Shall I get my belly button pierced?

Question

I'm thinking of getting my belly button pierced, I think it looks nice with the pretty jewels you can get. The thing is I'm goin on holiday in 14 weeks and would not want it to spoil my hol if it doesnt heal or goes wrong. As long as I choose a reputable sterile place I would like to know:
How much does it hurt? - im a wimp!
What is the procedure? - how is it done
How long does it take to heal? (ive heard up to a year!?)
Can I swim with it in?
Would I be better off waiting until after my hol? I probably wouldn't want it doing after then tho, id like it for my hol.
Decisions decisions...

Also, what are the chances of an infection i wouldnt want a scabby belly!

Im 26 so im old enough I know some people use this to go mad on the difference between wrong and right.

Answer 1

You'd definitely be better waiting until after your holiday to get it done. While they may look healed after a couple weeks, the stomach area doesn't get much blood flow (which aids in healing) and I know mine wasn't completely healed until about a year later.

Pain-wise, it's not very painful to have done. During the healing process, while you adjust to it, it's a bit more owie. Pain is a personal thing, and what you feel may be completely different than what I or anyone else who's answered your question may have felt.

Procedure: generally marking and making sure you're happy with the placement, then clamping (which is probably the part that's the most painful - but it's more an annoyance pain than a sharp one), and then the actual pierce and the jewelry installation.

Healing time varies from body to body - but it can be up to a year or even longer for complete healing. It'll look healed after a couple of weeks, but it's still working on it.

You can swim with it in, but introducing new water/chemicals/other substances into a newly-created hole is not your best bet.

Yes, you'd be better off waiting. It'd minimize your risks of infection with the new pierce.

Also, if you have any metal sensitivities, you'll want to tell your piercer, since they can affect healing. Surgical steel has a nickel component, while niobium and titanium are good for those who are sensitive to nickel. Again, this is something your body will tell you. For example, when I had my rook done, I couldn't figure out why it wouldn't "behave" - I went and changed the jewelry in it, and within a couple of days, it had cleared up. Different styles of jewelry can also play a role. Rings with navel pierces can alter the lay of your piercing, since your clothing will push it one way or another. Curved barbells allow it to lie flat, and as such, won't cause a change in position.

Answer 2

Well that is a good thing.

It is a responciblity even though most people dont take it like that. Dont be a wimp it is totaly painless.

The procedure is done with a clamp and a 14g sterile hollow needle and they stick it through making an opening, followed by the jewlery.

The healing is from 2-9 weeks.
Yes you can swim with it but make sure you clean it right after you get out. You do not want it to get dry and infected that soon or at all.

You could get it done before but it is better to do it after.

Clean it with warm water and sea salt and use a q-tip.
Best when you get a fresh piercing not to wear jewlery that hangs down because you dont want it to rip out.

Your risk for it would be of the following: Piercing rejection, keloid, cyst bumb and infection.

Answer 3

Honestly, I like piercings, and have had my own belly button done and I would say "Don't do it".

Here's why:

1) It is "so over" honestly, it came, and it went and now the only people sporting belly button jewels are pretty tacky.

2) It can get infected. Even if you get it done right, and take care of it, It can still get infected. I have seen infections in others ranging from slight redness to 6 months of pus and ooze that is green in color resulting in the need for anti- biotic.

3) Scaring. You can not avoid this. If you EVER take it out for good ( and you will ) you will be left with a scar (size and shape can vary)

4) Comfort. You will find it gets caught on your clothes, sheets, towels. You may also find it is irritated easily when you sit for long periods of time.

5) Sex appeal. Although guys used to say " That's hot" they are now saying "That's not"

6) Pregnancy. If you ever want to have kids, you will have to take it out, and the changes your stomach goes through will alter and skew the site, could turn a small scar into a road map.

Bottom line, do whatever you want, but if it was me, I'd skip it.

Good Luck:)

Answer 4

I have absolutely no opinion on the aesthetics of belly button piercings but I do have several friends who are doctors or nurses and they all say that it is a potentially dangerous thing to do. If it does get infected, a scabby belly is the least of your worries. The belly button is directly over some pretty major organs and if you get an infection, it could spread internally. You could become very very sick. I don't think it's worth the risk, personally.

Answer 5

I am afraid it varies from person to person and I know people who had a horrendous time with infections and alike. Also I think it looks great but remember its a day to day piercing that needs maintenance. You can get non pierced ones that attach I think.

Swimming about with this in is not a good idea having just had it done and if its only a look for one holiday I suggest you save money and spend it on fake tan or false nails all of which will make you feel glamorous and not risk spoiling your holiday

Answer 6

I had mine done two years ago' but had to take it off coz I had an infection. About the procedure...you basically lie down and the person whos doing it for you holds the upper skin part of your belly button with a huge *** tweezer. Then they basically insert a fat needle to get the hole. After that they just give you a pin. You will also be given some medication to heal faster ...like saline water and something to soften the pain.....it dosent hurt that much..or atleast as much as the people exagerate.....and yeah dont run around or wear stuff that brushes against ure peircing...it will take about a week to heal if u are normal n dont have some chronic form of disease in ure blood tht prevents healing. OH and please dont swim when its still raw...well when you have it u wudn wanna swim anyway...mine got really bad coz I had a hiphop dance show the week after I got mine done..n the dancing kinda contributed to mine going so bad...I'll get mine done agin haha...at some point.

Answer 7

Make sure you go to a place with a good reputation and you'll be fine. They usually numb the area first and you'll hardly feel a thing.
Afterwards you'll be given an antiseptic spray and it should only take a few weeks to heal. Avoid picking at it or it will get infected.
It should be fine to swim but if your goin on holiday in less than a few weeks I recommend wearing a small see-through plaster when going in the water. Nobody will notice you have it on.
You should defo go for it. I had mine pierced at it looks lush!

Answer 8

piercings generally get infected because the person doesn't look after them properly. the reason navel piercings have a bad reputation for infections is because teenage girls don't look after theirs properly, and surprisingly they don't heal well - if you're committed looking after it while it heals, it should be fine

cost varies between every piercing place - ask your local stores. it's painful, but only briefly. it can take a few months to heal - to be 100% safe i'd leave it til after your holiday, but if you get it done now by a good piercer, and look after it religiously until then - you should be fine

Answer 9

wait until after your hol, they very easily get infected, it depends if it gets infected as to whether it heals fast or not. they put a needle through your belly button and it hurts. only get it if you are sure that you'll stay slim forever!!!

Answer 10

yeah why not? it looks nice etc.
it will only go wrong if you dont look after it properly. I had mine done about 7yrs ago, i would suggest that you should maybe wait til after your hols just in case it doesn't heal, mine took months!! and i cleaned it twice a day!