Navel Piercing Care Guide

The navel piercing, more commonly referred to as the navel piercing, is one of the most popular earless piercings among residents of and around Newmarket and Mississauga.

They are versatile, stylish, with a wide selection of jewelry to choose from, making them a piercing that can be personalized to fit almost any style or body type. They are also easy to hide under clothing, making them a statement piercing that can also be worn at work or other professional settings.From pendants and curved dumbbells to beaded rings and more, there's something for everyone!

But what about aftercare? This is a topic on which we receive a lot of questions. Lucky for you, the Pierced team put together this handy guide to answer any questions you may have about belly button piercing care.

As always, if you need further assistance, feel free to contact us. We have two conveniently located piercing studios, one each in Newmarket and Mississauga, and we'd love to have you stop by or call us for a chat.

Preventive knowledge

If you have decided that you need a navel piercing, you need to do a little research before going there. For example, you want to make sure your piercing shop uses at least 14 gauge. Anything thinner than 14 may irritate, dislodge, or reject the piercing. 

Know your piercing salon. You want to make sure they follow best practices, sterilize their equipment, and go the extra mile to keep their customers safe. This is why it is so important that professionals are trained to perform the piercing.

Trust your piercer. If they say that your belly button is not suitable for a piercing, take this advice to heart. Not every body is ideal for certain types of piercings, and pushing through can lead to complications and injury anyway. 

Unlike a standard earlobe piercing that takes 12-18 weeks to heal, a navel piercing can take 9-12 months to heal. Know that you have a long way to go and that you must maintain proper care until the healing process is complete. Make sure you like your piece - you'll be wearing it for a while.

Another reason to be picky about jewelry is to avoid an allergic reaction. Some cheaper jewelry is made from nickel and lead; this can lead to unpleasant reactions that are often mistaken for infections. This can be avoided by making sure your jewelry is in an implant grade with valid documentation in the form of factory certificates.

In day care

Congratulations! You've taken the plunge and are rocking this new bling. Now it's time to take care of yourself and make sure the healing process is going well.

Your piercer will work with you for the first bit. They will disinfect the piercing area in advance; after that, they will review the aftercare information and schedule a follow-up appointment to check on your recovery.

Blood and a feeling of pain are common in the first day. Don't panic and take something like ibuprofen - avoid Tylenol and never aspirin as it causes more bleeding.

Navel Piercing Cleaning

Before you get home (maybe even before you get pierced), make sure you have a cleaning solution. You need to clean your piercing once or twice a day to prevent infection. Sterile saline in an aerosol can is the most recommended practice. It's simple and affordable.

Our piercers will hand you a care sheet listing all care instructions. They will also explain the aftercare process to you. 

Our online care instructions can be found here.

Do's and Don'ts During Treatment

Let's face it, the internet is full of advice. Some of them are really not that good. Make sure you run whatever your piercer reads to ensure it's accurate. 

PDO

• Wear loose clothing or go shirtless if you can get away with it. This helps to minimize any irritation.
• Take care of your overall health. Eat well, sleep well, etc. The healthier you are, the smoother your body's healing process will be.
• Wash your hands every time you do anything related to a piercing to avoid bacteria. Make sure there is no dirt under your nails.
• Avoid all public pools, hot tubs and hot tubs, lakes, ponds and oceans. They can introduce new bacteria and cause an infection.
• Make sure soap, shampoo, conditioner, etc. are rinsed off the piercing.
• Remove any crust when cleaning the piercing - you can use a Q-tip.
• Avoid sunburn with new belly button piercing
• If swelling occurs, you can use ice to soothe the swelling (in a clean ziplock bag).

Etiquette

• Touch, rotate or rotate decorations. It needs to be as immobile as possible, otherwise you risk shifting, excess scar tissue and increased healing time.
• Scratch any itching. Ice can help soothe irritation (make sure the ice is in a clean zippered bag; scratching will hurt rather than help).
• Use products such as neosporin, bactin, alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, or antibacterial soap. They cause many piercing problems, including migration, excess scar tissue, and delayed healing. Ointments can lubricate the puncture site, and disinfectants can cause irritation.
• wear tight clothing; this will limit the piercing's ability to "breathe" and cause displacement due to pressure.
• Change decorations until you are 100% healed. We recommend visiting your piercer and getting their approval before trying even then.
• Use a solarium.
• Pull or stretch your abdomen, causing the piercing to stretch or move.
• Keep covered with bandage; this can lead to infection.
• sleep on your stomach; too much pressure and discomfort.

Signs of complications

It's easy to become paranoid about healing. Redness, swelling, and some discharge should be expected.

So how do you know when you need to and not panic?

If your reddened skin starts to feel hotter than the surrounding area, or a large amount of pus or discharge that changes color could be a sign. It is highly recommended to visit your piercer or a famous piercer. If needed, the piercer can suggest a doctor if needed.

Next Steps

While most postoperative care instructions are standard, everyone's body heals differently. Keep in touch with your piercer while you heal. In addition, all the do's and don'ts during the full healing process of the navel piercing, after a minimum of 9-12 months.

After you have completely healed, you should not remove the piercing without replacing the jewelry. However, certain situations require it. Pregnancy, for example, or surgery. If you experience this, invest in a piece of bioflex to keep the piercing open until you can wear jewelry again.

Caring for a belly button piercing is not as difficult as you thought

Belly button piercings are fun and can enhance the aesthetics of any body type or style. But they are not without risks. Every time you cut or pierce the skin, there is always a risk of infection and improper healing.

However, if you choose the right piercing shop and follow the proper care instructions, you will end up with a piercing that you will enjoy for years to come.