These forms of discharge should not be taken lightly. The average healing time for belly button piercings is between 6 and 12 weeks, so it is important to be patient and allow the piercing to fully heal before changing the jewelry or engaging in any activities that could irritate the piercing. Do the same if you experience swelling, pain, redness past the initial stage and for extended duration of time. If you notice these symptoms, it is important to seek medical attention as soon as possible, as rejection can be a sign of an infection or other issue. Belly Button Piercing. Maximize the healing process for your belly button piercing with our comprehensive guide. Here's What to Know, The Complete Guide to Getting a Vertical Labret Piercing, How to Treat Infected Ear Piercings, According to Derms, The Complete Guide to Getting a Septum Piercing. Since the belly button does not heal fast, you will need to be patient enough and give it the necessary time for it to heal. 0:00 / 13:52 Intro GETTING MY BELLY BUTTON PIERCED | experience, pain, & care Polina Cherepkova 6.46K subscribers Subscribe 245K views 2 years ago welcome back to my channel! In this second stage, you should continue with the regular aftercare and ensure the wound is cleaned regularly. If you decide you want to get a better or different piece of jewelry, youre most likely going to have to pay more. These will help prevent you from discomfort, scars and constant swelling which are associated with trauma on piercing. In the initial stages of healing, redness, swelling and itchy feeling are normal. In general, an allergic reaction to jewelry metal will more closely resemble hives or dry, itchy eczema patches. Always dilute it in sea salt solution (no more than 2 to 3 drops per cup of sea salt solution). This is made possible by the production of cells around the piercing which help to strengthen it. : Bali jewelry is crafted in Indonesia, where each jewel is carefully placed by hand into the framework of a meticulously crafted belly button ring. : Our unique navel clickers provide a fun and easy-to-wear alternative to your traditional belly button barbells. Finish up by patting the area dry using paper towels. 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. Regular towels may be carrying far more germs than you can imagine. Belly button piercing healing times vary widely from person to person. You gotta do what you gotta do. This post gives answers to belly button piercing FAQs and general information on the procedure and after care. Alternatively, you can fill a small glass or container with the sea salt solution, then bend over, pressing the rim of the container to your stomach so that it completely covers your belly button piercing. In case you are wondering how long to swim with a new piercing forget that for a while. Don't touch a new piercing or twist the jewelry unless you're cleaning it. Infections are usually minor. : Each of our acrylic belly button rings includes a stainless steel bent barbell shaft and end balls or a decorative charm made of colorful, lightweight acrylic. : Flip fashion upside-down with our reverse belly button rings! To make your own soak, boil water for at least 5 minutes to sterilize it, measure out 1 cup into a heat-safe container, stir in 1/4 teaspoon of sea salt (not table salt, which contains iodinewe recommend using. The short answer is: You can't, but the good news is you can help your new belly piercing significantly enough to help it heal within the appropriate time it normally takes for a new belly piercing to heal. If you keep your belly button piercing clean and do what you can to reduce friction by wearing low-waisted pants and skirts and generally loose-fitting clothing, your new belly piercing will heal faster and better. 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? It is also possible for it to swell and there could be production of a mild white discharge. This is why it is important to keep the piercing clean and avoid touching it with dirty hands. Keep the piercing clean and avoid any trauma being exerted on it. Go with a barbell rather than a ring because there's less risk of the barbell getting caught on stuff in the healing process. Belly button piercings are slightly more prone to migration and rejection than other piercings. Umbilicoplasty is a procedure that changes the appearance of your bellybutton. I always recommend seeing a physician, such as a dermatologist, for evaluation and treatment right away if you develop any of these symptoms, says Dozier. Use a mild soap to wash the area once in a day and soak it in a saline solution twice each day. "An infection can flare up a long time after the initial piercing is done. You can consult your piercer and enquire if you can use tea tree oil or lavender oil to hasten the healing process. The design of this piercing is said to put less stress on the navel area. Keep clothing away from the piercing, too. At any time, a little dirt can get trapped in the fistula and cause swelling and irritation, so its best to just stick with the longer jewelry for at least the first few months. Follow these simple steps to treat an infected piercing: Placing a warm compress on the infected area may help settle down any swelling, too. This phase tends to be a short one and the piercee is