As a belly piercing is technically a surface piercing, they have higher risks of rejection or migration than other standard entry and exit piercings. Common risks are piercing bumps, irritation, and swelling, and less common are actual infections.
Not everyone gets a rejection after belly button piercing. People are variably susceptible and it is based on their immune system's reaction to foreign objects within the body. If the piercing is done too near to the surface of the skin, there is a higher risk of rejection.
Any piercing has the potential to be rejected. Rejection depends on the person's immune system and how well the piercing heals. But, the body tends to reject some types of piercings more often than others. Surface piercings are the most common types of piercing to be rejected by the body.
It's not always obvious why the body rejects a piercing. But taking the following steps may help prevent it from happening: Make sure the piercer uses an autoclave to sterilize equipment,1 the room is adequately sanitized, and the piercer wears gloves. Choose jewelry made from hypoallergenic metals.
Surface piercings are the most likely type of piercing to reject because they are placed just underneath the skin so can easily be pushed out by the body.
If the skin is looking thinner or tighter around the piercing, or above the jewellery, it's a possible sign of rejection. As well, the colour of your skin changing around the hole is another potential sign. Transparent/near-transparent skin is a very likely sign of rejection.
You may notice one or all of the following start to happen: the distance between the entry and exit holes begins to shrink – e.g you can see more of the bar or ring than before – this is the most significant sign. your piercing feels sore, irritated or itchy. it looks dry.
It's not recommended to pierce “outie” tissue. A normal navel piercing goes only through surface skin at the edge of the navel, while an “outie” navel is more complex than simple surface skin; it is residual scarring from the umbilical cord. As such, an infected “outie” navel piercing can become dangerous quickly.
Practicing good hygiene can prevent your piercing from getting infected or from migrating. Piercings rejected due to allergic reactions will usually need to be removed, but infections can heal over time.
For example, navel or belly button piercings are thought to relieve ailments associated with fatigue, depression, gynecological distress, constipation, or cystitis pain. Piercings of the eyebrows are thought to offer relief from eye strain, vertigo, or emotional and physical shock.
As a general rule, we recommend waiting: At least 8 weeks to repierce soft tissue like a lobe or navel piercing. At least 12 weeks before repiercing 'soft cartilage' like a nose or septum piercing. At least 6 months before repiercing hard cartilage, such as daith, helix or conch piercings.
Can You Re-Pierce After Suffering From A Navel Piercing Rejection? While it can be a crushing setback to have to let your first piercing close up and heal, the good news is that you can have your belly button piercing re-pierced. There's no guarantee for success, but persistence does pay off sometimes.
A piercing can start to be rejected within a week of getting it done, but it can also happen months or years after you think the area has healed. If you hit the piercing hard enough the body may register it as a threat and start to push it out.
Reasons People Get Belly Button Piercings
People get pierced for a variety of reasons ranging from self-expression to fashion, wanting to fit into a subculture to simple ornamentation, and more.
Let's start with the basics: Even when a belly button piercing goes well, you can expect some tenderness, redness and even crusting at the spot for 12 to 18 months. After all, you did just put a hole through your skin and into your body.
These risks include: Allergic reactions to the jewelry. Excessive bleeding. 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)
Red flags for belly button piercing include excessive pain, swelling, redness, pus or discharge, fever, and migration or rejection of the piercing. If you experience any of these symptoms, it's important to seek advice from a professional piercer or healthcare provider.
“The most common belly button piercing is through the top fold of skin,” explains Niki. That said, you can also get the belly button pierced in the slides and lower navel if the piercer thinks your anatomy allows it. “For some anatomy shapes, a floating navel can help it heal better.
A belly button piercing can take anywhere from six months to a year to fully heal, depending on how you care for it and your day-to-day lifestyle. However, the most common time frame is between six and eight months.
Piercings that only break through a small amount of surface skin—aptly named surface piercings—are most at risk for rejection and migration. This is because the less skin there is to help keep the piercing secure, the higher the chances are that your body will find a way to push it out.
Scar tissue forms inside your body, as well as outside, as part of a normal healing process. You can re-pierce your belly button even with existing scar tissue.