Navel Piercing Facts

Navel piercings, also known as belly button piercings, are possibly the most popular below-the-waist body piercings performed. Both men and women can and do get pierced there, but the practice is much more common among women. The navel itself is not actually pierced; rather, the jewelry is placed through either the upper or the lower rim of the navel. The latter is sometimes known as an inverse navel piercing.

History

While placing jewels in the navel has been practiced since ancient Egyptian times, the navel piercing appears to be a modern invention. Professional piercer Paul King states that no written or visual records of this particular piercing exist prior to the 1970s. According to master piercer Elayne Angel, contemporary interest in both body piercing in general and navel piercings specifically was strongly influenced by the 1993 video for Aerosmith's "Cryin'," which depicted actress Alicia Silverstone—or, rather, her body double—getting a navel piercing, which inspired many young women to emulate it. "Those young women in the early 1990s essentially inspired the creation of body piercing as a full-fledged industry," Angel states.

Procedure

Choose an experienced professional body piercer for this somewhat challenging piercing. The piercer will most likely position you in a reclining position and use forceps to clamp the area for marking and piercing. The pain of a navel piercing varies widely from person to person, and the bleeding is usually minimal.

Jewelry

Most piercers nowadays will choose a curved barbell, also known as a "bananabell," or its cousin the J-bar for the initial jewelry. In some cases, a person's anatomy is suitable for a ring or teardrop ring as an initial placement instead. As for all body piercings, jewelry should be smooth and made of a hypoallergenic material such as stainless steel, titanium, niobium or gold. Sometimes, certain medical-grade plastics or glass can be used as well. Also, 14 gauge is the most common choice for sizing.

Considerations

Navel piercings take an extremely long time to heal—usually, a minimum of six months is required, and a full year is not uncommon. This is because the navel is not well-supplied with blood, and the area is subject to friction and tugging from clothing and a person's body movements. People whose torsos naturally fold along the navel line are not suited to receive this piercing. A navel piercing also requires a pronounced "lip" to the navel to pierce properly; some navels are too flat to take a piercing. Also, if you are an active athlete, you may need to modify your workout or sports routine until the piercing heals—avoid full sit-ups, for example, and certain yoga poses, or any activity that risks physical impact to the piercing.

Risks

Navel piercings are prone to migration and rejection. Local irritation is also very common and often mistaken for a more serious infection. To minimize these risks, wear loose, breathable garments or low-rise pants to prevent your clothes from rubbing against the piercing or from trapping moisture against it. Sometimes, body piercings develop a dark red growth called a granuloma near the piercing opening, and navel piercings are more prone to this than other piercings according to Elayne Angel. Performing a salt soak several times a day can reduce irritation and help heal a granuloma.

Fun Facts

Although Aerosmith and Alicia Sliverstone may have initially popularized this piercing, nowadays it may be most closely associated with pop star Britney Spears. The Belly Button Rings Guide notes that this piercing is even sometimes referred to as "a Britney." Other celebrities who boast this particular body modification include Beyonce, Miley Cyrus, Lindsay Lohan and Keira Knightley.