Belly Button Piercing: Here’s the Best Naval Piercing Ideas
When pop stars like Christina Aguilera began sporting belly button piercings in the 1990s, the practice—also called umbilical dip piercing or navel piercing—became more widely accepted.
The main reason why it is called this way is that its exact location is around the navel part of a person. Most of the time, the jewelry in this kind of piercing is positioned on the upper part of the navel.
Popularity declined in the 2000s, but it has returned in a way that hasn’t been seen before.
A navel piercing usually pierces the skin above the belly button. As a result, the jewelry can dangle inside the belly button.
The belly piercing has a certain appeal when summer arrives and you’re going through your crop tops; what would look better peeking out of your summer clothes on a sunny day?
While the belly button piercing heals, there are a few things to be aware of because of its position, which is frequently concealed under clothing.
When it comes to getting a navel piercing, timing can be of the utmost importance.
Read on for helpful information regarding getting your belly button pierced.
What is a belly button piercing?
One common form of body modification is the piercing of the skin just above the belly button, which is also known as a navel piercing.
This effectively highlights the jewelry by allowing it to hang slightly over the belly button.
The lower rim, higher rim, and sides of the navel are other possible locations for your belly button piercing if you dislike the conventional placement or it doesn’t suit your body.
Here is everything you should know before getting your navel pierced
- The majority of belly button piercings use a curved barbell, ideally crafted from premium titanium, 18k gold, or 14k gold.
- A 14-gauge (also known as 14G) navel piercing is the usual size.
Never use a barbell thinner than 18G because there is an increased chance of migration, ripping, and rejection with a higher gauged needle.
- Your first barbell will probably be 7/16 of an inch long to give your piercings more space to heal and to be readily cleaned.
Later on, you can adjust the size. (Jewelry measuring 7/16 or 3/8 inches is nearly always used for belly button piercings.)
- Use this easy advice to prevent your navel piercing from getting tangled in clothes, irritated from friction, or hurt while participating in strenuous sports or other activities while it heals.
Purchase a hard plastic eye patch with vents (available at most pharmacies), and use an elastic bandage similar to an ankle wrap to fasten it over your piercing.
- Take care of your new navel piercing by following a daily cleaning regimen.
- Wait until your belly button ring has fully healed before replacing it.
Naval Piercing ideas
The belly button is one of the body attributes that make you who you are and there are a few variations in how they look when it comes to shapes! Take a look:
- Protruding (outie)
- Deep hollow
- Vertical (typically narrow)
- Horizontal (typically narrow)
- Round
- Light bulb
How to pierce your belly button
Professional piercers can pierce belly buttons freehand or with the use of instruments.
To ensure a smooth and clear piercing site, the region will first be cleaned.
If there is any hair in the way, your piercer will probably use a disposable razor to shave the area.
Your piercer will then use a clamp to hold the region taut before marking the placement if they are using tools.
Although the site should have been decided upon in advance, you should verify to make sure it is marked correctly now.
Once a hollow needle has made the hole, your piercer will then insert the jewelry.
It’s quite common to feel mild bleeding, swelling, or redness just after the piercing; don’t worry, these adverse effects should pass soon.
Belly button-piercing jewelry
The Finest Jewelry Types for Piercings on the Belly
Stainless steel implant-grade: The safest metal for a piercing is often stainless steel because of its little possibility for irritation or allergic sensitization.
Titanium: Medical-grade titanium is your best option if you’d prefer to avoid the possible side effects of surgical steel or if you know you have a nickel allergy.
Gold: This is another excellent choice for your new piercing if you prefer the overall aesthetic and look of gold (and you know you don’t have a metal allergy).
A healing body piercing should only be placed on jewelry that is at least 14 karats strong; any smaller is too delicate and dangerous.
Types of jewelry used for belly button piercing
Your options for your initial belly button piercing will be restricted to the designs that your piercer thinks would heal the best.
Usually, a curved barbell is used for this type of piercing.
These banana-shaped barbells will have some kind of decoration on both ends, possibly in the form of gems or balls.
Other kinds of belly button jewelry include:
The curved barbell: A curved barbell, which pops against your belly button and generally fits better with your body’s natural shape, is the most common and traditional jewelry option for belly button piercings.
