth

Warmth at the piercing site is normal for the first few days, but should subside soon after. Redness is also normal within the first week, and may be accompanied with a minimal amount of swelling. However, if warmth or redness persist beyond the first week, contact your physician immediately. This could also indicate an infection that may be serious.

Look for Pus or Discoloration

A telltale sign of infection is the presence of pus, a thick, yellow, green, or brown colored fluid seeping from the piercing site. Although a minimal amount of "crusting" at the site is normal, discharge is not and should be looked at immediately. Some skin discoloration is also normal, but contact a physician if anything just doesn't look right.

Know What Keloids Look Like

While keloids are generally harmless, they are unsightly and may cause irritation around the piercing site. Navel keloids occur at the piercing site after the skin has healed. The bumps are generally flesh-colored, but may appear red or pink. Keloids may be smooth or lumpy and may cause itching as they grow.

Surgical treatment is usually unnecessary, as keloids may become smaller with time. Corticosteroid injections will help to reduce the size of a navel keloid. In extreme cases, laser treatments, cryotherapy (freezing) or surgical procedures may be necessary to remove the growth. Keloids may cause discomfort, tenderness, or irritation caused by friction, such as the navel piercing rubbing against clothing.

Adjusting to Pregnancy

Becoming pregnant doesn't have to mean letting the navel piercing close. Body jewelry manufacturers produce pregnancy navel rings. These rings are flexible and are much larger than a standard bellybutton ring. The ring is large enough to accommodate your growing stomach. However, many women may find that even the pregnancy ring is too small for their larger stomachs. A reputable piercer can suggest a solution.

Why can't I get my navel pierced?

Technically, anyone can have the skin around their navel pierced, however, anatomically, not everyone is setup to heal a navel piercing.

In order for a navel to heal properly it must have a good lip of skin above the navel (or in some cases, below) with space both behind and below the lip for the jewelry to sit without pressure. The lip of skin should be a flap (like an earlobe), with an obvious front and back to it and a defined edge between the two. Without a well-defined "lip" above the navel there is an increased chance for problems healing—including rejection. Likewise, attempting to pierce navels that do have a flap but do not have enough space behind them to allow jewelry to sit comfortably will generally result in a difficult and problematic healing process.

This is why when clients come to the studio requesting a piercing, we will have a piercer take a look at their navel and discuss the viability of the piercing first. If you come to us requesting a navel piercing and we think your navel does not have a good chance of healing properly, we will often decline to pierce it. We do not want to take your money and condemn you to a year or so of discomfort and hassle when we know that, in the end, you probably won't get what you want. If your navel is not a pierceable shape, that doesn't mean you're too fat, too thin, or deformed; it's simply that your navel is not shaped in such a way that we think you can heal the piercing.

If I can't pierce the top, can I pierce the bottom?

Some people have enough of a lip on the bottom that it can be pierced—but very few. More often than not the answer is "no."

Can you pierce my outie?

It's not recommended to pierce "outie" tissue. A normal navel piercing goes only through surface skin at the edge of the navel, while an "outie" navel is more complex than simple surface skin; it is residual scarring from the umbilical cord. As such, an infected "outie" navel piercing can become dangerous quickly.

With that said, some people with outies have regular lips of surface skin above or below them—sort of a combination "innie" navel with a little outie inside. Depending on the individual shape of the navel, this surface skin may be pierceable. However, this is entirely dependent upon your anatomy. Your best bet is to check with your piercer to see what's possible.

Why do navels take so long to heal?

The skin being pierced around the navel is not very vascular—meaning there is very little blood flow to the area. The less blood flowing to an area, the slower the healing tends to be. Due to its location, the piercing is also subjected to constant bending, stretching, folding, and friction. Both of these things contribute to a long healing process—anywhere from six months to a year.

With such a prolonged healing time, navel piercings are also more likely to develop problems during healing. While a properly treated piercing may never give you problems, a wound that is healing for up to a year has a much greater chance of getting irritated—or even infected. To prevent this from occurring, keep yours (and others') hands, mouths, and bodily fluids off of it during the healing process.

Why is the jewelry so thick?

