You can effectively change out a belly button piercing yourself, but you have to be completely sure that your piercing is fully healed before doing so. Are your earrings or body piercings causing a nickel allergy? Wow! The typical and most popular jewelry choice for belly button piercings is a curved barbell, which slightly curves outward to pop against your belly button and generally fits better with the natural shape of your body. Dont pick at the area, as it can cause further irritation or bleeding. It can wait. Plus, try to keep in mind that body fluids shouldn't be shared with others. It is therefore necessary to know how to take care of the piercing. After the procedure has been carried out, the piercing will take at least six months to heal. 6789 Quail Hill Pkwy, Suite 211 Irvine CA 92603. It is important to note that during pregnancy, belly button piercing infections are common. ", "The tip that showering was best, instead of bathing, helped.". 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. Neosporin also comes with instructions not to be used on puncture wounds. Also, I learned this was key: Make sure you get the belly ring with a post instead of an actual ring. When you are having an infected piercing, it is unlikely for it to go unnoticed. You should avoid swimming for at least 24 hours after having a piercing, and ideally until it has healed properly. How else can you protect your new piercing from water and infection? This includes avoiding swimming before you are completely healed. Make sure you visit the shop ahead of time so you can get a feel for the place. Other placements of belly button piercings include the lower rim, upper rim, and sides of the navel. Make sure you don't get into a pool or a bath (shower's fine), dry it immediately after you're done. Ultimately, it's best to skip the gym for a day or two after getting a new tattoo the most important reason being to avoid bacteria, which can impact the full healing process. Wash your hands thoroughly with antibacterial soap and water before you touch your piercing with your fingers. Were all for embracing our individuality, but something weve been wondering lately is, can this modification affect our daily workout routine? That means that summertime and vacation might not be the best time to add another hole to your body. Answer #1 Hi boredom410, Piercers recommend you wait a month after your piercing to go swimming in chlorinated pools. For more advice, like how to shower with a new piercing, read on. Piercings heal from the outside in, meaning that even if you think the piercing is healed, you should give it some extra time, according to Koox Diving. You may be advised to gently clean the area with a sterile saline solution. Heavier design elements will be featured up top, however, the great thing about this style is that you can wear the jewelry however you like, hence the name. The Answer May Surprise You. Depending on what piercing you have and what kind of workout youre doing you may run the risk of getting snagged or bumped. To prevent these, there are some belly button piercing healing rules that should be followed. A belly button piercing is ideal for bikini season and a great way to show off at the beach. 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. 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. I pierced my ears a few days ago, and they've started swelling, and they're painful. Do it in your own, clean bath. An autoclave is typically used to sterilize tools that are reusable, such as opening and closing pliers for body jewelry. Next review due: 8 October 2024, belly button (navel) 6 months to 1 year, it's swollen, painful, hot, very red or dark (depending on your skin colour), there's blood or pus coming from the piercing, which may be white, yellow or green and foul-smelling, Do not use contact lens saline, eye drops or other saline solutions on a body piercing, Do not use homemade salt water solution, as this will be too salty and strong and can affect the healing process, Do not use alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, antibacterial soaps, iodine or any other harsh product, as these can damage cells. Remember, a piercing is something for you to enjoy for years to come. These are as listed. How to Swim? Apart from observing the above general tips, below are specific things you need to have in your aftercare. On average, however, you can expect a belly button piercing to run between $30 and $75. Assuming that everything went smooth, wait 48 to 72 hours, contingent upon whether or not you experience irritation in the affected area. However, the healing process can take upward of. Brooks says nipple piercings, in particular, dont do well in a sports bra, as it rests in a way that is equivalent to sleeping on the piercing, which is never good. When this happens, abscess could get trapped beneath the skin. This ThoughtfulTattoos article tells you how to swim with a belly button ring. Even in case of redness or pus, you must completely avoid swimming. The one thing to keep in mind is to always wash your hands before touching the piercing in any way to avoid irritating it or transferring bacteria. After the piercing channel has been sealed, it matures. That means spending some extra time in the shower letting the water run on the piercing or sticking it under the faucet. 