Each end of this necklace contains a little bead, one of which is removable and adjustable so you may switch out the pieces whenever you’d like.
The twister spiral: twister spiral jewelry is a standout piece that is enjoyable to wear and curved in both directions.
It is claimed that the shape of this piercing relieves pressure on the navel region.
Captive bead: When wearing this jewelry, size does matter. This style is presumably available in 14- and 16-gauge.
It embraces the navel and lays outward so the side of the ring is visible.
Top-down/reverse: People who wear their jewelry in a reverse or top-down fashion usually display the larger portion of the piece above their navel and the smaller portion below.
The best thing about this style is that you can wear the jewelry however you wish, which is why the term is so fitting—heavier design components will be featured up top.
Dangling: Dangle jewelry is the best method to flaunt your belly button piercing if you want to.
This style, which usually features a curved barbell, offers a wealth of possibilities and embellishments dangling over the end of the ring, such as stones, gems, or charms.
Non-dangle: For people who prefer not to constantly flaunt their navel piercing or who have a more active lifestyle, this smaller jewelry type is ideal.
Non-dangle jewelry typically has a drop, hinge, or curved barbell shape and fits closer to the belly button.
Belly button-piercing healing time
6–12 months
Belly button piercings often take six to twelve months, sometimes more, to heal completely.
It is advised that you receive assistance from a piercer the first time you remove your jewelry, as they can determine whether the piercing has healed sufficiently to allow for a change without irritation.
Is there a way to tell if your belly piercing has healed properly?
To determine whether you’re ready to switch up your jewelry, you can perform a few quick tests.
Verify that the redness around the jewelry has disappeared and that the color of your skin around the piercing has returned to normal.
The area surrounding the piercing is pain-free. No secretions or discharge are seen.
Recognize that although your piercing may appear OK on the surface, the inside may still be mending because tissue heals from the outside in.
How to detect rejection or infection in your belly piercing:
Compared to other common entry and exit piercings, belly piercings carry a higher risk of rejection or migration because they are classified as surface piercings.
Infections are less common than piercing pimples, and discomfort and swelling are hazards.
When you see the jewelry growing out of the initial piercing site, it is called migration or rejection.
This can happen because the jewelry is causing irritation or because it’s the incorrect piece.
Get in touch with your neighborhood salon right away if you have any concerns about your piercing.
They can assist with healing and determine the root of the issue.
Belly button piercing infection
Like with other piercings, you should expect certain adverse effects after getting a belly button piercing.
However, if these symptoms persist or worsen, you should contact a physician. Here are some of the more typical ones:
Discharge: For the first few days after your piercing, it’s quite typical for some off-white fluid to seep out.
This is your body’s natural defense mechanism in the event of a deliberate wound.
However, if the discharge persists or darkens to a muddy yellowish tint, it could be a sign that your new piercing isn’t healing properly.
Itching or mild discomfort: It’s common to feel some itching during the healing process. Avoid picking at the newly healed skin.
Rash: Throughout the healing process, the piercing site should remain normal in appearance.
However, irritation of the jewelry or the skin surrounding the piercing site may cause a rash to emerge.
Get medical attention right away if you get a rash that wasn’t there before.
Symptoms of belly button piercing infection
After the piercing, it’s common for the area to hurt for a few days.
Speak with your piercer or physician if you have any unexpected symptoms or if they appear after the first few days.
Among the signs of an infection are:
- Odd-smelling or pungent discharge
- Rash
- Redness
- Swelling
Before using any ointment or other topical treatment on the region, make sure to consult your doctor or piercer if you experience any irritation or infection.
A belly button piercing infection can result in fever, chills, edema, pus, and even an upset stomach.
Keep the belly button piercing in place and wash the affected area with antibacterial soap if it becomes infected.
Belly button piercing pain
After ear piercings, belly button piercings are thought to be the least painful type of piercing.
This is because the dense tissue that remains after the removal of your umbilical cord is made of flesh rather than nerve tissue.
Belly button piercing pain scale 1–10
On the pain scale, most people give navel piercings a four or five out of 10.
Naturally, the level of pain varies from person to person and is largely dependent on the piercer’s skill.
