Any initial itchiness and localized tenderness is normal. The healing of a belly button piercing can go to beyond six months. Most people know that they should avoid swimming after getting a tattoo, but it's the same for a piercing. A belly button piercing looks wonderful, and is one most common piercings in the world. If you want to swim at least cover it with a waterproof bandage that can be bought from a pharmacy. A belly button piercing is ideal for bikini season and a great way to show off at the beach. Required fields are marked with *. Remember, a piercing is something for you to enjoy for years to come. The chlorine in a pool reduces the number of bacteria. If you have to take a bath, clean your tub thoroughly to help keep your piercing from getting infected. An infection can be painful, cause scarring, and increase healing times. While it's still healing, it's important to keep the piercing dry as there's a risk of infection. How much a piercing costs is entirely dependent on the studio you go to, your geographic location, your piercers experience, and how complicated your piercing is. We recommend to avoid swimming for the first two weeks after a piercing. If your dip into the water is a bit more premeditated, you'll want to wear"a wound sealing waterproof bandage over the piercing" (via Koox Diving). This article has been viewed 159,697 times. Thank you for this article and your time. To avoid this, take good care of the piercing. Instead, if you have to use topical treatments settle for water based ointments as these promote air movement. Every body is different, but you need to give yourself at least two to three months to let your previous belly ring heal completely. After washing your hands with soap and water, clean the area with warm water. At this phase the body normally seals the piercing channel. It's not normally necessary to rotate or remove a piece of jewellery. Disclaimer: This article is for informative purposes only and does not in any way attempt to replace the advice offered by an expert on the subject. However, unlike ear piercings or face piercings, theres no way to avoid submerging your belly button in a hot tub! If thats not possible, make sure that its the right time to change it, and [that you] have good quality jewelry to replace it.. Keep reading to find out! As a general guide, healing times for the most common body piercings can be: It's possible to pick up an infection from any body of water, so while your piercing heals you should avoid swimming in: If you have any signs of infection, see a GP. Soaking the area with saline solution should go on even when the area seems healed. And, as mentioned, while six to eight months is the typical healing period, it could take up to a full year. The first thing to note is that you should wash your hands before touching your piercing to ensure youre being as sterile as possible and to avoid passing any bacteria. Although many pools today are foregoing chlorine because of the toxins and are using sea salt instead, salt can still sting and burn a wound. Jason | April 16, 2022. Because they are very anatomy dependent, some piercers may deny you service or suggest a different type of belly button piercing (like a floating navel piercing) or location over the traditional style and placement. You should ideally not have a soaking bath until the piercing is through the initial healing stages, and oozing, bleeding and scabbing have all stopped. Because the skin on your stomach is fleshy, its true that you can probably expect it to be less painful than some sort of cartilage piercing. "Thanks for the info. Use disposable, soft paper products to pat dry. For more advice, like how to shower with a new piercing, read on. You should avoid swimming for at least 24 hours after having a piercing, and ideally until it has healed properly. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. While following the instructions discussed above goes a long way to prevent belly button infections, you may follow them to the letter and still end up with an infection. In regards to swimming after having a piercing the NHS states You should avoid swimming for at least 24 hours after having a piercing and ideally until it. Its common practice to ask around for recommendations when looking for a piercer. After waiting for a month, or at least for three weeks, you can get ready to step into the pool. Have you recently got a belly button piercing? I did tried neosporin but like you said it didnt work. This is the same kind of infection you are likely to get if you accidentally scratch the area. Approved. Also ensure that the piercing is done by a professional. This is why choosing your piercer is so important. When the urge to get a piercing comes along, many people give right in. You can consult your piercing professional for knowing the right quantity and frequency of application of these essential oils or any other healing ointment. Ensure that the area remains dry as excess moisture will worsen the area. Placement: Pierced through the skin right above the naval, with a true belly button piercing centered directly above the navel, Healing time: 6-8 months, fully healed by 12 months. She has worked in digital media for over five years and is an expert on a range of topics, including tattoos, piercings, and culture. Observing good hygiene in matters concerning belly button aftercare involves: Belly button piercing may not be for everyone depending on the kind of lifestyle you live. We Have 8 Smart Ways! The odds of infection are significantly less than 25%. Handle your piercing with clean hands. Placement: Pierced through the skin right above the naval, with a true belly button piercing centered directly above the navel. However, a piercing is created by pulling a needle through the skin, so there is, of course, some pain involved. This jewelry has a small bead on each end, with one of them being adjustable/removable to allow you to change out the jewelry if you want. You'll most likely find 14- and 16-gauge offered for this style, which hugs the navel and lays outward, so the side of the ring is showing. If you still want to swim before the healing period is over then please at least get a waterproof bandage from any pharmacy to cover your navel piercing. For a traditional belly button piercing, theyll mark the true center above your navel. If you're swimming in a lake or river, there's no chlorine. 