At Infinite, we generally pierce navels at 12 gauge. Our experience has taught us this tends to be the best size jewelry for most lifestyles. While it is possible to pierce, and heal, a navel with 14 gauge jewelry, you must be even more careful and conscientious with your care; the thinner the jewelry is, the more likely the piercing is to be injured, scarred, or even start to migrate when caught or pulled on. The thicker the jewelry, the more internal surface area you have, and therefore the more skin you have supporting the weight of the jewelry.

Think of it this way: if you distribute weight and pressure over a larger area or over more skin cells, the area becomes more resilient and resistant and, ideally, less prone to small tearing and scarring. It's like carrying a heavy bag on your shoulder: A bag with thin straps cuts into your shoulder a lot more than a bag with wide straps since the weight is dispersed more evenly. As such, thicker jewelry can give you a little more of a chance of success with healing.

Can I go swimming?

With any fresh piercing we generally recommend you avoid swimming for the first month, though the risk to your piercing depends on where you're swimming. Saltwater and chlorine may be okay for your piercing, however, other bacteria in the water may be problematic. You can never be sure how balanced the chemical levels are in anyone else's pool—or what else may be in the water. Ocean water tends to be great for speeding healing, but the water on a beach in the tropics is not the same at the water at the Jersey Shore. If nothing else, definitely avoid hot tubs, quarries, or lakes as the water quality is even more questionable.

If you do go swimming during the healing process, the most important thing to do is to make sure that you clean your piercing thoroughly afterward.

What about sit-ups and exercise?

Sit-ups and exercise usually don't present a problem for you or your piercing, but you may want to adjust your workout to avoid putting excess pressure on your jewelry or piercing—at least in the beginning. Listen to your body; if it hurts, don't do it. (And sweat shouldn't hurt your piercing, just be sure to shower afterward.)

What about tanning?

Tanning itself will not affect your piercing, but tanning lotions and the chemicals in them can be problematic. If you do go tanning, make sure you don't get lotion on the piercing.

Do I have to take it out if I get pregnant? Can I get it repierced after the baby?

Whether or not you take your jewelry out when pregnant is up to you, and what your particular body does. The shape of your navel will certainly change as your belly stretches to accommodate your growing little one. At later stages, the navel can stretch flat or turn inside-out, making wearing jewelry uncomfortable. Jewelry can also become increasingly difficult to keep in as your skin stretches, especially during the second and third trimester. Some women find this pressure so unbearable that they remove the jewelry and let the piercing close; others leave their jewelry in the whole time and have no pain or problems.

In many cases, especially if the navel piercing has fully healed before the pregnancy, jewelry can simply be removed and put back in after delivery. The piercing may shrink a bit in size, but the hole can often be stretched open later—making repiercing unnecessary.

If you remove your jewelry and your piercing completely closes, you can usually get it repierced after the birth. You should obviously wait until you are back to relatively normal functions before you ask any more of your body's energies. (On the same note, you should wait until after your child is done breastfeeding before getting a new piercing. Trying to heal anything while still lactating tends to be incredibly difficult as you body has energies directed elsewhere.) Also keep in mind that you will be holding your newborn close to you (often on your hip), and you don't want to make healing even more difficult when your little one starts kicking his or her feet.

One of the most common areas for a body piercing is the belly button. The fact that many people have one may trump you to believe that it is an easy and uneventful process. While it may not hurt that much to get a belly button piercing, if it is not taken care of properly by cleaning it often, it may become infected. As with any piercing, knowing how to clean your new piercing will help to ensure it heals completely without any major health scares.

In this OneHowTo article we explain how to clean a belly button piercing.

Saline solution
Cotton swabs or Q-tips
Paper towel
Warm water
Hand mirror

Depending on the area, the healing process for piercings may vary. A belly button piercing can take between 6 to 12 months to heal. During this time it is important that you learn how to clean it properly and that you don't fall for some of the most common mistakes.

Firstly, make sure that you have washed your hands with some soap and warm water. Next, clear up the area around your belly and sit down with your back lightly tilted backwards. You may be tempted to lean forward but that will only obstruct your view of the area.

How to Care for a New Navel Piercing

Use your hand mirror and place it at the bottom of your belly button to aid you in the search for any dirt or dried up discharge that may have built up around the area. Use a cotton swab or Q-tip lightly dipped in warm water to remove the dirt. Work slowly and don't remove the ring at all during the cleaning process.