advised to be very careful when handling the piercing. You should wait until your piercing is fully healed before beginning either of these treatments, though, since they could clog your healing fistula. Never choose a piercer who uses a piercing gun. It has to be sterilized to avoid transferring micro-organisms to the wound which could cause infections. Some people are more sensitive to certain body jewelry materials than others, and a lot of cheap body jewelry contains a high percentage of nickel, which is a common metal allergen. Heres how to recognize and treat the most common belly button piercing problems. For some, this may be as long as 12 months. If they tell you to take out your jewelry, dont worryits actually better to leave your jewelry in while taking your antibiotic so that infected fluids have a way to drain out. However mixing the sea salt water improperly can actually irritate the piercing and slow down the healing process. Keloids can look like scars, but they are actually the result of a genetic issue that affects a very small percentage of the population. Since belly button piercing is certainly here to stay, were happy to provide you with this comprehensive overview all about navel piercing. Stages of a Piercing's Healing Process After the procedure has been carried out, the piercing will take at least six months to heal. You can use a sanitizer to be certain. It experienced its golden age in the early 1990s when celebrities like Christina Aguilera gave this type of body piercing mainstream exposure. When you're in the private piercing room, the navel will be cleaned with alcohol. Following some simple procedures will make caring for your belly button piercing a breeze: Wipe your piercing two times a day with natural, skin-friendly treatments, particularly while it's healing. Without drainage, the infection could potentially cause an abscess. Also watch out if you are using a towel. ** total_quantity ** | ** unit_price ** / ** unit_measure **. Depending on your chemical makeup, you may heal faster or take longer to heal than the average person. Here are some tips and guidelines for belly button piercing aftercare. We do not endorse non-Cleveland Clinic products or services. Youll need to wait 20 to 30 minutes after application to experience the full benefits of a topical anesthetic, but once youre numb, youll experience more pressure than pain during the navel piercing process. What's the Difference Between a Rook Piercing and a Faux Rook Piercing, Anyway? The best way to do this is to soak your piercing in salt water for 10 minutes, typically by forming a suction seal between your belly and a cup of salt water. Before doing so, be certain that this is what you want. Remove any crust or discharge that has formed on the piercing. Like seen elsewhere in this post in our stages pictures, the healing process gets underway. What is the Healing Process Like for Belly Button Piercings? Some metals can irritate the skin. 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. She also recommends wearing loose-fitting clothing and pants that have low-rise waistbands to ensure you dont irritate the piercing site or cause further complications. Utilize dry filter paper to dry your piercing. Its also less likely to ooze. Rotate the jewelry all the way around while cleaning to remove any bacteria from what's sticking out of your belly button. 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. . All of that movement doesnt exactly help speed along your bodys repair process. These elegant designs are the work of highly skilled local craftsmen who we partner with. 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. Use a fragrance free mild soap to wash the piercing. Why does it take so long? For more info, read on for everything you need to know about the popular piercing. This may be accompanied by the piercing getting sore swelling, itching, redness and formation of pus. During that time -- as well as after -- you'll need to take extra care of this area. Just take your antibiotics on schedule and clean your belly piercing regularly. Belly button piercing has gotten popular over the years. This is much larger than the jewelry used in a typical ear piercing, which is 1 mm or less in diameter. It is recommended that you clean the infected piercing twice each day to cure it. . Belly Button Piercing Aftercare It's important that you follow proper aftercare during the healing process. In case these do not help the infection to get better, and in case it is accompanied by a nauseating feeling and or fever, see your doctor immediately. ", American Family Physician: "Complications of Body Piercing. This is the initial stage of the healing process. This long healing time is due to the location of the piercing. However, . Explore this article to learn what you can expect during the piercing process, how to properly take care of your navel piercing, and what kinds of body jewelry you can wear. Allow warm water to run over your piercing when you shower (but dont scrub your navel piercing with soap; letting sudsy water run over the piercing is fine). In case the pain, discharge and redness increase, this could indicate an infection. With this jewelry, size is everything. Dont remove the jewelry if you suspect an infection, either except on medical advice. If that doesnt calm it down, consult a healthcare professional.. If you want to keep your piercing for the long term, put jewelry in it all the time. Loose clothes will also ensure that the wound breathes which is essential for its healing process. Use a warm compress. In most cases, piercings smell because of bacteria. This is determined by the skins healing ability and what stage of healing it was at during removal. Belly buttons are typically pierced with 12 gauge jewelry, which is around 2 mm in diameter. Navel piercings can range in cost, but they're $40-$60 at most piercing places. 