3. Well, once you get the hot navel piercing done, aftercare cant be ignored. It's easy for bacteria to hole up inside it. First, the area will be cleaned, and if you have some hair there, your piercer will most likely shave the area with a disposable razor to allow for a smooth and clean piercing site. Also keep off recreational drugs. Were all for embracing our individuality, but something weve been wondering lately is, can this modification affect our daily workout routine? Do not wear tight-fitting clothes instead wear a relaxed fit clothes that sit loosely on the body. This includes avoiding swimming before you are completely healed. Sabrina Crews is a copy editor and fact checker. How to Swim? So just avoid chlorine, right? On average, however, a belly button piercing takes anywhere from 6 to 9 months to completely heal. You can also leave the piercing empty. Use it to try out great new products and services nationwide without paying full pricewine, food delivery, clothing and more. Although some might see the belly button piercing as a simple process, it requires to be carried out by a professional using the right tools. You could soak a cotton ball in the solution and place it over the area for about five minutes two times each day. When you are having an infected piercing, it is unlikely for it to go unnoticed. This normally is produced by the body, can be foul smelling as well but is not an indication of an infection. The piercing forms scar tissue. Have you recently got a belly button piercing? Ear piercings among others can get you in trouble at school, with parents, or while [Read More] about Want to Know How to Hide Ear Piercings? "This was super helpful as I recently got a piercing and I am so lucky I stumbled upon this website! Of course, this price tends to include a very basic jewelry option (if its included at all). Brooks says nipple and navel piercings, need a few months of healing time before resuming the types of workouts that will irritate the piercing area because of the constant stretching and bending that is involved.Though cardio workouts are okay and are less likely to result in direct rubbing of the piercing area, Brooks recommends this exercise to, those people with recent nipple and navel piercings who dont want that break from the gym. she says. Generally, piercers use an autoclave to kill any possible bacteria or other pathogens on the equipment. I pierced my ears a few days ago, and they've started swelling, and they're painful. Wash your hands thoroughly with antibacterial soap and water before you touch your piercing with your fingers. if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'outdoorfavor_com-large-mobile-banner-2','ezslot_3',672,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-outdoorfavor_com-large-mobile-banner-2-0'); There may be some times when its necessary to expose your piercing to water, like taking a shower. The fact that the area is warm and dark ad can easily retain moisture makes it vulnerable to infections as these conditions are favorable for the growth of micro-organisms. If you've had your skin pierced, clean the site twice a day with soap and water. For ear and facial piercings, you can exercise immediately, though Brooks advises you to do so with care, and avoid contact sports. These are very important things because its not like buying jeans in a shop, its a process that you need to be aware of. There are two reasons for it: The pierced area needs oxygen to heal and if you wear form-fit clothes then the cut of oxygen will delay the healing. However, this is not always the case. You may also want to choose exercises that won't result in a repetitive motion, as rubbing the area of the piercing isnt advised. Safe piercing: FAQ. When Is The Best Time To Get My Belly Button Pierced? 1. So what can you do If you just can't stay out of the pool? Belly button piercings can take longer to heal. Cycling might be a better choice than running, because there's no jiggling in the chest area. The important thing to keep in mind is that a fresh tattoo is an open wound, therefore it should be treated as such to ensure a good healing, she says. This is not to be confused with flexible plastic jewelry. A new body piercing may be red and tender for a few weeks. There is therefore a need for proper after care. Belly Button Piercings. By clicking Accept All Cookies, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Association of Professional Piercers. This allows the jewelry to hang slightly over the belly button to essentially highlight itself. Our trained team of editors and researchers validate articles for accuracy and comprehensiveness. Later on, you can enter the pool but need to follow certain precautions to avoid an infection. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Things You Should Know Before Getting a Double Helix Piercing, Want a Genteel Look But Dont Know How to Hide Ear Gauges? If youre experiencing symptoms that are unusual or that occur after the first few days, reach out to your piercer or doctor. Follow as clean a routine as possible like: Cleaning the hands with hot water before touching your belly button piercing. How Long Should You Wait To Swim After Getting A Piercing. So it's best to wait until the piercing has . This will be totally dependent on an individuals rate of healing. When this is observed, it is important for it to be followed up by proper belly button piercing aftercare for the healing to be seamless. For more advice, like how to shower with a new piercing, read on. top of the ear - 6 to 8 weeks belly button (navel) - 6 months to 1 year nose - up to 6 months tongue - 2 to 4 weeks Swimming after a piercing It's possible to pick up an infection from any body of water, so while your piercing heals you should avoid swimming in: swimming pools streams, lakes and rivers the sea You should also avoid using hot tubs. How many times should I clean the piercing? To view the purposes they believe they have legitimate interest for, or to object to this data processing use the vendor list link below. Infections in the belly button are common. Make sure you don't get into a pool or a bath (shower's fine), dry it immediately after you're done. While body piercings are no longer restricted to hippies and fashionistas, you can find many teens and and even elderly ladies getting the most happening body piercings to show off their sense of style. To establish that the product manufacturers addressed safety and efficacy standards, we: We do the research so you can find trusted products for your health and wellness. if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[320,50],'outdoorfavor_com-leader-1','ezslot_0',670,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-outdoorfavor_com-leader-1-0'); Bodies of water, especially stagnant ones like lakes, harbor tons of microorganisms that can cause infection in your new piercing. Opt for maternity jewelry as oppose to normal jewelry. After the piercing has been done, some care you can give it involves adopting the correct lifestyle to facilitate healing. Below are the healing stages and various aftercare procedures. Only get rid of them when cleaning the area as at this time they will have soaked and softened up to get off the area when wiped off. For some, this may be as long as 12 months. This practice has expanded to many different areas of the body, including the belly button. A belly button piercing, also known as a navel piercing, is a piece of jewelry thats typically inserted through the skin, directly above the belly button. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. Here's a breakdown so you can plan your piercing accordingly. As you now know that proper healing of belly button piercing can take 6 to 12 months and these numbers look quite big for beach lovers so here are some tips that you should start to follow from the very first day of piercing to ensure that youre ready to rock in your bikini. It can take anywhere from nine months to a year for a belly button piercing to fully heal. The full breakdown, according to NHS, is that ear piercings take six to eight weeks, belly button piercings take six months to a year, and nose piercings take up to six months. Typically featuring a curved barbell, this style has a plethora of options and adornments like stones, jewels, or charms hanging off the end of the ring. During the healing period, there may be bleeding or secretion of other fluids, and that can be an entry point for bacteria. This means six to eight weeks for a simple ear piercing, and up to 6 months for nipple/navel piercings and at least two weeks for a tattoo. The placement is then marked; you should have agreed on location with your piercer beforehand, but now is the time to double-check that its marked in the correct spot. so ideally, you should not swim for 6 months to let it heal to 60 to 100%. so ideally, you should not swim for 6 months to let it heal to 60 to 100%.if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[250,250],'outdoorfavor_com-banner-1','ezslot_2',668,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-outdoorfavor_com-banner-1-0'); These piercings take longer to heal due to the constant movement of the area where the piercing is and the fact that clothing can rub against it nearly all the time. Its a super quick process which makes it very manageable.. Do it in your own, clean bath. Now thoroughly rinse the area with plain water so that no residue of soap is left behind. This website uses cookies to improve your experience. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); We may earn a commission when you purchase via links on this page. According to Outland, the top of the jewelry usually comes unscrewed, allowing for the jewelry to be slipped out and easily replaced in the same manner. After having a piercing, it's important to keep the area clean and dry. Hi! This smaller jewelry style is perfect for those who lead a very active lifestyle or don't feel the need to show off their navel piercing all the time. Think of this as your body coming to terms with the new object in your navel. In severe infections, you may experience nausea. Our site includes quite a bit of content, so if you're having an issue finding what you're looking for, go on ahead and use that search feature there! Some of these include: There are a lot of ways through which a navel piercing can get infected. Avoid pools chlorine kills white blood cells on site. Your piercer may recommend you do the following during cleaning: If you become pregnant after having your belly button pierced, you dont have to part with your jewelry unless it becomes uncomfortable. How Long Does It Take a Tattoo to Fully Heal? That means spending some extra time in the shower letting the water run on the piercing or sticking it under the faucet. If youre still interested in a belly button piercing, the best place to start is to find a licensed, experienced piercer who will work with your anatomy to give you the best piercing. