Pierced Navel = Piece of Cake

At A Glance Author anonymous Artist I didn't catch his name Studio Black Hole Body Piercing Location Reno, NV

For years I didn't have anything besides the standard hole per earlobe piercing, but in high school I decided that I needed another piercing. My parents vetoed the idea of my getting my eyebrow pierced, so I got a second hole in my left lobe. That satisfied me until I was almost nineteen and realized I didn't need parental permission. So, naturally I got my eyebrow pierced and that was all I planned on getting done, but I became addicted. Four months later my tongue too was impaled by a cylinder of metal. I was able to wait eight months before I got my daith pierced, but after a month, I simply had to get my navel pierced.

I had been taunting one of my friends who wanted to get her eyebrow pierced, and finally she agreed to go get her ears pierced, I'm not quite sure how that worked, but there you go. So, I agreed to drive her to Black Hole because I knew where it was and I wanted to be sure she didn't chicken out. I also figured that since I was there I might as well get my navel pierced. So we parked and walked into the studio. The entryway was cool; it has comfy furniture and interesting artwork. We walked up to the counter, and a guy came out and asked if he could help us. We told him what we wanted done, and he had us pick out jewelry. I was told that they only pierce navels with curved barbells, which was fine with me. I chose a 14 gauge surgical steel curved barbell with bluish balls. We filled out the forms that made sure we understood that there could be problems and that we had eaten. He checked our IDs and told us to make ourselves comfortable while the piercer got ready. During this time I comforted my friend by telling her stories of huge needles, painful clamps and gushing blood. When the piercer called us back I made sure she went first. She said it didn't hurt at all.

So it was my turn. I hopped up on the medical table they have and he cleaned my navel. Then I stood up so that he could make the marks for placement. I okayed the placement by checking the dots in a nearby mirror and then lay back down. I tried to just relax as he got everything ready. I felt the clamps go on, and they were a little painful, but not too bad. He told me to take a deep breath and let it out as the needle was pushed through. The needle hurt, but it wasn't too bad, and the pain was over in a second. He inserted the barbell, tightened the balls, and went over the aftercare. I grabbed some of the sea salt that he offered and checked out my new piercing. I thought it looked great. We thanked him and left. Every morning I wash it in the shower with Dr. Bronner's Baby-Mild Castile soap and every night I soak it in a dixie cup of warm sea salt water.

Of all my piercings, I'd have to say that this one was among the least painful to heal. The piercing was a little tender at first. Right after it was done it stung a little, but that was gone the first night. After that it only hurt when it hit my jeans hit it or my cat stepped on it. At first I had to teach myself not to roll onto my stomach while I sleep, but now it is fine. I've had it just over a month, and I have no trouble from it, I figure that is because it was done in a clean studio and the only times I touch it is when I clean it.

I love my piercing, and even though I don't have anything approaching a washboard stomach I enjoy showing it off to my friends. I am an engineering student, so I have to look somewhat conservative if I want a job, but it isn't likely that anyone will ever know of this piercing unless I choose to tell them. I would recommend this piercing to anyone that wants it, it doesn't hurt that bad as long as you get it done a reputable studio and take good care of it.

Now, I just have to decide what I want to get done next. I am considering getting another ear cartilage piercing, but I figured I would wait until my current piercing have healed up some. Also, I have to make sure I get pierced at least a month before I go to donate blood again because the United Blood Service requires that piercing have to be at least a month old so that I can bleed into a bag for them.