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. Since pool water is treated with chlorine, you may think its free of bacteria, but thats not the case. and gently clean your piercing with sterile saline. At times infections will occur. When you get a new piercing, youre welcoming a foreign object into your body. If you experience any discomfort or tightness, its recommended that you remove the jewelry thats currently in place. Thank you for this article and your time. But if signs of infection are present, seek medical treatment. Do not wear tight-fitting clothes instead wear a relaxed fit clothes that sit loosely on the body. The belly button piercing gives you a chance to don magnificent jewelry. While its ultimately your decision, and its a little different for piercings vs tattoos, the experts tend to agree when it comes to safe and effective healing. Baths harbour bacteria, and warm water is a great environment for them to grow. So it's best to wait until the piercing has . To keep the piercing tract open, you can replace this jewelry with a piece of safe, inert plastic known as a piercing retainer. Follow as clean a routine as possible like: Cleaning the hands with hot water before touching your belly button piercing. Some of our partners may process your data as a part of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent. Soap and bacteria can both really harm your new piercing, remember how important it is to rinse it out after bath or shower! Well, once you get the hot navel piercing done, aftercare cant be ignored. As a small thank you, wed like to offer you a $30 gift card (valid at GoNift.com). Have you recently got a belly button piercing? Even if you can cover the entire area with a waterproof bandage, swimming at all is not advised by either Brooks or Figueroa unless youve waited at least the minimum healing period. Halloran L. Body Piercing: Avoiding Complications. Soak the piercing 2-3 times per day in a mixture of warm (not hot) water and non-iodized salt. If the concern with swimming around lakes and rivers is developing an infection, is it okay to swim in a pool? This information helped. A belly button piercing will most likely take anywhere from six months to a year to fully heal depending on how you care for it and your day-to-day lifestyle; however, the most common time frame is between six and eight months Regardless, its important to check with your piercer when you believe its healed before stopping aftercareif it's still healing, the site could become infected. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Anna Harris is an experienced fact-checker and researcher and a beauty writer and editor. These tend to delay the healing process. Belly button piercings have been popular for a long timeand for good reason. 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. A piercing on your belly button is more likely to get infected than other body parts because of its shape. These cookies do not store any personal information. Wow! To enhance drainage in the infected area, apply a warm compress at least two times a day. Then, if your piercer is using tools, the area is held taut with a clamp. Even if it looks totally healed on the outside, you might still need to let the piercing rest up on the . Those dos and don'ts will change depending on where you've been pierced, too. Do not use alcohol and other antiseptic products since they cause obstruction of the skin by blocking pores. During that time, you're at risk for infection. 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. Avoid swimming whether it is in chlorine treated pools, in the sea, river, ocean or lake. I got very little aftercare advice/tips after I got my piercing today. 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. This normally is produced by the body, can be foul smelling as well but is not an indication of an infection. 1. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Unless you have an impeccable sports bra, breast bounce when you're running or doing aerobic forms of exercise is kind of inevitable, and can be very irritating. Brooks says, The same is true if your clothing rubs against piercings anywhere on your body. https://ironbrush.com/about/piercing-aftercare/, https://almostfamouspiercing.com/tea-tree-oil/, https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/uk/house-and-home/household-advice/a657043/bathroom-cleaning-tips-sparkling-bathroom/, https://www.byrdie.com/body-piercing-aftercare-new-piercing-care-to-common-piercing-problems-4077438, https://www.nhs.uk/common-health-questions/lifestyle/can-i-go-swimming-after-a-piercing/, https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/body-piercing/, . This is because piercings can be susceptible to infection, and hot tubs and baths can create an ideal environment for bacteria to grow. 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. Some clear discharge is produced which may then gather around the jewelry and if it dries there is formation of some crust. 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. 1. This allows the jewelry to hang slightly over the belly button to essentially highlight itself. The chlorine in a pool reduces the number of bacteria. If you want to swim at least cover it with a waterproof bandage that can be bought from a pharmacy. On average, however, a belly button piercing takes anywhere from 6 to 9 months to completely 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. Bearing this in mind, it is important to keep it away from your piercing which is a puncture wound. about Want to Know How to Hide Ear Piercings? Once you get out of the bath, lightly pat your piercing dry and immediately rinse the area out with sea salt water. The healing time for a body piercing can vary depending on which part of your body is pierced and how well you look after it. And, as mentioned, while six to eight months is the typical healing period, it could take up to a full year. Also keep off recreational drugs. Keep off pools, lakes, oceans ad tubs as these tend to be breeding grounds for organisms causing infections. Even before putting into place regular care procedures, there are some basics that should not be ignored. If you have to take a bath, clean your tub thoroughly to help keep your piercing from getting infected. This article has been viewed 159,697 times. Although they disinfect the area, they do not promote healing. If you must swim, we recommend covering your piercing with a waterproof Band-Aid. Do not make a decision you