Belly button is cool, thinking to get belly button piercing? Keep reading this piercing guide, we covered your concerns on how is belly button piercing done, how painful is it, who should not get it and how long does it take to heal.
Table of Contents
How is Belly Button Piercing Done?
Piercing process
Belly button piercing is performed similarly to other body piercings and facial piercings. A professional piercer will use a specialized, hollow needle to create an opening in your navel’s loose skin. Navel or belly button piercings do not pass through muscle but instead is focused on several layers of skin on the navel area.
When the large needle goes in, expect a slight pinching feeling as the needle creates an opening for the jewelry. There will be some blood from the fresh wound. A sterile piece of jewelry called a barbell would then be inserted immediately into the opening created by the navel.
Belly button piercing jewelry
You have several options for starter jewelry for your fresh belly button piercing. Some people prefer it bent barbells because they’re more stylish. Captive bead rings are beautiful, too, and the newer seamless rings that don’t have any apparent connections (the edges are polished very smoothly). Daith rings are also used for the belly button area.
Metal type of piercing
There are several materials to choose from, too. The most common jewelry for body modification arts is surgical-grade stainless steel. Others prefer titanium because it is highly inert and is less likely to trigger any allergic or immune reaction in the body.
If you are physically well, you may want to ask the professional piercer about BioPlast. BioPlast jewelry has a higher degree of flexibility. This material also poses a much lower risk of the accidental stabbing when something hits your belly button piercing.
BioPlast is also hypoallergenic, so it is not likely to cause any allergic reactions, even if it is not surgical-grade stainless steel or titanium.
How should you choose a piercer?
Find an experienced piercer
Regardless of the type of piercing involved, you should always care about the experience of the piercer. As much as possible, do not settle for someone who has not had the proper training to maintain hygienic standards in the studio or parlor.
Furthermore, there is a severe risk of getting transmittable diseases like HIV and hepatitis C if the instruments used for carrying out the piercing are not sterile. Unfortunately, many studios are not so hygienic, and this is like playing Russian roulette with your health when you get a piercing from them.
Visit the piercing studio before the appointment
We recommend that you visit the piercing studio before the appointed date of your piercing so you can take a look at their tools and space and ask some questions. Ideally, you should also be able first to discuss the procedure with the professional piercer before you get pierced.
Keep in mind that medically speaking, it is vital that the piercing is carried out in a sterile environment (not just clean, it has to be sterile). Additionally, any jewelry used after a fresh piercing should also be sterile, and it should come straight from a sealed package. If your piercer uses something from a loose package, you are not sure about the sterilizes of the jewelry, and you may have problems later on with it.
How Painful is Belly Button Piercing?
Belly button piercings are considered the second least painful of all known piercings. The reason for this is that the area around the navel does not have that many nerve endings at all, compared to areas like the lips or the nipples. The moment the needle goes in, you may feel a slight pinch and more pressure than pain as the needle travels upward.
It may take slightly longer for the needle to go through because the tissue density around this area of the body is higher than the ears, lips, or tongue. Once the needle goes all the way through and the new barbell or post is put into place, you won’t experience a lot more pain.
Who Should Not Take a Belly Button Piercing?
People with blood conditions such as hemophilia and metabolic issues like type 2 diabetes are generally dissuaded from getting piercings because of the risk of excessive bleeding and slow healing time.
As for people with type 2 diabetes, it depends on the sound judgment of your physician. Many people with diabetes are able to get piercings without any complications safely. However, if your diabetes is severe and has affected how your body heals, then getting a piercing like a belly button piercing might not be the best idea.
The reason for this is that belly button piercings take far longer to heal than other piercings, and your body may struggle with the process. The longer a wound stays fresh, the higher the risk for developing mild to severe infections. This is something that we don’t want or need, as infections may be more complicated to combat if you have metabolic issues, to begin with.
How Long Does It Take for a Belly Button Piercing to Heal?
Belly button piercings need at least a few months to heal.
Like nipple piercings, belly button piercings are among the longest and slowest to heal. Belly button piercings need at least a few months. In some cases, a full year is needed before the open wound fully recovers. But don’t worry, the one year healing time is more of an exception than the rule in this case. Just make sure that you perform all the required aftercare routines for belly button piercing.
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Should You Get a Belly Button Piercing?
As with all kinds of body modifications, we caution against getting a belly button piercing without fully knowing all the risks involved. Think twice about getting a new piercing each time, because getting the piercing is the most straightforward part of the process. There is a lot of aftercare involved, and the aftercare period takes months to complete. There is also the risk of developing an allergy with the stainless steel, so you may have to move up to a more inert metal like titanium.
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