Also, a bent barbell or traditional. available, it can be tempting to change your starter jewelry soon after having your navel pierced. It is recommended to wait at least 6 to 12 weeks before changing your belly button ring, as this allows the piercing to fully heal. Symptoms of infection: 2. In the past, piercers used to tell people to turn their jewelry a couple of times a day to loosen up crusties, but thats no longer considered a healthy practice. the piercing remaining sore, red, irritated, or dry . In most cases, this can be noted by the ring tending to look bigger that it initially was as the piercer always gives room for swelling when inserting the jewelry. Although many people don't have any problems after they get a body piercing, you could have: If you run into problems or decide you dont want it, simply take out your ring or stud. Fresh belly piercings tend to close quickly. How to clean your belly button piercing with antibacterial Soap and Water Before applying soap, soak your navel area for a few minutes (do it during your shower for convenience). To get rid of the swelling and red coloration, apply ice on the piercing. Tea tree oil has natural antiseptic qualities and will help moisturize your skin. Dont worry if you experience slight bleeding, swelling, or redness immediately after the piercingthats completely normal and should subside quickly. Belly button piercings have been popular for a long timeand for good reason. : Our titanium belly button rings are made from pure elementsno coatings here! However, with time the symptoms should reduce. The absence of swelling can also be a sign that the piercing is healed. They however can be too much trouble if not well looked after. However, with proper aftercare, the healing process is usually 6 to 8 months. To install your new jewelry using a taper, unscrew its top ball and screw the taper on in its place. Follow these simple steps to treat an infected piercing: Placing a warm compress on the infected area may help settle down any swelling, too. While some people just want to emulate their favorite pop stars and divas, just as many people use navel piercing as a form of self-expression. Again, anytime theres an open wound on your body theres a risk of something funky getting in and creating an issue. All Rights Reserved. Using a clean paper towel reduces the risk of introducing more bacteria into the piercing. Just as cleaning the piercing is essential in the healing process, the same applies to clearing an infection. You may want to get your piercer to help you change your jewelry since it can be difficult with a fresh piercing. Contact lens solution or eye drops of any kind should never be used on a freshly pierced navel. The signs of a healed piercing include the absence of redness, soreness and lymph and the replacement of these with a smooth doughnut shaped hole on the rim. Options for cleaning area with salt water soaks: Make a suction seal between cup and belly button by leaning over cup, then lie down on a towel, lie on your back, cup should be sealed to abdomen. Check in with a healthcare provider if you really start to feel unwell or the swelling and redness refuse to go away (or get worse) even after youve tried a few home treatment options, If you feel like the infection is spreading and progressing, its time to see someone, states Dr. Hodes. Cleveland Clinic 1995-2023. . Avoid swimming as well as pools and water bodies contain microorganisms that could cause infections. Ensure it is wrapped up and apply it on and off for five minutes until you feel better. However, its important to note that not everyone can get a belly button piercing. These will help prevent you from discomfort, scars and constant swelling which are associated with trauma on piercing. These elegant designs are the work of highly skilled local craftsmen who we partner with. Since belly button piercing is certainly here to stay, were happy to provide you with this comprehensive overview all about navel piercing. A belly button piercing, also known as a navel piercing, is a piece of jewelry thats typically inserted through the skin, directly above the belly button. With this being the case, how do you know when your belly piercing is healed? : These are a little different from your normal belly button rings. Most likely, a curved piercing needle will be used and will be followed by a, . Sign up for our newsletter to receive exclusive offers and promotions. Basic Stainless Steel Straight Barbells Jewelry, Fake Nipple Rings & Non Piercing Nipple Shields, Universal Threadless Straight Barbell Shafts, Precision Extra Super Tight Liner Needles, Precision Round Liner Premade Tattoo Needles, Precision Standard Round Liner Tattoo Needles, Precision Hollow Round Liner Tattoo Needles, Precision Round Shader Premade Tattoo Needles, Precision Round Shader Regular Tattoo Needles, Precision Round Shader Textured Tattoo Needle, Precision Super Tight Round Liner Needles, Darklab Footswitch Tattoo Foot Pedals by FK Irons, Wireless Switch & Wireless Foot Pedal Units, BioTouch Double Drop Concentrated Pigments, Rich Microblade Colors Permanent Makeup Pigments, Infectious Control, Cleaners & Disinfectants. According to Outland, the top of the jewelry usually comes unscrewed, allowing for the jewelry to be slipped out and easily replaced in the same manner. A daily saline wash kills bacteria in and around your piercing and keeps it clean, helping the healing process 1. Sabrina Crews is a copy editor and fact checker. This will avoid exerting trauma on it. Stage One: As is evident in this picture of a fresh belly button piercing, the area is swollen and red. You finally got your belly button pierced after months of thinking about adding some body bling. If you suspect you have an infected belly button piercing, see your doctor right away and ask if you need an antibiotic. Finish up by patting the area dry using paper towels. Some people develop atrophic scars after removing their belly button jewelry, which are recessed scars with a rough-textured surface that doesnt quite fill the hole where the piercing was. The symptoms can seem very similar to an infection, says Dr. Hodes. You can soak a sterile wash cloth in a saline solution, warm it and place it on the piercing. An infection can flare up a long time after the initial piercing is done. New piercings can be problematic and often need to be removed as your stomach stretches.). 