Then, grab your saline solution and pour a few squirts over your belly button. Allow it some time to work on the area. This solution will not be uncomfortable or irritating on your skin. Make sure that you buy pure saline solution or that you make your own at home using purified distilled water and non-iodized salt.

How to Care for a New Navel Piercing

Now, grab a clean cotton swab or Q-tip and using warm water remove the saline solution along with any excess dirt that might be released. Refrain from using your fingers as you may inadvertently scratch the area risking an infection. Finally, pat it dry with a clean paper towel and allow it to air dry completely.

In the shower, be careful not to rub it with your sponge and just allow the soap water to fall down your belly. Avoid excessive hot water showers and long baths to keep the area dry for as long as possible.

For the first few months it is recommended the usage of loose clothes that flow nicely over the belly. Wearing tight clothes risks the ring getting pulled into an open wound.

It is highly discouraged to use alcohol or hydrogen peroxide solution for cleaning a belly button as it can lead to irritation and scaring. The saline solution is gentle and protective enough to work as a sanitation substance.

Antibacterial creams and ointments are only suggested at times of infection. An infection is usually recognized by excessive redness, pain, irritation and fluid secretion.

If you want to read similar articles to How to Clean a Belly Button Piercing, we recommend you visit our Beauty & Personal Care category.

So, you've achieved another body accessory that can help you stand out when wearing crop tops, the belly button piercing. After getting this done, you want to make sure to keep your ring clean and sanitized, as well as the area around the piercing. Not to mention, regular cleaning of the piercing will keep your belly button from getting infected.

Though the irritation and pain may fade as your piercing ages, it's essential to clean it until it's fully healed. However, wearers should carefully look after them, mainly during its healing process. Here are some guidelines for a navel piercing aftercare.

Antibacterial Soap and Water

A new belly button piercing needs to be entirely cleaned at least once or twice a day using antibacterial soap. You can also incorporate it with warm water on the shower. To begin with, cup your hand below the piercing and allow warm, clean water to run over it for about two minutes.

However, avoid using unrecommended soap or other cleaners as it can lead to some infection and it might dry the surrounding skin. Take a gentle liquid soap and put a drop into your palm. Scrub it up, then apply the suds to the piercing to prevent infection and to promote the healing effects. This process should be done once or twice a day until the piercing heals.

Don't Opt for Ointments

When keeping your new piercing clean and healthy, you should avoid applying creams and ointments as it can prevent your piercing from breathing or coming into contact with air. They block the air out and keep the moisture inside the piercing, making it sensitive to potential bacteria.

Though these ointments and creams might be antibacterial, they can generate infection and immensely prevent the healing process. More so, you should also avoid harsh cleansers like rubbing alcohol and hydrogen peroxide. These disinfectants might kill the cells that help recover the punctures of the piercing.

Carefully Clean With Cotton Swabs

Another way to clean your navel piercing is by using a cotton swab. As the piercing heals, it will discharge a white to an off-white fluid. It is a part of the healing process and is ideally healthy. However, this fluid can build-up and lead to crusting around your piercing site.

To get rid of this, wet a cotton swab in clean, warm water and rub away the developed crust from your piercing gently. Remember, don't pick the crusting off by your fingers as it can lead to infection. If the wearer neglects on cleaning the crusting, it can freeze throughout the ring, causing wounds when the ring moves. It will be painful and can delay the healing process.

Mix Salt and Water

The application of sea salt is yet another excellent option to clean a navel piercing. Keep the surrounding soaked with the mixture of salt and water for about 10 minutes before washing it off with warm water and drying it up entirely.

However, when using this practice, make sure to be careful enough as there is a chance of loose fibers going into the piercing that can end up causing infections. Only use non-iodized salt as it's known for its superior quality as well as of its healing properties.

Wear Loose Clothing

Though you're probably excited to display your latest accessory, you have to cover it up, especially on the first few days. You should wear loose, baggy clothing that comfortably hangs and offers your piercing enough space to breathe.

It's true that your piercing requires oxygen to help its healing, and it can become irritated and slow down the healing process if tight clothes are continually rubbing it. But if you are worried about ripping on your clothes, a vented eye patch can be an excellent option to protect your piercing without reducing its air supply.

