BellaOnline Forums Beauty and Self Body Art Navel piercing changes

I recently had my navel pierced. I didn't realize the total healing time was 6 months to a year. I was wondering if after it is healed can you change the ring/barbell as frequently as a person changes earrings, such as to match an outfit etc. ? Also I was told by my piercer not to use sea salt that that was only used for a sort of last resort if it will not heal. I was instructed to wash the area and jewelry twice daily with antibacterial soap and rotate the ring a few times while doing this. Why is there so much discrepency in after care? Mine is doing just fine without the sea salt soaks. Hmmm I guess it just depends on the person and how fast or well they heal. :rolling:

How individuals and their bodies heal can be very different. In the 10+ years that I have been a pierced person, I'd say the care routines have become less harsh, as sensitivities to cleansing products and antibacterials became known.

I tell folks to follow what their piercer recommends. Yes, navels can take a very long time to heal. Mine took a good year and a half to settle down, and still a decade later, it will flare up when I get sick or even really stressed out.

I don't change my navel piercing too much, as the jewelry for navels is not as inexpensive as earrings. My suggestion would be to get a ring or barbell that is comfortable, and then get those dangles or changable beads to match your outfits.

Thank you for the advice. It has been one week today since the navel piercing and is healing well I guess! It does not hurt but is red at the entrance and exit. Also the ring with a captive bead wants to lay down, as in flop to the right side. Is this normal? Last night I cleansed and then put a cotton ball with tape against the side to keep it from laying down. Sounds silly but worked. another problem I am having is the only time I can move it is immediately after I wash it, other wise it is stuck. I don't want to force it, so I just rotate from top to bottom a few times during washing then don't touch it again 'till second cleansing. I hope I am doing things right. What is your opinion on purchasing a 14 K gold curved barbell when the time comes for changing? I have to say Rae you are very informative and knowledgeable on several topics.

I would also like to add that sea salt soaks are one of the BEST things you can do to heal faster...as well as taking a multi-vitamin with Zinc and Vitamin C in it.

Anyone who says sea salt soaks shouldn't be done is not giving you the right information. Do these soaks before you clean it with soap in the morning and in the evening before you go to bed.

P.S the salt soaks will also help get rid of the redness faster

Please take a look at this site...it's very informative http://www.safepiercing.org/bodyAftercare.html

Thank you for the tips. Funny thing the site you sent me to was the exact directions that the piercer printed out and gave to me but took out the sea salt parts. Hmmm. I think I will try the sea salt since I am getting kind of worried. Thanks again.

Navels are notorious for taking almost forever to heal and being cranky the whole time, so don't panic. If the edges of the piercing are kinda red, but you don't have any swelling, discharge or pain, don't panic. A lot of them tend to look like that for a long time.

If the ring wants to lie down, that may be how it's going to be. My own piercing lies down to one side. I had a really good piercer looked at my navel shape (it does go a bit to the right) and asked how I like to sleep (mostly on my stomach) and then suggested that a piercing at "11 o'clock" would be better for me than straight up at "12 o'clock." Twelve years later, it was a good decision/choice.

IF you do the sea salt soaks, be sure to rinse off afterwards as salt water dried on the skin will make you itch horribly! The trick with most nose and navel piercings is not to clean them too much as that can compound the irritation.

Glad to hear that your going to try sea salt soaks...strange why your piercer would delete the part on sea salt soaks. How is the healing process going anyway?

~S

Thank you for the concern. The healing process is going as well as expected. The sea salt has helped alot. The redness is fading. The bottom hole is perfect, but the top hole seems a little more tender. It seems to be a bit stretched or more open. I think that is due to the ring wanting to lay down as I stated in a previous message. One thing that I find strange is about 1 and 1/2 inch to the right of my navel gets a sharp pain when I bump the ring. Maybe there are nerves or something! Also the top hole seems to be a bit dry. I noticed a white ring around the opening when I clean it and that comes off each time. I had read that that was normal. It is funny because you can actually start to see down the hole. So far I am very pleased and not so scared, but am a little dissapointed that I had to turn to a forum for advice and correct care than to the piercer that I chose. <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Yeah I remember I was told by my piercer that in 8 weeks I could change my jewellery but I've read in a lot of things, that it's best to wait at least 6 months to change the jewellery, so I'm going to wait till then...just to be on the safe side...I don't want anything to happen to it <img src="/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" /> It's funny how some piercers have different ideas about what to use or when to change it.

