Piercing in the navel area looks very sexy, so it is not surprising that many women and girls are thinking about this procedure. Owners of a slender figure, a thin waist with a flat stomach and rolled abs look especially attractive with this decoration.

Before you decide to get this part of your body pierced, read all about navel piercing in this article.

Is navel piercing harmful?

Doctors insist that all types of piercings are mutilations of the body. They are associated with problems with healing, a high risk of infection and rejection by the body of a foreign body, that is, an earring. Areas around the navel are difficult to treat, and piercing them is associated with the risk of contamination and infection.

The main contraindications are diabetes and blood clotting problems. Regarding whether navel piercing is dangerous in the presence of any chronic diseases, it is better to consult a doctor before the procedure.

One of the cases when it is better not to get a navel piercing is for people who have a lot of fat on their stomach. In addition to the aesthetic effect, such a puncture heals much longer due to frequent rubbing and touching of the wound with skin folds.

How is navel piercing done?

The procedure is performed in a piercing studio, not at home. The client lies down on the couch. The master first treats the selected part of the body with a disinfecting solution. He then marks the spot where the navel needs to be pierced with a marker and then pierces the skin with a sterile needle. In the case of the navel, the skin above is usually pierced. It is very rare to pierce the belly button itself (when it is convex, not concave) or the skin on the sides, but it heals much more slowly and is subject to a greater risk of infection.

After piercing the skin, the first earring is placed in the puncture site, made of surgical steel, titanium or other materials with high biocompatibility (not to be removed by the body as foreign bodies) and without nickel (often cause allergic reactions). Do not wear gold or silver jewelry until the wound is completely healed.

To reduce the pain of navel piercing, you need:

• choose an experienced master and a proven studio;

• keep calm during the procedure;

• listen to the instructions of a specialist;

• focus not on the process, but on the result of the procedure;

• ask to use painkillers;

• try to relax before the procedure, take a few deep breaths, listen to your favorite music, calm your pulse, distract yourself by talking.

Beware of possible consequences of incorrect navel piercing!

Not only the needle must be disposable and sterile, but also the entire environment in which this procedure is performed. That is why you should choose a piercing salon with extensive experience.

What should alert:

• the salon does not have photos of the results of the procedures, it has no reviews;

• a knife pierces the navel — the master wants to use a gun instead of a needle, explaining that it is faster (definitely do not do this!);

• the specialist does not unpack packages of disposable needles sterilized in a dry-heat instrument cabinet at the client’s place;

• to the question «how to treat a navel wound?» recommends washing with alcohol or peroxide (definitely not worth it);

• does not mark the injection site with a marker on the skin (but should).

Does navel piercing hurt in a salon?

It is not easy to answer this question, because each of us feels pain differently. People who are passionate about piercing and who have undergone many such piercing procedures in different places of the body say that navel piercing is one of the least painful. This is due to the fact that there are few nerve endings in the navel area. Many describe the procedure as «light pressure with quick pinching.»

Navel piercing is tolerated. How much it hurts depends on your individual pain threshold. Most people rate their pain at 4-5 points out of 10. Often, people say during the procedure that they expected more pain than they actually felt during this manipulation. It all depends on the attitude.

In the first days of the morning, it may hurt a little. Swelling and redness around the umbilical ring often go away after a few weeks.

How long does a navel piercing heal?

A simple navel piercing is not a painful procedure, but the small blood supply, which makes the pain less painful, also makes healing in the morning much slower than in other parts of the body.

This process can take place differently for everyone — it usually lasts from 3 to 6 months. It can take up to a year to heal completely.

How long the navel heals after a puncture depends on several factors:

• how quickly all layers of the skin will recover, which is at least 2 months. During the entire period, the skin in this place will be painful, red and swollen. Plasma may ooze from the wound;

• proper care of a wound in the navel area. It is necessary to wash the punctured skin several times a day with a saline solution or a special antiseptic spray for wounds. For this purpose, you can use preparations based on alcohol and hydrogen peroxide — they contribute to irritation.

If the tumor does not disappear after washing the wound or the appearance of the navel begins to bother you, consult a doctor.

Navel piercing: care after piercing

If sterile hygiene is not observed during the procedure and during the wound healing period, there is a risk of infection with hepatitis C and B viruses, staphylococcus and even HIV.

If you want to go through the healing period of the pierced area quickly and comfortably, you should remember several important points:

• do not touch the punctured place with dirty hands, it is better to stock up on antibacterial soap;

• try to clean the punctured area with appropriate means, bactericidal soap, but do not forget to wash them well from the wound;

• use a disposable napkin (an ordinary cloth towel can carry bacteria);

• Do not wash the wound with alcohol or hydrogen peroxide. They dry the skin and slow down healing;

• for the first 2 weeks, try not to wear clothes that can irritate the pierced area or catch on the earring;

• try to get enough sleep, do not drink alcohol and coffee;

• take supplements with vitamin C, B, zinc and iron, which will help in the healing process.

During the first few days (up to about 2 weeks), the puncture site may be tender, swollen, and tender to the touch. Additionally, if you want to speed up the healing period of the puncture site, you can use antiseptic ointments and gels. If you suspect infection, severe redness or swelling, you can apply an antibiotic to the punctured area. If symptoms worsen, medical intervention is necessary.

Can pregnant women pierce the navel?

Doctors recommend expectant mothers to refrain from piercing or remove the earring when the belly begins to grow.

An earring, especially a massive one, can damage the skin of the abdomen and make painful scratches. It must be removed before each ultrasound scan, as well as before cesarean section.

The presence of jewelry in the navel area can cause the formation of stretch marks.

For photo shoots with an open belly during pregnancy, you can use a fake earring that does not require a piercing.

How to choose an earring for piercing

Knowing how navel piercing is performed, the pros and cons of the procedure, you can make a decision. If it is positive, then the next step is to select an earring for piercing by type.

• Banana is the most popular type of navel jewelry. This name comes from the shape of the bent bar, similar to the shape of a banana. At the ends there are decorative elements, usually spherical. They are popular due to ease of putting on, comfort of wearing and simplicity of design. Decorative elements in the shape of a ball are sometimes decorated with colored rhinestones. Long earrings in the form of a navel with hanging elements of various shapes (butterfly, flower, etc.) are also very popular.

• Spiral rings — spiral-shaped accessories with one decorative end with a colored stone (usually zircon) in the shape of a triangle, rectangle or circle.

• Ball grip rings. Unlike the flagship curved bars, these earrings are shaped like a ring with a decorative layer in the center;

• Top rings with figured pendants attached to the top of the bent bar.

All these products are presented in the Silvers online store catalog. Place an order with delivery across Ukraine — and you will be convinced of their high quality of manufacture and anti-allergenic properties.