Takeaway

Navel accessory is probably the most common piercing for women. Sure, getting a new piercing is an exciting experience. However, to ensure that your piercing stays a pleasant bonus to your appearance, you should keep your body piercing as healthy as it should be.

Thus, to keep your piercing clean, all you have to do a thorough cleaning cycle in its healing process, while also consciously avoiding some irritants that can prevent adequate recovery.

Suggested Aftercare for Body Piercing

Suggested Aftercare for Oral Piercing

Antimicrobial or antibacterial alcohol-free mouth rinse*
Plain clean water
Packaged sterile saline (with no additives, read the label) is a gentle choice for piercing aftercare. Saline for contact lenses should not be used as piercing aftercare. Wound wash saline is available as a spray at pharmacies throughout North America.
Sea salt mixture: Dissolve 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon (.75 to 1.42 grams) of non-iodized (iodine-free) sea salt into one cup (8 oz / 250 ml) of warm distilled or bottled water. A stronger mixture is not better; a saline solution that is too strong can irritate the piercing.

Do not play with your jewelry. Long term effects include permanent damage to teeth, gums, and other oral structures. See the APP's Brochure: Oral Piercing Risks and Safety Measures for more information.
Avoid undue trauma; excessive talking or playing with the jewelry during healing can cause the formation of unsightly and uncomfortable scar tissue, migration, and other complications.
Avoid using mouthwash containing alcohol. It can irritate the piercing and delay healing.
Avoid oral sexual contact including French (wet) kissing or oral sex during healing (even with a long-term partner).
Avoid chewing gum, tobacco, fingernails, pencils, sunglasses, etc.
Avoid sharing plates, cups, and eating utensils.
Avoid smoking! It increases risks and lengthens healing time.
Avoid stress and all recreational drug use.
Avoid aspirin, alcohol, and large amounts of caffeine as long as you are experiencing bleeding or swelling.
Avoid submerging healing piercings in bodies of water such as lakes, pools, etc.

Each body is unique and healing times vary considerably. If you have any questions, please contact your piercer.

Stretching Your Piercing

Stretching is the gradual enlargement of a piercing. Stretching a piercing can be easy and safe so long as the risks are considered and some basic precautions How to Care for a New Navel Piercing are followed.

Why Stretch?

Your body needs sufficient time to rejuvenate blood flow and produce new healthy tissue, this can take weeks or months.

Stretching Your Piercing

If you choose to stretch your piercing yourself, the safest method is to allow your initial jewelry to remain in place for an extended period of time. So long as your piercing is showing no signs of tenderness, discharge or general irritation, a properly cleaned or sterilized piece of jewelry (that is no more than one gauge size larger than your current jewelry) may be gently inserted into your piercing. Forcing jewelry in using pressure is not a proper practice when stretching. You want to allow the piercing to relax enough that it can accept the next size with little or no effort. If the jewelry does not go in easily, or if you experience any significant discomfort or bleeding, immediately stop. This may mean your piercing is not ready to be stretched or that you require professional assistance.

Seeking out a professional piercer can be a wise choice for stretching, particularly if you have a larger goal size. Your piercer can evaluate your piercing and set realistic goals for stretching. A professional can help you choose the proper jewelry material, size, and style. Having your jewelry properly cleaned or sterilized, and inserted for you can help avoid overstretching or other damage that can lead to scarring. In some situations a tool called an insertion taper may be necessary to properly install your selected jewelry. Tapers should be considered a professional instrument, the same as a piercing needle. Tapers are not meant to force excessively large jewelry into a piercing, merely to help aid insertion. Misuse of any instrument can result in damage.

Follow your piercer's advice about leaving your new, larger jewelry in place for a sufficient time. It could be difficult or impossible to reinsert the jewelry if removed too soon – even briefly – because the channel could shrink very quickly. Avoid removing jewelry in a recently stretched piercing for several days, possibly weeks.

A newly stretched piercing may experience some tenderness and inflammation. It is usually mild and may pass in as little as a few days. Still, it is prudent to follow the care suggested for new piercings. For details, consult your piercer and refer to the APP "Suggested Aftercare Guidelines" brochures.

Soreness, redness, weeping, or inflammation of your tissue may indicate a problem. You may have stretched too far, too quickly, or you may be having a negative reaction to the material, size, or style of your jewelry. Treat an overstretched piercing like a brand-new one and follow appropriate care and cleaning. Failure to do so can result in serious consequences, including infection and tissue loss.

