Symptoms can include pain, redness, and swelling, and improving hygiene can help. Complete healing can take 9–12 months. In the meantime, a piercing is technically a healing wound, and it may be sore, red, or irritated.
Belly button piercings are considered the second least painful piercings after ear piercings. That's because the thick tissue left behind from when your umbilical cord was removed is flesh and not very nerve dense.
In the days after you receive your belly piercing, you'll most likely feel some discomfort, including swelling, throbbing, and some aching. This is normal. If the piercing pain becomes too much to bear, speak to a medical professional.
Because the skin on your stomach is fleshy, it's true that you can probably expect it to be less painful than some sort of cartilage piercing. However, a piercing is created by pulling a needle through the skin, so there is, of course, some pain involved.
Pierced areas, especially sensitive areas like the navel, can get infected months and even years after they were pierced, though infections most often occur very shortly after the time of piercing, as that is when the portal door is wide open.
Workout and wardrobe choices
However, as long as you keep your piercing absolutely clean, it is safe to work out after having it done and while it is healing. If you want to be on the safe side, consider taking your exercise outdoors for the first week or so.
Avoid baths, hot tubs, swimming pools, saunas, lakes, etc. for the first three weeks after being pierced as they contain bacteria which can increase the risk of infection.
Yes, you can take your earrings out after 6-8 weeks if they feel ready, but don't leave them out! They will still close quickly since they're relatively new. Leave your earrings in as often as you can for roughly a year before going extended periods without them.
Sleep on your back or sides.
Sleep on your back and sides for the first few weeks after your piercing. This helps to ensure that you don't apply uncomfortable pressure on your piercing by sleeping on your stomach, while it's still new and sensitive.
A cold compress and/or ice will help reduce swelling and slow bleeding. Secrete a whiteish-yellow fluid which may dry on the piercing. This is normal and will stop when the piercing is healed.
Generally, belly button piercings will take 6-12 months or sometimes longer to have fully healed. The first time you take your jewellery out, we recommend getting a piercer to help you as they can assess whether it has healed enough for a changeover without irritating the piercing.
When rejection does happen, it's usually in a flat area of the body. Rejection is more common in the following types of piercings: eyebrow. belly button.
Gently rub the cotton swab around your piercing until the area is clean. Instead of a cotton swab, you can also use a wet paper towel or a clean gauge. You can also soak the navel area with saline water and wait for 10 minutes before washing with fresh water. Then, dry out the navel with a soft tissue.
Avoid drinking any alcohol for the first 4-5 days after receiving your piercing, as it can promote bleeding and increase swelling. The use of any recreational drugs should also be avoided as it may slow the healing process.
While cleaning your new piercing, it is not necessary to rotate or move the jewelry back and forth. If the jewelry does move freely while cleaning, that is fine. Make sure not to force it to move.
It is best to try to avoid sleeping on that area for at least the first few months. If you find that you must sleep on your belly, make sure you clean your sheets often and that you avoid clothing or blankets that may catch your jewelry and snag it.
Though sweat doesn't irritate a new piercing, it can still introduce germs and bacteria. Remember, a piercing constitutes a wound and it's healing during this time.
It could take anywhere from about 3-6 months, and sometimes up to a year, for a naval piercing to heal completely, depending on your body and how well you care for the piercing. However, once the piercing site has fully healed, there's no reason you can't go back to your regular wardrobe.
Nicotine will restrict and decrease blood flow near the surface of the skin. Research has found that vapes, like cigarettes, will reduce the oxygen content in your blood. In doing this, nicotine and vapes will slow down the healing process for piercings. Vaping will negatively impact your piercings healing time.
A. It's normal to have some redness, swelling or pain for a couple of days after getting your ears pierced. But your ears should look and feel better each day. If you find that your ears do great and then suddenly start to become red, inflamed or crusty a week or two later, that's usually a sign of infection.
But just like the rest of your body, they need to be cleaned. In fact, a 2012 study found that 67 different types of bacteria are in the average bellybutton. Most bellybuttons have crevices that can collect dirt and breed bacteria. Aim to clean yours about once a week.