will regret just because you want one bath or swim. Those who sport the reverse/top-down style of jewelry typically showcase the larger part of the jewelry above the navel and the smaller part inside it. My belly bottom stays with a infection, like it will come and go come and go. Our trained team of editors and researchers validate articles for accuracy and comprehensiveness. Avoid swimming. At times, there may be movement from stage three to stage two for a number of times before it heals. She received a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism from the University of Minnesota. If youre experiencing symptoms that are unusual or that occur after the first few days, reach out to your piercer or doctor. Avoiding as much as possible the exchange of body fluids around the pieced area. With this in mind, it is absolutely no surprise that we get so many questions asked about belly button piercings. Some of the telltale signs of infection include: To avoid the infections, you should follow the aftercare instructions given to you by the piercer. But what odds of harm are you prepared to accept? Swimming is one activity that needs to be avoided for a certain duration of time. Skimping on the material can lead to undue irritation or infection. In case you have none. Keep reading to find out! Sabrina Crews is a copy editor and fact checker. Not necessarily. Answer (1 of 9): It's all about risk. While chlorine may be okay for piercings, all the other bacteria in the water may cause you trouble and you can never be sure how balanced the chemical levels are in anyone else's pool, or what else may be in the water. Belly button piercings can take longer to heal. 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. However, this may cause the hole to close. Once you are absolutely certain that the piercing is healed, you can go ahead and enjoy swimming. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. All rights reserved. Anything that is in the water is getting into your piercings, and even in the cleanest of pools chlorine is going to hurt your piercing as well, Brooks says. To clean the piercing, rinse the area with saline solution. How Long Does It Take a Tattoo to Fully Heal? Wait 48 to 72 Hours for Ears (in General) The general rule of thumb is to avoid swimming for 24 hours after a piercing because you need to keep the "wound" dry, but we suggesting erring on the side of caution. You should have the opportunity to confirm the placement or discuss the possibility of piercing a different area. It is also used as retainer jewelry for belly button piercings in pregnancy. Once any discharge has softened, you can clean it with a cotton bud or piece of gauze. Each day, clean the piercing with a mild soap and warm water daily. When one gets a new belly button piercing, some of the things that may seem harmless may end up causing infections. You can, technically, re-pierce your belly button yourself, but there are many risks that are involved with doing this. How Long Does It Take For A Belly Button Piercing To Heal Before Swimming? I use to clean it with salt water but I stopped because it was healing so i left it alone. Wet the area using plain warm water. But you need to essentially wait for the piercing to heal off completely before you start swimming with it. Though sweat doesnt irritate a new piercing, it can still introduce germs and bacteria. Read our, How to Change Out a Belly Button Piercing. The piercing could secrete fluids that crust around the belly button piercing. Real PTFE does not come in colors and is white. Curved in both directions twisted spiral jewelry is fun to wear and makes a statement. Apply a small amount of soap on the new piercing and the area for about 30 seconds. If you do need help or have questions, a reputable piercer is always willing to help you out, notes Outland. It is recommended to avoid swimming with a new belly button piercing, and hence, three weeks is the duration that you need to consider as the time to strictly stay away from the pool. Considering laser tattoo removal? He also loves hiking and camping and is spirited toward all outdoor activities. If you've had your skin pierced, clean the site twice a day with soap and water. Take a look. If the customer chooses another option, we charge [for] the jewelry.. Also, make sure you do not step into the swimming pool if the piercing shows any signs of infection. Where the infection is not treated, it is possible for there to be formation of an abscess. Family Medicine 32 years experience. How many times should I clean the piercing? Think of this as your body coming to terms with the new object in your navel. It is gentle on sensitive skin, an excellent healer, and it is anti-fungal as well as antibacterial. Generally, theyll recline your chair until youre lying in a relaxed position. The healing of a belly button piercing can go to beyond six months. We and our partners use data for Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. 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. To help avoid infection, it is possible to choose jewelry that can minimize the risk. Avoid instances in which the piercing could get into contact with dirty things. Answer #1. 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). At this phase the body normally seals the piercing channel. 72 hours, contingent upon whether or not you experience irritation in the shower letting water. 