This is much larger than the jewelry used in a typical ear piercing, which is 1 mm or less in diameter. ", Association of Professional Piercers: "Aftercare: Suggested Aftercare for Body Piercing," Safe Piercing FAQ, Picking Your Piercer, Suggested Aftercare Guidelines for Body Piercings., HealthyChildren.org: "Body Piercings, Teens & Potential Health Risks: AAP Report Explained. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. Youll go home with tips on how to keep your new piercing clean and prevent infection. It may take four weeks to 1 year to heal the piercing completely. Then, wipe it gently with a soft tissue or cotton bud. Excessive redness and swelling around the piercing. ", https://uhs.berkeley.edu/sites/default/files/piercingcare.pdf, https://uhs.berkeley.edu/health-topics/body-piercings, http://www.skin-artists.com/piercing-aftercare-awareness.htm, https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/adult-health/in-depth/piercings/art-20047317, https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/body-piercing/. From Cyrus risqu, sexy stage shows to Albas casual presence and Beyoncs queen-like elegance, it looks good with everything. WebWhen can I take a shower after belly button piercing? If youre happy with the way things go, its considered good form to give your piercer a 10-20% tip on top of the regular price. Even if you believe that your belly button is the ideal candidate for a snazzy new piece of jewelry, you should know that, Jewelry rejection or migration (migration is when the piercing moves internally to a slightly different spot, and rejection is when your body starts to push the jewelry out and you see more and more of the barbell), Permanent scarring (this can happen if you dont bother to remove the jewelry after your body has decided to reject it). These ointments clog the piercing holes, which works against the bodys healing mechanism. Most people rate navel piercings as a 4 or 5/10 on the pain scale. The piercing also needs room below and behind the flap so that the area doesnt become irritated in the healing process. If you think you have an infection, first of all, contrary to what you might think, you should leave the jewelry in your belly button. In other words, no nickel allowed! Most piercing places also have websites where you can check out the portfolios of their piercers and read reviews from other customers. WebA great tip is once you are done showering and have run the warm water over your belly button, you should then gently pat the piercing using a dry paper towel versus a towel. Well, crust-forming is a normal part of the healing process. From Miley Cyrus to Jessica Alba to Kim Kardashian and Beyonc, belly button piercings are all the rage for stylish, fashion-forward people. for the first three weeks after being pierced as they contain bacteria which can increase the risk of infection. Signs of infection include: See how the area around the piercing is red and swollen? You may need to return to the piercer to get the jewelry taken out if the infection has become too severe. You may be able to rub a small bit of antibacterial cream around the piercing to soothe the infection, but use it sparingly. One downside to belly button piercings is that they do take significantly longer than other piercings to heal. Keeping your navel piercing clean is essential if you want it to heal quickly and avoid infection. Dont panic. Do not remove jewelry until the infection has cleared up. Shower as usual; the very last thing youll do in the shower is clean your wound. Do not let anyone tell you that belly button piercings only look good on people with a flat It is important not to go with an amateur piercer. Clean your piercing every day with saline solution or a mild soap, taking care to wash around both piercing holes and your belly button. WebHow to care for belly button piercing in the shower? It turns into an ugly, red-hot mass of pus and pain. Sarah Gehrke is a Registered Nurse and Licensed Massage Therapist in Texas. If you prefer to purchase goods, your solution in a store, look for one with no substances and a 0.9 % sterile solution. Its sensitive and gets infected without regular cleaning. Some standard cleaning and antibacterial solutions wont work for navel piercing. Let it turn golden in color, then wash your navel with it. Heres what to expect: Unlike pierced ears, which take 4-6 weeks to heal, your belly button may not fully heal for up to 1 year. Heal It Now! Each individual has their unique way of rocking the belly button piercing look, whether with a feminine charm or a more hard-edged approach. Just follow these guidelines: Before applying soap, soak your navel area for a few minutes (do it during your shower for convenience). Irrespective of which route you choose, it is recommended that you clean your piercing between two and three times per day