You may need to downsize (go back to your previous size) if the piercing is significantly irritated. Although you're probably eager to get to your goal size, downsizing is a great way to keep your tissue healthy. Afterwards, you will need to wait at least a few additional months before attempting further stretching. Go slow from the start and avoid having to downsize or stall your process.

The most common location for a blowout is the earlobe. It may not be as painful as it looks, but it does indicate a problem. You should consult your piercer. You may need to downsize, resume aftercare procedures, and/or follow other suggestions as outlined by your piercer.

To view other Brochures available from the Association of Professional Piercers, check out the Publications & Products section.

Belly Button Ring Basics – How to Care for a New Navel Piercing

You took the plunge, bit your lip, and braced your self for the pain. Moments later you had a shiny new piece of jewelry making sparkling from your navel. You've pierced your belly button and now you're ready to get on with your life and show it off at the club or pool side. Unfortunately there is one one problem. It's red, it hurts, and it's kind of swollen. It's not quite ready for it's debut but don't worry, it's only a few days old. In order to make the most of your new piercing, it's important to take care of it. Just follow these simple steps and you'll look sexy in no time showing off your new belly bling.

New Navel Piercing Care:

Keep it clean:

It's important to keep any piercings clean and there no exception when it comes to belly buttons. Your belly button, though often covered by clothing, can still collect bacteria. Clean your belly button piercing twice daily to keep it bacteria free. Be sure to use an antibacterial soap to rid the area of any harmful germs that can cause infection.

While cleaning twice daily is a good rule of thumb, you may find that your life style requires a little more cleaning. If you take part in any of the following activities or activities similar to, be sure to clean your piercing when you are finished:

Spending time in a hot tub or pool
Working Out
Participating in sexual activities
Participating in labor intensive activities. Handsome
Working in a Kitchen

Use a Sea Salt Soak:

The healing process for a belly button ring can be extremely long (6 to 12 months), but you can help speed up the healing process by soaking the area in a mixture of sea salts and distilled water. You can buy the pre-made soaks that are offered at many piercing shops or you can make your own in a pinch using sea salt and distilled water. Use this soak 3 to 4 times daily for about 5 to 10 minutes. Keep this up until the piercing is healed.

(Note: Professional piercers suggest using a mixture of sea salt and water that is close to that of your body's. Get a gallon jug of water and add sea salt until you are able to taste it. Add little by little until the taste of salt is apparent. Remember to keep track of how much salt you are adding so you can prepare the mix again if needed.)

Try Not to Touch:

It's new and exciting and there is something inside you that draws you to touch your new navel piercing. Unfortunately, this is one urge that should go unsatisfied. The more you touch your piercing the more you will irritate it and the more likely you are to transfer harmful bacteria from your hands to your sensitive navel. If you do have to touch it, be sure to wash your hands thoroughly with an antibacterial soap.

Ask an Expert:

A little pain, discomfort, blood, and discharge is common with new piercings; however, if you're experiencing any or all of those things in excess don't hesitate to call or visit your piercer immediately. If you feel that something is not right it's better to be safe than sorry.

4 Things to Avoid

Never Use Rubbing Alcohol or Hydrogen Peroxide: When you look down and see a red or irritated piercing you may be tempted to run to the medicine cabinet for a solution. While rubbing alcohol and hydrogen peroxide may work in other situations, when used on new piercing they can actually cause more harm than good. Both substances are harsh and can severely dry out your skin, prolong the healing time, or increase your risk of scaring.
Never Use Medicinal Ointments to Speed Healing: A ointment like Neosporin is terrific for a cut or scrape, but when it comes to piercings it can be counterproductive. Your piercing needs oxygen to heal and these ointments create a protective barrier between your skin and the air. Without oxygen your healing will be slowed. Additionally, overtime, the petroleum based gel can prevent the sea salt soak from reaching your skin.
Avoid Tight Clothing Around New Piercing: A new piercing is sensitive and a new belly button piercing is in a happens to be in a very bad spot when it comes to healing. Even though you love your tight fitting jeans and skirts, try to give your belly button room to breath. Clothes that are tight will cause friction. To much friction can cause a world of problems the least being increased healing time and the worst being infection and/or rejection of the piercing.
Never Ignore a Problem: If you think there is a problem, address it immediately. Waiting will only have negative consequences including, full blown infection, scarring, and rejection or removal of the piercing.