1. Use these saline wash wipes as a nose piercing cleaner, belly button cleaner, or earring cleaner for pierced ears. Avoid 10K gold and gold plated belly rings. Youll also be at more risk of infection. Heres how to recognize and treat the most common belly button piercing problems. We picked a number of pictures two further illustrate the three stages of the healing process. By clicking Subscribe, I agree to the WebMD, Smart Grocery Shopping When You Have Diabetes, Surprising Things You Didn't Know About Dogs and Cats, Mediterranean, Low-Fat Diets Are Best for Heart Problems, Least Amount of Exercise You Need to Stay Healthy, Nerve 'Pulse' Therapy May Help Ease Sciatica, New Book: Take Control of Your Heart Disease Risk, MINOCA: The Heart Attack You Didnt See Coming, Health News and Information, Delivered to Your Inbox, Who Should Not Get a Belly Button Piercing, Oral Piercing Risks, At-Home Care, and Warning Signs, Laser Tattoo Removal: Find Out How to Get Rid of That Tattoo Youve Always Regretted, Possible Medical Risks of Vaginal Piercings. In conclusion, proper aftercare and the use of hypoallergenic jewelry, such as G23 titanium and internally threaded jewelry, can help to speed up the healing process of a belly button piercing. Infections can take root in your belly button piercing even with the best of care. : Our comfortable pregnancy belly rings will bend and flex as your belly grows. A belly button piercing is when you have a ring or other ornament through the skin around your belly button. While for some it may take a few days to close up and a few more to toughen and heal completely, for others it may take months. Go with a barbell rather than a ring because there's less risk of the barbell getting caught on stuff in the healing process. Non-dangle jewelry hugs closer to the belly button and is usually seen as a drop, hinge, or curved barbell. A standard belly button piercing is placed about 1/2-1 above the belly button, traveling down and out through the upper lip of the navel cavity. Before touching the piercing while cleaning it, ensure that your hands are clean. If you want to have a belly button piercing, take steps to prevent problems: If the jewelry has irregular surfaces, your skin will grow to fill those areas. Belly buttons are . Belly Button Piercing: Your Piercer, Aftercare, Infection, and More If youre still interested in a belly button piercing, the best place to start is to find a licensed, experienced piercer who will work with your anatomy to give you the best piercing. : Our gold belly button rings are made from solid, 14-karat yellow or white gold. 2015 Jan; 11(1):142-43. doi:10.1016/j.nurpra.2014.10.004, The 9 Piercings That Heal the Fastest (and How to Care for Them), The Crusty, Dry Skin Around Your Piercing Is NormalHere's Why, What to Know Before Getting a Forward Helix Piercing, Want to Get a Smiley Piercing? Also avoid over cleaning it as this causes it to become too dry. It can take a belly button piercing a year or longer to fully heal. While some people's belly button piercings appear to be fully healed within 4-6 weeks, they actually need 3-6 monthsand sometimes up to a yearto heal completely, inside and out. You need to be pierced just far enough back from the lip of the belly button, and you should start off with at least a 14g belly button ring. Faster Belly Button Healing: A Comprehensive Guide to Navel Piercing Besides the fact that a healing piercing needs a strong immune system, your changing belly size will affect your new piercing, which could cause complications. During this stage, you should be thorough with the aftercare procedures. With piercings, healing occurs from the outside in. You can effectively change out a belly button piercing yourself, but you have to be completely sure that your piercing is fully healed before doing so. Heres what to expect: Unlike pierced ears, which take 4-6 weeks to heal, your belly button may not fully heal for up to 1 year. It is also possible for it to swell and there could be production of a mild white discharge. Carefully! Navel Piercing: Belly Jewellery, FAQs & Guide | Blue Banana UK Repeat this process at least twice a day but no more than three times a day until the piercing is fully healed. These pocket-sized and travel-friendly wet wipes will safely cleanse ear & nose bumps, nipple, navel, helix, tragus . "An infection can flare up a long time after the initial piercing is done. Here's how to use a sea salt soak to clean . The body produces new cells and proteins to replace the damaged cells. So, how can you tell if your belly button piercing is infected? Belly button piercings tend to take longer to heal and are prone to infection or injury because of the constant movement of the area and rubbing from jeans and other clothing. If youre really concerned about pain, you can ask your piercer to apply a. beforehand. However, the healing time can vary depending on factors such as the individual's body, the aftercare routine, and the jewelry used. However, a piercing is created by pulling a needle through the skin, so there is, of course, some pain involved. On average, belly button piercings take between 6 and 12 weeks to fully heal. Rotate the jewelry all the way around while cleaning to remove any bacteria from what's sticking out of your belly button. The scab that had formed earlier on will fall and new skin will form. The Belly Button Piercing : A Complete Guide About Belly Button Proper Aftercare: Proper aftercare is key to reducing the healing time and to keep your new belly piercing healthy. If you're going to show off your belly button piercing, dangle jewelry is the way to do it. Since the piercing is done within, knowing the stages involved in the healing process can help tell when the piercing has healed. Use paper towels instead of cloth since the later comes with the risk of transferring bacteria which cause infections. Directions. They can clog the healing fistula, potentially trapping bacteria and increasing the risk of infection. Itching in most cases results from irritation and swelling. Dont pick at the area, as it can cause further irritation or bleeding. Dr. Piercing Aftercare Wipes - amazon.com During the healing process, as much as the piercing is kept clean, it should also be kept dry. Belly Button Piercing and Your Health - WebMD Always dilute it in sea salt solution (no more than 2 to 3 drops per cup of sea salt solution). Like seen earlier on, the piercing can take up to a year to heal. These are as listed below. ), then let the mixture cool off. Its also important to avoid soaking your new belly button piercing in anything but a sterile saline solution until its healed; bodies of water both big and small like baths, the ocean, or a pool may harbor bacteria and cause infection. Umbilicoplasty: Purpose, Procedure, Recovery, and Risk - Healthline Depending on your chemical makeup, you may heal faster or take longer to heal than the average person.