To ensure that you’re in capable hands, it’s usually worthwhile to do some research before your visit.
Belly button-piercing aftercare
Your belly button can take up to a year to heal completely, in contrast to pierced ears, which heal in 4-6 weeks.
You’ll leave with advice on how to avoid infection and maintain the cleanliness of your new piercing.
You will have to:
Before touching your piercing, wash your hands. Additionally, until the wound has completely healed, you should not permit anyone else to touch the area.
To maintain cleanliness and prevent infection, use a saline solution swab:
Clean gauze or a paper towel soaked in saline solution should be used to dab the area at least once a day.
You can either dissolve 1/8 teaspoon of salt in 1 cup of warm, distilled, or bottled water or use a premade brand.
Select a mild, scent-free soap if your piercer advises you to use one. To ensure that no soap is left behind, thoroughly rinse.
Don’t clean the whole lot. Excessive or frequent cleaning can slow healing.
Utilizing a fresh, disposable paper product, gently pat the area dry.
Never touch any crust. It’s common for your new piercing to exude a white or yellow-colored fluid, not pus.
A crust that feels tight or itchy could build from this. Avoid picking at it, as this will make the area bleed.
The crust on your piercing will naturally fall off as it heals.
Unless instructed otherwise by a physician, never place anything on your belly button.
This covers oils, lotions, and perfumes.
Hydrogen peroxide and antibacterial creams may even impede healing or harbor bacteria within your just-created aperture.
Put on soft, airy, and clean clothing.
Wearing tight clothes or abrasive material will cause your piercing to rub against itself: which may prolong the healing process.
To cover the area and hold an eye patch over your belly button, you might wish to apply a stretchy, elastic bandage.
Avoid swimming pools, hot tubs, and lakes:
Although it’s preferable to stay away from any water that could not be clean and could become infected, a waterproof bandage might be helpful.
Keep all dangling jewelry and charms out of your piercing.
Jewelry or charms that hang loosely or dangle might drag on your skin and cause tears.
Keep an eye out for infections. These include pain when you touch the area, redness, swelling, and yellow or green discharge.
Moreover, you can develop a fever. Dial your doctor immediately if you have any of these symptoms.
How to change your jewelry:
Since you can see your piercing well in a mirror, use both hands, or look down, most clients claim it’s easy to change the jewelry on your belly piercing on your own.
Wear gloves or always wash your hands before altering anybody’s jewelry.
For your first jewelry change, we always advise returning to the original piercing salon.
A skilled piercer can determine whether the piercing has fully healed, help select the appropriate size and style, and, of course, place the jewelry for you so you don’t have to worry!
Conclusion
When a ring or other object is pierced into the skin around your belly button, it is known as a belly button piercing.
It simply takes a few minutes to acquire a belly button piercing, but the healing process can take up to a year, so consider that before getting one.
You’ll need to pay special attention to this area both during and after that period.
FAQs
Can you get fake belly button piercings?
A large number of the faux belly button piercings offered by Etsy merchants are eligible for free delivery, including the Triple Stone Flower Diamond Design and the Unique Butterfly Design.
Where can I get a belly button piercing near me?
Check online for piercing studios near you.
How painful is a belly button piercing?
Like any other piercing, your belly piercing will hurt a little bit, but compared to other piercings with thicker cartilage, it won’t hurt as much because your stomach skin is so soft and swollen.
Is it good to get a belly button pierced?
Because of the shape of the belly button, piercings are more prone to become infected than other body areas.
Bacteria can easily take up residence within it.
If the piercing needle isn’t sterile, you run the risk of contracting dangerous infections like tetanus or hepatitis.
How long does navel piercing take to heal?
From six to twelve months.
A belly button piercing usually takes six to twelve months to heal, depending on a variety of personal circumstances, including how well you adhere to the aftercare recommendations and your body’s innate healing capacity.
Your piercing will heal in multiple phases during this period.
Why do girls get belly button piercings?
Increased physical attractiveness accounted for the most popular motivation, according to the survey (representing 27.3% of all replies).
Other justifications for obtaining navel piercings include acts of rebellion and self-reliance
Does belly piercing affect fertility?
