Belly Button Piercings

By Marian K


Belly button piercings are believed to have become a fashion statement from the time supermodel Christy Turlington sported one at a fashion show. While it is commonly referred to as belly button piercing, it is not the actual navel (usually), but the upper rim of the navel that is pierced. A true navel piercing is only possible in situations where the person has an 'outie' navel, and this kind is very rare. Belly button piercing pain, as with other body piercings, differs from one person to another, though most say the pain during piercing is sharp and short. Tenderness in the area is usually experienced for a week after the procedure. If you are considering how to pierce your belly button yourself, know that this delicate procedure is best done by a professional.

Belly Button Piercing Jewelry
Most people have their belly buttons pierced with a barbell, which should be kept on until the piercing has healed completely. Once the healing is complete, jewelry options range from simple belly button rings, encrusted belly button rings, belly button barbells with dangling pendants, simple navel barbells, to navel barbells with attached belly chains, among many. According to the established bench mark, the standard banana bell is 1.6 mm thick and 9.5 mm/11.1 mm long, and is usually referred to as a 14 - gauge post. It has silver caps on either end, which usually measure 5 mm in diameter for the upper cap and 8 mm in diameter for the lower cap.

Belly Button Piercing Healing
While getting your belly button pierced may not be all that painful, be prepared for a comparatively long healing time. The reason for this is that the navel is located on your waist, which experiences plenty of movement. Not only that, it is constantly being brushed against by clothing. The healing time differs from one person to another, the fortunate will experience complete healing in 3 - 4 months, while there are those for whom it can take up to 12 months. However, most of the time, the only difference between a healed and unhealed navel is a bit of redness around the piercing. In most cases, 4 or 5 days after the procedure, your navel will appear as usual, but a very small amount of redness may develop at the spot where the ring pierces the body. Crusting around the ring will appear and a small amount of milky fluid discharge is also normal. After 6 to 8 weeks, the discharge and crusting will lessen, and only a small amount of redness will remain. However, at any point of time, if the discharge becomes thick and yellow, or excessive pain or redness is experienced, it is a sign of possible infection and so visit a doctor.

Belly Button Piercing Care
Belly button piercing care is very important as the navel has a tendency to collect dirt, which is why it is very important to keep it clean, so as to prevent infections as the wound heals. Know that your piercing is not fully healed until all the redness disappears, so you must continue cleaning it through this period. Clean the spot once or twice everyday and if there is crusting around the piercing, dissolve and clean it away by holding a clean cotton soaked in a saline solution against it. Pat it dry with a clean tissue. You can also dab the region with a small amount of lavender oil, which promotes healing and lubricates the wound.

Read more on:

• Navel Piercing Aftercare
• Dangers and Risks of Belly Button Piercing (Navel Piercing)

If you are wondering how much is a belly button piercing going to cost you, know that you have to take into consideration the cost of the procedure as well as the cost of the jewelry. However, don't let belly button piercing prices allow you to compromise on quality. Get belly button piercings done from a hygienic reputed studio, where they will use a needle to make the passage instead of a piercing gun.
Article Source:  http://www.buzzle.com/articles/belly-button-piercings.html