My disappointing navel piercing

At A Glance Author anonymous Artist Fiona Studio piercing shop Location british columbia, Canada

I had wanted a navel ring for quite a long time, and I had finally got up the nerve to do it after talking to some of my soccer teammates. A few girls had their navels pierced, mostly with good results. My husband knew I was fond of the idea but had no idea I would actually do it. I thought I would get it done then see how long it would be until he noticed. I made the appointment for the next week knowing that it would give me plenty of time to chicken out if I needed to. I debated whether I should take a friend but I thought she might freak me out too much. Besides most people I talked to said "ooooh gross!"

The day of the piercing and I was to be getting it done on my lunch hour. I was getting nervous. If I hadn't had one very nasty customer that got me so angry and frustrated I probably would have chickened out. I was still really worked up from that customer so off I went to the piercing shop. I think the adrenalin was the best drug of all.

I wasn't nervous anymore.

Once at the shop I was told how the piercing was going to be done. I selected a surgical steel ring with a nice bead since it has the least chance of reaction. She marked where the hole would be and made sure I was okay with it. I lay down on the table and was given some aromatherapy, along with my deep breathing to help me relax. Then she told me on my next breath out she would put the needle through. At first there was a sharp prick as the needle broke the skin then I could feel the needle going through the bellybutton. When it was going through it was a weird feeling, but it was over so fast. It didn't really hurt, I was surprised. After there was no pain and no blood, it was just a little sore. The piercing went well, especially since the needle was much bigger than I expected. The woman explained the cleaning routine and the kind of cleanser to buy and I was on my way.

WOW I did it! I was so excited. It didn't take long for my husband to notice. That evening he gave me squeeze and I yiked and jumped away. My husband thought it was kinda cool, he was mostly surprised I didn't chicken out.

I cleaned my piercing 4-6 times a day with the Hibitaine antibacterial cleanser and used Basiquent 2 times a day for the first week. All was going well until 9 days later. I got an itchy rash throughout my bellybutton that drove me crazy. Little red bumps. It looked a little red around the holes but the was no pus coming out or anything. I had religously took care of my piercing and I wasn't sure what was a normal healing. I talked to the woman who did the piercing and we decided that I would use Bactine as well as the antibacterial cleanser for a few days to see if that would help. It wasn't sore to the touch, and it didn't look too bad. I'd heard that you need to be patient with a navel piercing, they can take a while to fully heal.

Four days later I went to the shop to let the woman look at it and I wasn't ready for what she said. My body was rejecting the surgical steel ring. I was glad that I had decided to let her look at it. It was hard to tell if it was normal or not, like I said it didn't look that bad. I was given the choice whether to try a titanium ring or the gold ring. I opted for the titanium ring. Once the new ring was in it didn't fit right, too small. (unfortunately the size I needed she didn't have, they were on order.) So out came that ring. The gold ring I didn't like so at that point I didn't even try it. My piercing was sore and I was throughly disappointed. Then I chickened out. Even though she though I shouldn't give up. " Remember a navel ring takes patience." I'm not known to have lots of patience. That was that! I would let my piercing heal over.

I was really surprised at my feelings. I was realy bummed out. I had really wanted a navel piercing then to have my body reject it. I'm a little worried about trying again in case my body rejects the titanium too or even the gold. I guess I shouldn't be too suprised, I have had problems with my ear piercings as well. The woman who did my piercing was very professional, very knowledgeable and said when it healed over I could come back and she would do it again. Maybe I will, maybe I won't........