until it has fully recovered completely. Run warm water over your belly, penetrating for about two minutes, then wash it with salt and water soak. At least every day, dab the area with clean gauze or a saline-soaked paper towel. Lean on the side of cautious - it's always better to get something checked out and have nothing wrong, than to try to tough it out and make a problem worse. If you change your piercing on your own, be sure to sanitize both the new jewelry and the piercing site before insertion. Here are a few suggestions: Can you swim and snorkel on holiday after piercings? Avoid activities that involve extensive stretching for two weeks, such as climbing and yoga. Web6. Try to sleep on your back and avoid tanning beds at least for the first couple months of healing. You first need to know that the metal has to be safe for the skin just after piercing. Most people can shower normally after a belly button piercing, but its important to avoid getting soap or shampoo directly on the piercing. Continue washing your piercing and the surrounding area once or twice daily until the redness, swelling, and discharge subside. It heals from the outside in, so if you have signs of fluid or crusties then you have a while yet to go.. If any of these symptoms are present, consult your doctor. Thank you! You should prevent other pools or collections of water in the same way that you must also avoid using a bath rather than taking a shower. A belly button piercing is when you have a ring or other ornament through the skin around your belly button. Other indications of an infection include excess crust around one or both of the piercings holes, persistent pain or soreness to the touch, skin sensitivity, the ability to see the piercing through the skin, or any movement or loosening of the piercing itself. A. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. This can be painful and delays the healing process. During that time -- as well as after -- you'll need to take extra care of this area. The piercing should be done with sterile equipment in a squeaky clean environment to ensure the lowest risk of infection. Pain or tenderness whenever the area is touched or the jewelry moves. There may also be some swelling, redness, and discoloration, but these issues should dissipate fairly soon after you get the piercing. Do not use "I been cleaning my piercings with peroxide then I was told not to do that and wanted to know why. WebMD does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. If youve gotten other piercings in the past, be mindful of how your body has reacted. How do you shower with a new belly button piercing? Just like you should avoid taking a bath and instead take a shower, you should also avoid other pools or collections of water. If youve gotten your ear or nose cartilage pierced before, that type of piercing usually hurts more than a belly button piercing. Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. After recovery, you can clean your piercing whenever you clean your belly button (which could be every time you take a shower). How long does it take for a belly piercing to heal? Repeat this step twice a day, and voila! At the same time, others argue that water and soaking it in saltwater is the greatest method of cleaning it properly. If you develop a chill and fever, you should see your doctor as soon as you can to see if you require antibiotics for a potential infection. If it does become infected, check to make sure that you are not allergic to the metal. ", American Family Physician: "Complications of Body Piercing. These risks include: You can minimize these risks by finding a reputable piercer and caring for your piercing appropriately during the healing process (discussed in the next couple of sections). Take a shower instead, if you can. Above all, do NOT get drunk before you get your belly button pierced. If youre under 18, you must have a parent or guardian present to sign off on your piercing. Instead of a cotton swab, you can also use a wet paper towel or a clean gauge. Taking it out could cause further complications, including the formation of abscesses in the area. White blood cells (WBCs), usually referred to as leukocytes, are one of the several blood. Enjoy! While its normal to experience a little bleeding and soreness for a few days, belly button piercings could get infected. Thoroughly rinse afterward. This article was medically reviewed by Sarah Gehrke, RN, MS and by wikiHow staff writer, Savannah Vold. The piercing also needs room below and behind the flap so that the area doesnt become irritated in the healing process. wikiHow is a wiki, similar to Wikipedia, which means that many of our articles are co-written by multiple authors. Any piercing place worth its salt will turn away an intoxicated person, both because you dont have the capacity to make good decisions after drinking