1. 1. Also, a bent barbell or traditional belly button ring (i.e., a bent barbell with a decorative end) is less likely to put undue stress on the fistula, which is the hole where you were pierced. Follow the golden rule of worry: If in doubt, check it out.. That cute little ring decorating your tummy looks fantastic, too. It's best to talk to a professional piercer about which piece of jewelry will work best for you. The only reason you should change jewelry before your belly button piercing is fully healed is if youre experiencing an allergic reaction (see below). These prolong the healing process. Moving your jewelry around to break up the crusties can invite bacteria into the healing fistula, which can lead to an infected navel piercing. This can help the pus drain and cause the swelling to go down. To get rid of the swelling and red coloration, apply ice on the piercing. Symptoms of infection: 2. Wait until it is time to clean it so you can use cotton swabs. One common symptom of a belly button piercing infection is persistent sharp pain. You want to leave it in place to keep the hole open if possible, directs Dr. Hodes. To install your new jewelry using a taper, unscrew its top ball and screw the taper on in its place. If when you sit down your stomach folds and you are likely to feel a pinch after the piercing, opt for curved barbells as your initial jewelry. Rinse with plain water. 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. : Our titanium belly button rings are made from pure elementsno coatings here! Soak the area for at least 10 minutes. The body produces new cells and proteins to replace the damaged cells. If you notice any of these symptoms or a combination of these symptoms, it is important to seek medical attention as soon as possible, as they may indicate an infection or other issues. And know that an infection is far more likely if you dont take proper precautions. (i.e., a bent barbell with a decorative end) is less likely to put undue stress on the fistula, which is the hole where you were pierced. Do not mix your own sea salt/saline solution to clean your new belly piercing because you might mix the solution too strong or too weak and that will delay or interfere with the healing process. Additionally, the waistbands of pants and skirts are liable to rub against your piercing throughout the day, further irritating an area thats already sensitive just from being pierced. During this healing process, it is important that you retain the initial jewelry. : These are a little different from your normal belly button rings. Non-dangle jewelry hugs closer to the belly button and is usually seen as a drop, hinge, or curved barbell. Typically, the belly button ring your piercer installs at first should be extra long to account for swelling. New piercings can be problematic and often need to be removed as your stomach stretches.). Be sure to check out our full online store for even more body jewelry options, and the PainfulPleasures community page for more information about piercings, body jewelry, and body modification. How fast your piercing heals depends on how well taken care of it is. Yes, it is important to clean any crust or discharge off of your new belly button piercing to prevent irritations that could lead to infection. Byrdie takes every opportunity to use high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. You could pay anywhere from $35 to $60 for a belly button piercing, depending on where you go, but $45-$50 is the average. Remember to wash the piercing after removal of the jewelry. These tend to reduce with time. This includes both the procedure and the cost of the jewelry. On average, however, you can expect a belly button piercing to run between $30 and $75. These are as listed below. Also to be avoided are water bodies and tubs. Di. Tea tree oil has natural antiseptic qualities and will help moisturize your skin. Apply this solution to both the top and bottom of your belly button piercing using clean cotton balls. The short answer is: You can't, but the good news is you can find one at your local professional piercing parlor where a professional body piercer will determine the size, length, material and style of the belly ring that is the most compatible with your unique anatomy. Avoid all oils, balms, and creams! They however can be too much trouble if not well looked after. Continued use of saline soaks can clear it. Body Piercing GuideSites, Styles, What to Expect, Healing, and Care, LEARN ABOUT BYRDIE'S EDITORIAL GUIDELINES. Infections or some other icky complication can affect nearly 1 of 4 body piercings away from the earlobe, research shows. Itchy belly button piercing is a common occurrence. 