The popularity of navel piercings means that belly button rings are available for purchase in a wide variety of styles and materials. While it is possible to buy gold and platinum navel jewelry, the vast majority of curved barbells designed to be worn in the navel are made of surgical stainless steel.
Surgical Stainless Steel
The most commonly used jewelry for initial navel piercings is a 14-gauge surgical-steel curved barbell. Surgical stainless steel is strong and inexpensive and is used for medical-grade implants. Although it contains nickel, it is non-irritating to the majority of people, making it ideal for inserting into new body piercings. Surgical steel is silver in color. The Association of Professional Piercers recommends steel body jewelry compliant with the American Society for Testing and Materials Standard.
Titanium
Titanium is stronger and lighter than steel and does not contain nickel, making it 100 percent hypoallergenic and ideal if you have a metal sensitivity. Like gold and platinum, it is a noble metal. While titanium is more expensive than steel, it is generally less expensive than platinum and gold. If you are looking for metal jewelry in colors other than silver, choose anodized titanium for an initial navel piercing. Anodizing is an electrical process by which different voltages are applied to titanium to turn it different colors. Among the possibilities are pink, yellow and blue. The color will not flake or chip off.
Niobium
Niobium is an elemental metal that is slightly heavier than stainless steel. Like titanium, niobium is inert, meaning that very few people are sensitive to it. Niobium is more flexible than steel, making it useful for body jewelry that needs to be bent into unusual shapes. Like titanium, it can be anodized to create different colors. Niobium is the metal of choice if you want your navel piercing done with black jewelry.
Biocompatible Polymers
If you wish to forgo metal altogether, biocompatible polymers such as Tygon, Teflon and Bioplast can be used in an initial navel piercing. Tygon, a thin, clear surgical tubing, is the most commonly used. Beads from internally threaded body jewelry can be screwed into Tygon tubing just as they can into a metal barbell. For pregnant women who wish to keep their navel piercings open as their bellies expand, flexible Tygon is ideal.
Navel Piercing Aftercare
Whatever metal you choose, proper aftercare is required to heal your navel piercing correctly. The Association of Professional Piercers recommends soaking your navel for five to 10 minutes daily in a warm saline solution made of 1/4 tsp. of non-iodized sea salt and 8 oz. of warm water. After soaking, the piercing should be washed with unscented antimicrobial or antibacterial soap and dried with a clean paper towel. Because a piercing is a puncture wound, it is subject to infection from skin bacteria. The most important thing you can do to ensure your piercing heals correctly is to wash your hands with antibacterial soap before you touch the jewelry.
Member Comments