The ideal time to get a navel piercing is during cooler months, when you most likely will not be swimming. However, for those who want a belly button ring but swim competitively or for exercise, there are ways to protect your new piercing from pool chemicals and bacteria. If you have a new piercing but must get into the water, take proper care of your navel piercing to keep it from getting irritated or infected.
Navel Piercing Procedure
Most people find navel piercings uncomfortable, but not terribly painful. You will spend the majority of time in the piercing room being marked for proper placement; the needle going in takes only a few seconds. Your piercer will measure your navel with calipers to help you select the appropriate jewelry. He will then make a mark above and below your navel to indicate the entry and exit points of the needle. You will lie down on an exam table like the one in your doctor's office, and your piercer will pinch the flap of skin to be pierced between a pair of clamps called Pennington forceps. He will have you inhale, and on the exhale will push the needle through. As he pulls the needle out, he will push the jewelry in. Most people don't even feel their jewelry being inserted.
When Navel Can't Be Pierced
A navel must have a "lip" of skin and an indented area for the jewelry to sit below the lip to be pierced, according to Philadelphia piercing shop Infinite Body. A navel that lays flat, or one on which the top and bottom flaps of skin touch when you sit down, is not a good candidate for a piercing. A flat navel may reject the jewelry, causing it to grow out through the surface of the skin, whereas one that folds in half will pinch the jewelry and cause discomfort. A navel classified as an "outie" cannot be pierced.
Appropriate Navel Jewelry
The most commonly-used jewelry for a navel piercing is a curved barbell, a bar with beads that unscrew at either end. The length of the bar is determined by individual anatomy and may be up to 1/2 inch. Your piercer will insert a bar that is slightly too long into the initial piercing to allow for swelling. A shorter bar can be inserted once the piercing has healed. The most common gauge is a 12 or 14, with 12 being slightly thicker. The most common material is surgical stainless steel, although titanium and niobium can also be used.
Aftercare And Healing Time
Healing time for navel piercings varies widely, depending on individual anatomy and degree of movement. It generally takes between four months and one year for your piercing to heal completely. Diligent aftercare and cleaning can significantly speed healing time. The Association of Professional Piercers recommends soaking body piercings for five to 10 minutes each day in a solution of 1/4 tsp. of non-iodized sea salt and 1 cup of warm bottled water. After a saline soak, the piercing should be washed with unscented antimicrobial or antibacterial soap, and dried with a clean paper towel.
Swimming With Navel Ring
It is advisable to avoid submerging your new piercing in any body of water, including bathtubs and hot tubs, for at least one month. Because a piercing is a puncture wound, it is subject to bacterial infection. Swimming in the saltwater of the ocean is better than in a chlorinated pool, but to be safe, you should cover your piercing with a waterproof bandage that forms a seal all the way around it. The APP recommends Tegaderm and Bioplast bandages. Remove your bandage and soak and wash your piercing as soon as you get out of the water.
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