Belly button piercings are considered the second least painful piercings after ear piercings. That's because the thick tissue left behind from when your umbilical cord was removed is flesh and not very nerve dense.
Does a Belly Button Piercing Hurt a Lot? Good news: most people say that belly button piercings don't hurt that much. They're comparable to ear lobe piercings in terms of pain. If you've gotten your ear or nose cartilage pierced before, that type of piercing usually hurts more than a belly button piercing.
It's normal for the area to feel sore for a few days after the piercing. If you're experiencing symptoms that are unusual or that occur after the first few days, reach out to your piercer or doctor.
A piercing on your belly button is more likely to get infected than other body parts because of its shape. It's easy for bacteria to hole up inside it. If the piercing needle wasn't sterile, there's a chance you could get serious infections like hepatitis or tetanus.
Navel piercing healing process. The navel piercing takes some time to heal. In a matter of weeks, it will appear healed, but it takes between 3 to 6 months for the piercing to heal internally. During that time, you need to keep up aftercare practices, including avoiding swimming.
Avoid baths, hot tubs, swimming pools, saunas, lakes, etc. for the first three weeks after being pierced as they contain bacteria which can increase the risk of infection.
You should avoid swimming for at least 24 hours after having a piercing, and ideally until it has healed properly. While it's still healing, it's important to keep the piercing dry as there's a risk of infection.
With this in mind, there isn't a certain belly button type that can or can't have a piercing. As long as you have skin above your belly button (and we're pretty sure you do), an experienced piercer should be able to pierce the belly button.
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.
While certain piercings tend to be more challenging than others, pain is a very individual experience. If you are nervous about the pain, or want to pierce a particularly sensitive area, you may want to use an over-the-counter numbing agent.
Make sure to eat something a few hours before you come in. Getting pierced on an empty stomach may cause you to feel faint, nauseated, or dizzy. Allow plenty of time for your visit.
Sleep on your back and sides for the first few weeks after your piercing. This helps to ensure that you don't apply uncomfortable pressure on your piercing by sleeping on your stomach, while it's still new and sensitive.
Pierced areas, especially sensitive areas like the navel, can get infected months and even years after they were pierced, though infections most often occur very shortly after the time of piercing, as that is when the portal door is wide open.
Redness may persist for several months to a full year in a navel piercing. May bleed a little for the first few days. May secrete a whitish-yellowish fluid which may crust on the jewelry.
In order to be a candidate for a navel piercing, you need to have a protruding lip of skin on the top (or, uncommonly, on the bottom) of your navel, with enough space behind the flap for jewelry to sit comfortably. The flap must have a definite front and back, with a clear edge dividing the two.
The belly button piercing is usually vertically positioned around the naval and typically takes less than six months to heal. Typical costs: Belly button piercings typically cost $25-$70, depending on whether the piercer includes the price of the jewelry in the total cost advertised.
Harris suggests you wear "something comfortable and not too tight. Pants or shorts that do not lay across your navel and a shirt are best. Anything with easy access to that area.
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 recommended to pierce “outie” tissue. A normal navel piercing goes only through the surface skin at the edge or 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” piercing can become dangerous quickly.
Keep your belly button clean! Allow warm water to run over your piercing when you shower (but don't scrub your navel piercing with soap; letting sudsy water run over the piercing is fine). During the day, you can spritz or rinse your navel piercing regularly with a saline wash, like Recovery Saline Solution.
Just for the first couple of months while it's healing, I definitely recommend not wearing high waisted pants.
Stay out of pools, hot tubs, rivers, lakes and other bodies of water while your piercing is healing. Don't fiddle with your piercings. Don't touch a new piercing or twist the jewelry unless you're cleaning it. Keep clothing away from the piercing, too.
Crusting after body piercing is normal—this might just be the result of your body trying to heal itself. While perfectly normal, these crusties should be cleaned carefully and thoroughly whenever you notice them.