Body piercing is what some people considering a form of expressing themselves. It has been a quite popular trend since the early 1990's. One of the most popular piercing for women is the navel (belly button) piercing. There are usually no problems as a result of navel piercing but healing is typically a slow process. However, there have been some reported cases of severe infections and this is generally due to improper care. In the days and weeks after having any part of your body pierced it is important to pay special attention to that area and keep it clean and as germ free as possible. Because of the location of your navel, you tend to gather a lot of bacteria in that particular region. Because of this it is all the more important to take good care of your piercing. Other parts of the body that people often pierce, such as the eyebrow are exposed to the air all of the time and this will promote much faster healing.

The Day of Piercing

The day you have your navel pierced, the studio you have had it done in will more than likely give you a list of instructions and perhaps even some written information about the care of your new piercing. This is the information you should be listening to. There will always be ten people eager to tell you what you should do to care for your piercing but the person who did the piercing will be the best person to get your instructions from. This is of course provided you have gone to a reputable piercing studio and for this article we are working under the assumption that you have. You do not want to wear anything tight that day and you will be best to go home soon after having your piercing done so that you can take your shirt off and let air get to the site.

Antibacterial Soap

You will probably be instructed to use some sort of antibacterial soap on the piercing several times a day. A very good type of soap to use, although it is a bit pricey, is betadine soap. This soap can be found in the first aid section of your local pharmacy. Is contains betadine so it is a dark yellowish orange and will create a yellow foam. The reason this soap is so effective is that it is much better at killing a larger number of germs than your standard antibacterial soap. The average cost of this soap is approximately $10.00 a bottle but it lasts for a very long time as you do not use very much.

Avoid Hydrogen Peroxide and Rubbing Alcohol

Contrary to what many people may suggest, hydrogen peroxide actually dries your piercing out. This will irritate it and make it sore. Alcohol will have the same effect, not to mention that it will burn like crazy! There is no reason you should ever use either of these solutions on a piercing, no matter what anyone tells you, short of a doctor. The only way a person may be told to use either of these solutions is in the event complications arose and a physician recommended one or both of them. The likelihood of this occurring is about one in ten million.

The Healing Properties of Salt Water

Salt water, preferably from the ocean in a natural state is the absolute best thing you can use to heal any type of wound, a piercing included. If you live in a warm climate and you are local to a beach, go get into the ocean and soak that piercing for a good 20 minutes or so a couple of times a day. If you are not quite so lucky as to live that close to the beach then use a homemade warm salt water solution. You can either fill your bathtub with nice warm salt water or you can use a moist compress on the piercing. If you do decide to use the bathtub please make sure you have cleaned the tub with bleach prior to getting in.

To Neosporin or Not to Neosporin That Is the Question

The answer as to whether or not you should put Neosporin on a navel piercing depends largely on who you are asking. There are some piercers who still promote the use of Neosporin on a piercing (never on a tattoo) and there are some who say it will delay healing and keep the piercing from getting enough fresh air. Neosporin is great for infections and is often used to help clear an existing infection from a cut. However, if you look at the label it clearly says that the product is not intended for use on puncture wounds. A piercing is just a puncture wound by another name, isn't it? With that in mind it may be best to stay away from Neosporin.

Signs of Infection at Site

Your navel piercing is going to take literally months to fully heal so do not be surprised if you experience a small circle of redness and a bit of pussy discharge for quite awhile. Again, this is primarily because of the location of the piercing. However, please be advised that if any unusual pain should develop or if the area should become hot to the touch or significantly red, you may have an infection and should seek medical attention. In addition, if the discharge should change colors or have a foul odor this is another sign of infection.

As long as you follow your instructions carefully and keep your piercing site clean and sanitary, you really should have no issues. People who have any sort of immunological disorders such as HIV/AIDS should refrain from having any type of piercing done as they carry a risk of developing a serious infection due to their compromised immune systems. The key to taking good care of a piercing is to keep your eyes open for anything which seems unusual and not being afraid to ask questions.