and because drinking can cause excessive bleeding at the piercing site. Is it normal for a navel piercing to be red and sore after the first week, even if it is washed daily? Lets find out: When the navel area is healing, experts recommend cleaning it two times a day. WebYes, you can shower with your new belly button piercing, but you must be careful not to let the water directly hit the pierced area. Youre not only thinking about what looks good but also what materials are safe for your skin after the piercing heals! Belly button piercings may appear totally cool and effortless from an outside perspective, but they actually require serious commitment if you want them to look good in the long run. But what should be the cleaning frequency? {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/9\/94\/Treat-an-Irritated-Belly-Button-Piercing-Step-1.jpg\/v4-460px-Treat-an-Irritated-Belly-Button-Piercing-Step-1.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/9\/94\/Treat-an-Irritated-Belly-Button-Piercing-Step-1.jpg\/v4-728px-Treat-an-Irritated-Belly-Button-Piercing-Step-1.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"
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\n<\/p><\/div>"}, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Main public health institute for the US, run by the Dept. in Nursing from the University of Phoenix in 2013. That includes lotions, oil, and perfume. Belly Button Piercing Aftercare. Avoid getting any body fluids, like sweat or saliva, near your piercing or it might get infected. This saves you the effort of determining whether or not you added the correct measurements. What SAT Target Score Should You Be Aiming For? A saline solution is the safest option to clean the navel area. How long does it take for ear piercings to heal? Its best to choose simple, non-dangling jewelry to avoid skin irritation and preserve the piercing. To learn more, like how to treat your piercing if it gets infected, scroll down. Belly Button Piercing: Your Piercer, Aftercare, Infection, Cirrhosis or other liver diseases. Also, these substances will dry out the skin, causing irritation. Do you know what happens when a piercing gets infected? What You Need to Know Before You Try It at Home. Now, celebrities and regular people alike are rocking this style with pride. Showering with a New Belly Button Piercing You should never soap up a new belly piercing directly, because soap can dry out your skin and irritate a new piercing. How to clean your belly button piercing with antibacterial Soap and Water. Sarah has over 10 years of experience teaching and practicing phlebotomy and intravenous (IV) therapy using physical, psychological, and emotional support. However, it does not remove dirt, cream residue or skin oils. In your hands, We use cookies to make wikiHow great. Here's a rundown of the steps you need to go through to ensure the best piercing experience. Check out our top-rated graduate blogs here: PrepScholar 2013-2018. You can still do sit-ups and other exercises when your piercing is healing as long as you dont experience too much discomfort from the movement. In case you're unsure of which type of belly button you have going on, here's what an outie looks like: The piercer will always examine your belly button carefully before starting the process to see if your anatomical setup will allow for the piercing to heal safely. What grade do you start looking at colleges? Taking the process seriously and finding a reputable piercer can make all the difference in the speed of your healing and satisfaction with your piercing overall. If you really feel the need to go in a pool or hot tub while your piercing is still young, you should clean it immediately afterward. Eat healthy and ensure your meals are balanced. I have another quick question. Use it to try out great new products and services nationwide without paying full pricewine, food delivery, clothing and more. Look for places near you that have good Yelp reviews and appropriate credentials (check to see if the piercer is a member of the Association of Professional Piercers). A Comprehensive Guide. The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. Infections are a risk even in piercings that are essentially completely healed, so dont lose all respect for hygiene after months of vigilance. 2 More posts from the piercing community "This has put my mind at ease about the secretion, as I wasn't aware that some secretion (clear or whitish) is, "Everything, including the do's and dont's, is very accurate. Last Updated: February 23, 2023 An irritated or infected belly button piercing can be super irritating and painful, so its no wonder why youd want to clear it up fast. Have you just gotten a new piercing? Its also not a good idea to go in public pools or hot tubs because the piercing could get infected from whatever gross types of bacteria may be lurking in the water. More specifically: belly button piercings. They heal slower than many other types of body piercings, and they require a significant amount of aftercare. In high school, she earned a 2400 on the SAT, 5's on all seven of her AP tests, and was named a National Merit Scholar. How would you shower when you have a new belly button piercing? Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features. To remove the crusting, dip a cotton swab in some warm water and use it to gently rub away any crusting from the piercing. WebSleeping can be a challenge with a new belly button piercing, but there are ways to get a good night of rest. Some health issues can make it harder for your body to heal or cause you to have a reaction after you get a piercing. Body modifications are no exception, of course, and this is especially true when it comes to piercings. The only problem is some people may get skin irritation from lavender oil. See how other students and parents are navigating high school, college, and the college admissions process. When you want to adjust your jewelry or touch the area for another reason, be sure to wash your hands before doing so. Mild liquid or antibacterial soap works well if you dont have sea salt at home. The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". Try using chamomile. But some health issues can cause adverse effects and slow down the healing. A belly button piercing is beautiful, and it can be a great addition to your style. Its better to have a thicker piece of jewelry because it will make the piercing sturdier and more resistant to tearing and migration. If this occurs, see a doctor and report your piercer. Center for Young Women's Health: "Body Piercing. Is there an herbal remedy for keeping the piercing clean? You just need enough friction to clean the piercing without causing trauma to it. The College Entrance Examination BoardTM does not endorse, nor is it affiliated in any way with the owner or any content of this site. Yes, you can but its important to ensure that the piercing has healed to be safe against any germs living in the water getting into your piercing and causing infection. The 5 Strategies You Must Be Using to Improve 160+ SAT Points, How to Get a Perfect 1600, by a Perfect Scorer, Free Complete Official SAT Practice Tests. (left ear, used under CC 2.0). The materials that are least likely to irritate the piercing site include. To create this article, 30 people, some anonymous, worked to edit and improve it over time. Also, a healing piercing may secrete a white or off-white fluid. It is essential to maintain this cleaning routine to avoid infection during this period. Yes. Afterward, take a q-tip, dip it in the solution, and gently rub it around the areas where the piercing goes through your skin. I list some suggestions for people with sensitive skin in the choosing your jewelry advice in the previous section. Its better to have a thicker piece of jewelry because it will make the piercing sturdier and more resistant to tearing and migration. This article received 15 testimonials and 94% of readers who voted found it helpful, earning it our reader-approved status. Wash your hands, and try sliding it back and forth a bit to make sure it moves freely without pain. Do not use iodized salt, kosher salt or Epsom salts, as these can irritate the piercing. A clean towel and gauze are other good alternatives. To clean your piercing, soak a q-tip or cotton ball with a saline solution and gently wash your piercing holes and belly button twice a day. While ear piercings typically heal in 6 to 8 weeks. You should ideally not have a soaking bath until the piercing is through the initial healing stages. Subscribe to Updates The materials that are least likely to irritate the piercing site include surgical stainless steel, surgical titanium, Tygon plastic, and solid 14K gold. This is normal early in the healing process. Irritated belly button piercings should clear up quickly with proper treatment, so youll be well on your way to feeling better soon! Put the saline solution in a little cup. (sit-ups, used under CC 2.0). If youre over 18, make sure you bring an official form of photo ID like a drivers license or passport. Heres how to tell if its infected and what to do next: For fever and chills, its essential to seek medical attention as soon as possible. Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors. One Day We Will All Die, used under CC 2.0. Also, choose a piece of jewelry that you wont get tired of seeing. Its for occasional use to reduce irritation and inflammation. If the doctor suggests, apply an antibacterial cream or take antibiotic pills. A saline solution is the most effective remedy. The best way to care for the piercing is to. Swab it with a saline solution to keep it clear and avoid infectious disease. Signs of an infection include redness, swelling, and green or bloody pus. you can expect a belly button piercing to run between $30 and $75. In addition to checking the laws in your state. Never pick the crusting off with your fingers as this can lead to infection. By clicking Subscribe, I agree to the WebMD, Smart Grocery Shopping When You Have Diabetes, Surprising Things You Didn't Know About Dogs and Cats, Bird Flu Deaths Prompt U.S. to Test Vaccine in Poultry, COVID Treatment in Development Appears Promising, Marriage May Help Keep Your Blood Sugar in Check, Getting Outdoors Might Help You Take Fewer Meds, New Book: Take Control of Your Heart Disease Risk, MINOCA: The Heart Attack You Didnt See Coming, Health News and Information, Delivered to Your Inbox, Who Should Not Get a Belly Button Piercing, Oral Piercing Risks, At-Home Care, and Warning Signs, Laser Tattoo Removal: Find Out How to Get Rid of That Tattoo Youve Always Regretted, Possible Medical Risks of Vaginal Piercings. However, infections in outie belly button piercings can travel to your internal organs and become extremely dangerous. Theyre comparable to ear lobe piercings in terms of pain. Anytime the jewelry gets moved, your skin could tear. Use the same cleaning procedure detailed in the previous section, but soak the piercing for ten minutes in the saline solution. Wash the piercing with mild soap Its best to choose surgical-grade stainless steel or titanium jewelry at first. wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. The above women are just some of the A-list celebs who have taken this unique form of self-expression to new heights. Many argue that mild soaps are appropriate for washing the new piercing. Apply a small amount of soap on the new piercing and the area for about 30 seconds. A navel piercing is a way to make a statement. Now comes the long and hard part - caring for your new piercing. For example, you should completely avoid rubbing alcohol and hydrogen peroxide. The best time to apply this oil is after washing the navel area. In your hands, lather up a few really gentle, fragrance-free, non-antibacterial soaps and softly wash your piercing. How can I tell if my belly button piercing is infected or just healing? I thought when it leaked a whitish pus and crustiness it was, "It was a good article. Even if you believe that your belly button is the ideal candidate for a snazzy new piece of jewelry, you should know that some health risks come hand-in-hand with getting this type of body piercing. How Can I Safely Recover the Nose Piercing Bump? Getting a belly button piercing does not mean that you cannot swimming with it on. First off, take a shower beforehand. While your piercer SHOULD use surgical stainless steel, some may not follow regulation. After the piercing has been done, some care you can give it involves adopting the correct lifestyle to facilitate healing. All rights reserved. I have another quick question. Type above and press Enter to search. You should try to avoid jewelry made of nickel or sterling silver because these metals are the most likely to cause allergic reactions in people with sensitive skin. Can you use sea salt to clean a piercing? In addition, these substances prevent the growth of healthy new cells within the piercing, which slows down the healing process. Put a few drops of lavender oil on a cotton bud and dab on your piercing hole. If you really feel the need to go in a pool or hot tub while your piercing is still young, you should clean it immediately afterward. This guide will take you through the piercing process and show you how to avoid potential problems as you heal. Avoid allowing soap to fall on the piercing when youre in the shower. ACT Writing: 15 Tips to Raise Your Essay Score, How to Get Into Harvard and the Ivy League, Is the ACT easier than the SAT? As far as healing time goes, it can take up to a year to fully heal but most can heal around 6-8 months in, says Niki. To prevent any additives that may be damaging to the sensitive place, stick to pure sea salt, which dissolves easily into the solution. You can also soak the navel area with saline water and wait for 10 minutes before washing with fresh water. You shouldn't get this done with a piercing gun since it can damage your tissue and raise the chances of infection. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. healthhema Media does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. We'll cover the most important issues below. You can see way more of the barbell than you could when it was initially pierced (because its getting pushed out of your body), Noticeable movement of the holes of the piercing marked by a trail of redness, Hole appears larger than it was initially, The skin between the holes is translucent and thin, If you notice this happening to your piercing, you will have to. can you shower with a new belly button piercing