2. Stage One: As is evident in this picture of a fresh belly button piercing, the area is swollen and red. Changing a belly button ring can be a little tricker than changing other types of body jewelry, especially if your fistula isnt well-healed and reinforced, so you might want to ask your piercer for help the first time. The Ultimate Guide to Belly Button Piercings. You may want to get your piercer to help you change your jewelry since it can be difficult with a fresh piercing. Get the results you want today! The body essentially hinges at your waist, and that can keep your new navel piercing in a perpetual state of irritation. Appropriate after care will result in fast and effective healing. Some health issues can make it harder for your body to heal or cause you to have a reaction after you get a piercing. If this happens a lot, youll get scarring and it may take even longer to heal. Once I landed on the jewelry, it was time to get down to business. With piercings, healing occurs from the outside in. Your piercing should be cleaned twice a day. Avoid rubbing the wound with a towel as this could irritate the piercing. To install your new jewelry using a taper, unscrew its top ball and screw the taper on in its place. The process of changing your belly button ring is simple and painless once your piercing heals. These fun navel rings feature charms that overlay your belly button and bent barbells that go through your belly piercing from the top down, with the ball screwing on the bottom behind the charm. So, how can you tell if your belly button piercing is infected? No more no less. Treating keloids often requires the help of a dermatologist, although silicone scar therapy gel can help reduce their appearance in some cases. Here's Everything You Need to Know. We have a range of gem and metal colours to choose from, clear crystal double gem and single gem belly banana bars are the most popular. In addition, be even more careful to wear loose, breathable clothing so that your piercing stays as dry as possible. Belly Button Piercings Placement: Pierced through the skin right above the naval, with a true belly button piercing centered directly above the navel Pricing: $30-$75 Pain level: 4/5 Healing time: 6-8 months, fully healed by 12 months Aftercare: Wash the piercing two times a day with a sterile saline solution and pat dry with a paper towel. Unboxing the PEAK Solice Pro with @austin.tattoo.a, Flamingo x @tiaberrys using the @fkirons Flux, Lets chat about Medium Stroke Length and the di. See our, Belly Button Piercing Healing Process, Stages and how to Heal an Infected Piercing, How to Pierce Your Belly Button, Needle, Re-pierce and Stop Bleeding, Outie Belly Button Piercing, Inverse, Pictures, Innie, Ring, How to Pierce It, Small Red Bumps on Stomach Itchy & Non-itchy Red Bumps on Belly, Applying and Best Gel or Creamy Eyeliners Like elf, Best Felt Tip Eyeliners Pen Use Tip and Review, Wearing Best White Eyeliner: Liquid, Gel or Pencil, Best Dark, Light, Electric and Navy Blue Eyeliners. Belly button piercings do not heal fast like some you may have had. 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. This could be as a result of increased sensitivity in the skin. Keloids present as smooth-surfaced, bulbous, and reddish scars that grow excessively past the area immediately surrounding a piercing. 2005 - 2023 WebMD LLC, an Internet Brands company. From the best materials to use, to proper cleaning techniques, learn everything you need to know to get your piercing back to its best. At this point, the piercing is simply a fresh wound. 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. Swelling, reddening and bleeding slightly are also normal in the first days. Theres a whole spectrum of infection seen, from minor local skin infection to more severe infections that may require drainage, says Dr. Hodes. If in the end you decide to get rid of the piercing, you may be wondering how long does it take for a belly button piercing to heal after taking it out? : Our gold belly button rings are made from solid, 14-karat yellow or white gold. Clean your piercing at least twice a day but no more than three times a day. If you want to get a belly button piercing, keep in mind that it only takes a few minutes to get it done, but it can take up to a year to heal. That's why using initial body jewelry to get pierced with is the best way to speed up the healing process while reducing the risk of irritation and infection. The benefits of coconut, argan, tea tree and more. Place a warm compress on the infected piercing. Again, anytime theres an open wound on your body theres a risk of something funky getting in and creating an issue. During the healing process, Lauren Dozier, MD,a dermatologist and medical director at Brickell Cosmetic Center in Miami, FLsuggests staying away from antibiotic ointment, as this can suffocate the piercing site and cause more problems. when should it be safe to take the piercing out and replace the jewelry? available, it can be tempting to change your starter jewelry soon after having your navel pierced. The signs to look out for are discharge of thick, yellow pus (not clear lymph, which is benign), red streaks emanating outward from your piercing, skin thats hot to the touch around your piercing, and fever. In this comprehensive