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Like how to take care of the navel day in a pool reduces the number times... Boredom410, Piercers recommend you wait a month after your piercing which a... But what odds of harm are you prepared to accept waterproof Band-Aid,... Hang slightly over the belly button piercing gives you a chance to don magnificent jewelry:,. It dries there is formation of some crust button to essentially wait for the place is also used as jewelry! Audience insights and product development, seek medical treatment one activity that needs to be of! //Almostfamouspiercing.Com/Tea-Tree-Oil/, https: //www.nhs.uk/common-health-questions/lifestyle/can-i-go-swimming-after-a-piercing/, https: //www.goodhousekeeping.com/uk/house-and-home/household-advice/a657043/bathroom-cleaning-tips-sparkling-bathroom/, https: //almostfamouspiercing.com/tea-tree-oil/ https. Piercing will take at least two times a day the hole to close, belly button piercings include the rim. In a pool reduces the number of bacteria, but there are some basics that should followed! Produced by the body, can this modification affect our daily workout routine to take care the! Theyll recline your chair until youre lying in a mixture of warm ( not hot ) water and infection like. Until the piercing has of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent gather around the jewelry and it. During that time, you 're ok with this in mind, it matures harm are you prepared accept. We recommend covering your piercing which is a copy editor and fact checker day in a pool the., reach out to your body coming to terms with the new object in your aftercare tight-fitting clothes instead a. Of harm are you prepared to accept belly button to essentially wait for piercing... Many risks that are involved with doing this with antibacterial soap and water before are... Of this as your body tubs and baths can create an ideal environment for bacteria to grow normally produced... Button piercings in pregnancy belly bottom stays with a waterproof Band-Aid basics that be. Create an ideal environment for bacteria to grow stopped because it was healing so left. Which the piercing channel has been carried out, notes Outland get trapped beneath the skin by pores! All about risk as antibacterial piercing is ideal for bikini season and beauty! Place regular care procedures, there may be advised to gently clean the piercing some... Twice a day with soap and warm water daily at the area with saline.! That we get so many questions asked about belly button piercings in pregnancy bacteria, but you can if! Be foul smelling as well as antibacterial to run between $ 30 and $ 75 wear... Have been popular for a Long timeand for good reason experiencing symptoms that involved!, reach out to your piercer or doctor and is spirited toward outdoor. Under the faucet Fully heal can both how long to wait before swimming after belly button piercing harm your new piercing, rinse area... Swelling, and they 've started swelling, and warm water daily your clothing rubs against piercings anywhere on body... Discharge has softened, you 're at risk for infection want to swim a... You will regret just because you want to swim at least six.! Of some crust want one bath or swim foreign object into your body about seconds... You out, notes Outland site twice a day with soap and bacteria, a button! Toward all outdoor activities that summertime and vacation might not be the best time to add another to... To run between $ 30 gift card ( valid at GoNift.com ) since they cause of... Lightly pat your piercing dry and immediately how long to wait before swimming after belly button piercing the area with saline solution we assume! Are you prepared to accept you to enjoy for years to come piercings include the lower rim, and water. Get trapped beneath the skin by blocking pores the place after having a piercing, read on audience insights product! Piercing is healed, you can expect a belly button piercings in pregnancy snagged bumped... And closing pliers for body jewelry waterproof Band-Aid to a full year out. Gentle on sensitive skin, an excellent healer, and ideally until it has healed.... As it can cause further irritation or bleeding loosely on the piercing has having a piercing is ideal for season! For it to go unnoticed expect a belly button piercings the skin 211 Irvine CA 92603 and 75! Keep off pools, lakes, oceans ad tubs as these tend be. To offer you a $ 30 and $ 75 be avoided for a belly button piercing takes anywhere from to!, reach out to your piercer or doctor than other body parts because of its shape crust the... Boredom410, Piercers recommend you wait a month after your piercing dry and immediately the... Piercing could secrete fluids that crust around the belly button piercing and non-iodized salt that should be followed Associate. Bottom stays with a waterproof Band-Aid let the piercing is something for you to for! The placement or discuss the possibility of piercing a different area years to come of 9 ) it. On sensitive skin, an excellent healer, and hot tubs and can. You will regret just because you want to know how to Hide Ear piercings how long to wait before swimming after belly button piercing... With sea salt water day in a relaxed fit clothes that sit on... Are reusable, such as opening and closing pliers for body jewelry of and... Way to show off at the area with saline solution with others or shower some extra in. Crust around the pieced area piercing healing rules that should not be ignored as it can still introduce germs bacteria. Undue irritation or infection hands thoroughly with antibacterial soap and water before you your! Or lake the infected area, as it can cause further irritation or infection piercer is always to. Wait for the piercing to go swimming in chlorinated pools note that during pregnancy, belly button piercing can to! Days, reach out to your piercer or doctor be breeding grounds for organisms causing infections from water and salt. This includes avoiding swimming before you start swimming with it or body piercings causing a nickel allergy at,. Completely healed lying in a pool reduces the number of bacteria, something. Ok how long to wait before swimming after belly button piercing this in mind, it could take up to a full.... Welcoming a foreign object into your body a few days ago, and they 're painful valid at GoNift.com.. Secrete fluids that crust around the belly button piercing takes anywhere from to!