I don't know about that pain you have, just keep and eye on it, I'm sure it'll go away in time.
I remember the top hole in my piercing was a little dry, but that goes away.
And the white stuff that comes out is completely normal...it's just shows it healing

P.S Don't forget to wash off the salt soaks when your done because if you don't it tends to itch)

Keep us posted!
~S :music:

Almost into week three. I am getting used to the belly ring, sometimes I forget it is even there. I have decided to do the salt soak only once a day, since it seams as though it was drying my skin out too much. The redness is gone and the ring has stopped flopping to one side. Boy! all you folks that read and respond to this forum really know what use are talking about. Still being very patient and waiting the 8 weeks before I change to a curved bar. I think for some people 3 weeks is enough because mine feels as though it is healed very well. But I know better than to press my luck.What I did notice though is that at the end of one day it looks great and feels great and by morning it is like you are back to square one. I guess that is why they say it takes up to a year or more to completely heal. I do have a question though a few other friends of mine had their navel done within days of mine at a different shop and theirs seems oozy and gross, one friend has what looks like green scabs...and her entry and exit are almost an inch or more apart. I never had anything green, or scabs. Each day I had a tiny white ring that came off with the salt soak but no other goo.... The friend I was speaking of already changed hers (her piercer changed it) but they couldn't find a belly ring to fit . The shop owner took a straight tounge ring and bent it so it looks like this( ^ ) and that is what she has. I think myself they screwed up. As far as the green and other goo I mean it looks nasty. I guess that depends on how well you clean it and take care of it. My best advice to anyone interested is be sure you really want a navel ring and that you are going to be faithfull in taking care of it. :kiss:

It took my navel a year to heal. BIG pain in the butt! I've been stretching it and now have a 12 gauge in. As for changing it...that's up to you. It's not always easy to get the jewelry in! I have my eyebrow and navel done. I wear the same jewelry in them all the time. Too much of a hassle to change! I'm sticking with tattoos...they're easier!!! <img src="/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

Hi all! I just got my navel pierced a week ago Friday <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> I am loving it! I got a curved barbell put in and I think it looks great. I can't wait to be able to change it.

My piercer told me not to change it for at least 6 months, I am going to try and resist the urge and wait out the 6 months and see how it is doing.

I have been cleaning it twice a day with Provon and soaking it once a night (right before bed) with sea salt. I love the soaks as they help with the itching i am getting now.

I had a little pain for a few days after it, but now I feel nothing (unless I bang it). I think I am healing really well.

All I ahve is a tiny bit of redness but it isn't visible at all as it is right behind the barbell ball.

I am just now getting "crusties" as my piercer called them, but that is all. I am really very happy with the results and am so glad I got it done. I ahve always wanted to, but never got the nerve up to do it. I am almost 32 and wish I had done this sooner.

Thats all for now

Cat

My own navel piercing took over a year to heal, and wound up being much happier with a curved barbell than a ring.

Mine stayed red for the longest time, and would swell up at the drop of a hat it seemed, but then suddenly one day, it was fine.

Well I went back to my piercer to just have him give it a look to make sure all was well and to my suprise he said it was healing faster and better than many he had seen before in just five weeks. He suggested I switch to a barbell since he thought the CBR was starting to irritate the holes. Few was I glad to here that. I have changed my barbell daily just like earrings. I went a little crazy buying navel jewelry and I think I have a different one for each day of the year <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> ,and it is much easier to clean. The redness and dryness went away and I couldn't be happier. The piercer stated that sometimes movement and getting bumped can draw the crusties or whatever inside and then you are back to square one. So if in doubt go back to the piercer. <img src="/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" />

Friday will be 4 weeks since I got it done. I no longer have any pain, but every now and then I have a little white sticky goop after I work out (which i do everyday). The Provon and sea salt soak help, and I ahve very minimal redness, again, after I work out.

I am itching to change my curved barbell, but I am going to obey my piercer and wait at least 4 months. I check the ends daily to make sure they are secure, and I tell you, I don't know how I am going to ever get this thing changed, my oeircer really has them in there tight. Any suggestions to get the ends loosened for when I do change it?

Cat
Getting a tattoo next!

The ends are just screwed on...just loosen one and slip it out!

I ahve tried unscrewing them, but as I said, they are on there very tight and I can't get them to budge at all! I was just curious as to whether or not anyone had some pointers in actually loosening them?????

I was reading an article on healing and cleaning and read something about using pure essence of Lavender oil to help with the healing and to keep the piercing lubricated...anyone know anything about using Lavender oil?

Cat

I've had to use pliers (with the ends wrapped in tape to prevent scratching) to both tighten loose jewelry securely enough and to unscrew body jewelry that was stuck. Small flat tips can be very useful for turning stuck barbell ends. You tape the pliers so that the jewelry isn't scratched, my fave is to use small band-aids. If you need to hold the barbell with a second pair of pliers, needle-nose often work best for that grip.

Also, some barbells have two threaded ends and some have one fixed and one threaded. If you have the mixed version, make sure you are trying to unscrew the threaded side only.

I got my belly pierced with a ring 4 months ago. I had the ring changed to a bar last weekend. The cleaning was easy with the ring. It never got infected or sore. Now I am just worried it is going to get infected with the bar since it seems more difficult to get the soap in there good. Any suggestions? I am very worried for some reason.

Well, Cathie, if you are worried, why did you change the jewelry?