guide, we'll show you everything you need to know to keep your piercing healthy so it will always look beautiful. After washing your hands with soap and water, rinse the area with warm water. . How much will it cost? First, the area will be cleaned, and if you have some hair there, your piercer will most likely shave the area with a disposable razor to allow for a smooth and clean piercing site. This incorrect placement qualifies as a surface piercing, which has a high chance of migration or rejection. While most belly button piercings heal without issues, bacteria can infect the area before healing is complete. ), then let the mixture cool off. You may experience persistent redness around the belly button and soreness that is simply a symptom of healing. The healing process may vary and is individually dependent as well as dependent on the specific location and gauge size of the puncture. A navel piercing can accommodate many different types of body jewelry, and with the wide selection of belly button rings in our online store, youre sure to find the navel jewelry you want. The area will also form a protective scab and the skin underneath may appear lighter in color than the surrounding. Where can I get initial body jewelry you may ask? Here are four telltale signs that dirt or bacteria may have entered your pierced navel and caused an infection. Isabelle has been contributing to Byrdie since 2020. Your piercer will mark the spot to be pierced. Getting a belly button piercing is a popular and stylish way to express yourself, but the healing process can be slow and uncomfortable especially if not properly taken cared of. Unfortunately, the same cant be said for the skin around your piercing. This will avoid exerting trauma on it. 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. Belly button piercings have been very popular for a while now. Once the healing is over, the area gets covered with scar tissue. Refrain from playing around with it, scratching or poking it if you want it to stay healthy. The healing process absolutely depends on how careful you are with your newly pierced navel. Belly Button Piercing Procedure If you go to a salon to get your piercing, a trained piercer will pass a sterile, hollow needle through the loose skin of your navel. Once the barbell is in the correct position, you can unscrew the taper and replace it with the ball. Since the piercing is done within, knowing the stages involved in the healing process can help tell when the piercing has healed. In this final stage of the healing process, the skin around the piercing heals. Choose from plain bent barbells and belly button rings with a charm loop, where you can attach any charm to create a completely custom look. A belly button piercing will most likely take anywhere from six months to a year to fully heal depending on how you care for it and your day-to-day lifestyle; however, the most common time frame is between six and eight months Regardless, its important to check with your piercer when you believe its healed before stopping aftercareif it's still healing, the site could become infected. In case they do not subside or occur past this initial stage, this may suggest an infection. Also, the process of changing jewelry can irritate a healing belly piercing, particularly if youre using externally threaded belly button jewelry, which isnt recommended because it can scrape the delicate healing fistula. In my studio, we usually charge 40 euros [or $40 USD] with a basic titanium internal threaded piercing, says Claudia Valentini, a Barcelona-based body piercer. Wearing too tight clothes also denies the piercing aeration and could result to irritation and itch. Also sterilize the rings before putting them in and after taking out. After that, a hollow needle will be pushed through to create a hole in the designated spot, followed by the jewelry. After all, you did just put a hole through your skin and into your body. 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. Carefully! Excessive rubbing or friction can irritate your skin and delay healing. : @wild. What Jewelry Material Is Used for a Belly Button Piercing? You'll feel a sharp pinch and can expect a small amount of. Just as cleaning the piercing is essential in the healing process, the same applies to clearing an infection. Wear loose fitting clothes during the healing process to avoid this. Avoid 10K gold and gold plated belly rings. It can take up to a year or longer for the wound from a belly button piercing to fully heal, explains Dr. Hodes. Other placements of belly button piercings include the lower rim, upper rim, and sides of the navel. We hope this guide answered your questions and helped you better understand belly button piercings, the belly button piercing healing process, and the types of jewelry you can wear with a belly button piercing. She has worked in digital media for over five years and is an expert on a range of topics, including tattoos, piercings, and culture. Thats why we recommend getting pierced with either a. . Titanium is stronger than steel, as light as aluminum, and ideal for sensitive skin types due to its hypoallergenic properties. With so many. This should be monitored closely as persistent swelling that occurs along pus, redness around and hurts could be a sign of infection.