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our. While sweat is naturally produced by the body, and is just a sign of your body taking care of itself, "make sure to take a shower after exercising as a clean body tends to be a healthier body." Brooks says. Clients dont need to completely avoid exercise after a new piercing, they just need to exercise with care. Brooks says. Skimping on the material can lead to undue irritation or infection. wikiHow's Content Management Team carefully monitors the work from our editorial staff to ensure that each article is backed by trusted research and meets our high quality standards. Figueroa says her advice is a recommendation, and its ultimately up to the client to follow it or not. According to the Mayo Clinic, you should avoid swimming after getting a piercing. Avoid excessive caffeine and alcohol. If the customer chooses another option, we charge [for] the jewelry.. If you're wondering what effects exercise could have on a new tattoo or piercing, you're not alone. Heres What You Need to Know About Pain and Healing Time, All Your Helix Piercing Questions, Answered, Considering a Conch Piercing? Once any discharge has softened, you can clean it with a cotton bud or piece of gauze. In very serious infections, it can also be detrimental to your overall health. The right choice of jewelry and how professional the piercer is also affect how long it takes for the piercing to heal. Brooklyn tattoo artist Carmen Figueroa breaks it down for us, including why its important to follow the artists aftercare instructions to the best of your ability. But the more the aftercare deviates from the recommendations of the artist the lesser the chances of having an easy and successful healing process, she says. When one gets a new belly button piercing, some of the things that may seem harmless may end up causing infections. Piercings are relatively inexpensive, and they will eventually heal if you change your mind. After that, a hollow needle will be pushed through to create a hole in the designated spot, followed by the jewelry. (2012). You could also settle for jewelry made from PTFE material. wikiHow is where trusted research and expert knowledge come together. Once you get out of the bath, lightly pat your piercing dry and immediately rinse the area out with sea salt water. While youre at the shop, ask the piercer about their process and the sterilization methods they use. Piercing is one of the oldest and most practiced forms of body modification. Is it okay to apply it to new piercings to avoid infections? Wow! Neosporin is an antibiotic product that is used to prevent infections and speed up the healing of wounds. As far as intensive exercising goes, Figueroa says its not recommended because its not good to have bacteria sitting on top of an open wound. Wow! Do Wrangler Jeans Shrink? With any fresh piercing we generally recommend you avoid swimming for the first month, though the risk to your piercing depends on where you're swimming. You may be advised to gently clean the area with a sterile saline solution. I use to clean it with salt water but I stopped because it was healing so i left it alone. Allow Necessary Cookies & Continue Then, its recommended to clean your piercing twice a day with a sterile saline solution. Assuming that everything went smooth, wait 48 to 72 hours, contingent upon whether or not you experience irritation in the affected area. This ThoughtfulTattoos article tells you how to swim with a belly button ring. They may contain bacteria that could cause infections on the piercings. In this stage, the body starts to react to the healing wound. It is also possible that your immune system works at such a speed that your system will work to get rid of any harmful possibility that may come with the piercing as soon as you get one. At times infections will occur. However, its important to note that not everyone can get a belly button piercing. All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published. Opt for a belly button ring made of 14- or 18-karat gold, titanium, surgical steel, or niobium. He has good research skills, and thats why you can see why his articles are packed with info that is factual and not readily available. By the time this phase comes to an end, the piercing is considered almost healed. Wait and be wise. Apply a small amount of soap on the new piercing and the area for about 30 seconds. Getting a belly button piercing does not mean that you cannot swimming with it on. Even before putting into place regular care procedures, there are some basics that should not be ignored. Also, I learned this was key: Make sure you get the belly ring with a post instead of an actual ring. Ideally, you shouldnt swim for the entire healing period. [3] Disinfectant and a very good rinse. When I bend over or lean downward it start to hurt bad. If you are wondering whether one can actually swim with a belly button ring, the answer is yes, you can! It's normal for the area to feel sore for a few days after the piercing. (2018). It can take as long as 2 years for a belly button piercing to heal completely. But you might want to slow down and plan your piercings out more strategically. But, make sure that you dont forget to follow the instructions mentioned below before stepping inside the pool. Never go swimming after a new piercing. If you've got a new piercing, you know how important it is to keep it clean and healthy. The initial jewelry should not be changed until such a time that the piercing is deemed healed. When you get a new piercing, youre welcoming a foreign object into your body. That way, its healed and ready to be shown off at the beach, the lake, or by the pool! {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/8\/84\/Take-a-Bath-with-a-New-Piercing-Step-1.jpg\/v4-460px-Take-a-Bath-with-a-New-Piercing-Step-1.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/8\/84\/Take-a-Bath-with-a-New-Piercing-Step-1.jpg\/aid7373968-v4-728px-Take-a-Bath-with-a-New-Piercing-Step-1.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"