The removal of the ring and visiting an acupuncturist who can restore the Conception Vessel meridian’s flow and help your body become ready for conception are recommended if you want to increase your chances of becoming pregnant despite having a belly ring.
Can you have a bath after the belly piercing?
For the first three weeks following your piercing, stay out of baths, hot tubs, swimming pools, saunas, lakes, and other similar environments as they contain bacteria that can raise your risk of infection.
Keep your jewelry inside if you suspect you have an illness!
This is important since the jewelry will serve as a conduit for any pus that has built up.
Should I cover my navel piercing at night?
For the first several nights, clean gauze padding should be placed over the navel and/or breast piercings at night.
What age is best for belly button piercing?
For those sixteen years of age and older.
The first piercing we like to refer to as a “big kid” piercing is a bellybutton or navel piercing.
These piercings are a must-have for the stylish teen, but they require even more care than cartilage piercings, which heal more slowly.
Can I change my belly piercing after 1 month?
Generally, you will have to wait between three months and a year to be able to replace the original jewelry.
What not to do after a navel piercing
Unless instructed otherwise by a physician, never place anything on your belly button. This covers oils, lotions, and perfumes.
Hydrogen peroxide and antibacterial creams may even impede healing or harbor bacteria within your just-created aperture.
Put on soft, airy, and clean clothing.
Can I wear high-waisted pants with a belly button piercing?
You should use caution if your navel piercing is brand new.
It’s entirely acceptable to wear clothing with a high waist, but you don’t want anything snagging, rubbing, or irritating your piercing.
What helps belly button piercings heal faster?
Using hypoallergenic jewelry, including internally threaded and G23 titanium, and practicing good aftercare might hasten the healing process of a belly button piercing.
Keep in mind to give the piercing frequent cleanings, to keep your hands clean, and to exercise patience until it heals completely.
What should I know before getting my belly button pierced?
The risk of infection from belly button piercing:
Because of the shape of your belly button, piercings there are more prone to become infected than on other body areas.
An allergic reaction could result from your jewelry tearing your skin if it snags on something.
A common cause of this is nickel in the jewelry. Rejection or migration can leave scars.
What are the spiritual benefits of belly button piercing?
Piercings are also considered a spiritual journey in some cultures.
According to Hindu belief, piercing the belly button aligns or enhances the operation of the solar plexus, which governs the kidneys and pancreas as well as emotions like self-worth and willpower.
What is the most painful piercing?
This is a list of potential pain levels for each form of piercing, from most to least painful.
- One of the body parts with the highest density of nerves is your genitalia.
- Another sensitive place that is frequently pierced is the n*pple.
- Level of pain from a nose piercing.
- painful dermal piercing.
Who should not get a belly piercing?
Getting a belly piercing while trying to conceive or while pregnant is not advised.
In addition to the fact that a robust immune system is necessary for a healing piercing, your new piercing may become complicated due to changes in your belly size.
Can I get a belly piercing while on my period?
Numerous practitioners can accommodate you.
If a woman is in menstruation, she can get her navel pierced (tampons should be used instead), and she may also be more pain-tolerant during this period.
Should I get my belly button pierced while on my period?
Additionally, you must make sure to regularly replace your period products to prevent blood and fluids from adhering to the newly placed piercing.
However, getting a piercing throughout your menstrual cycle is acceptable as long as you are taking care of that.
Doctors perform examinations, surgeries, and other operations on menstrual patients.
Can I change my belly piercing after 2 months?
Generally, you will have to wait between three months and a year to be able to replace the original jewelry.
How long does belly piercing pain last?
Following a belly button piercing, pain and discomfort may persist for a few days to a few weeks.
But it’s crucial to get medical help if the discomfort continues to get worse, or if there are any indications of an infection.
Can I sleep on my side after belly piercing?
During the first two weeks following your piercing, sleep on your side or back.
Try your hardest not to lie on your stomach while you sleep if you are a stomach sleeper.
It is not recommended to sleep on your stomach, since this position might put unnecessary strain on your piercing and cause irritation and damage.
How do you wear clothes after a belly button piercing?
Additionally, to prevent your garments from pressing or rubbing against your new piercing, it’s a good idea to wear loose, breathable clothing and/or low-rise slacks.
It also facilitates healthy air circulation for the healing of your piercing.
