I guess I should start by telling you how I got around to convincing my parents to let me get my navel pierced. My parents had already let me get 7 ear piercings (all gunned at the lovely Piercing Pagoda-- not) so they thought any more piercings would make me into a "freak." But I seriously wanted my navel pierced. It's huge! My friends would dare me to stick quarters in it for entertainment or their fingers or whatever else they possibly could. So I pointed out that I needed something to fill that "huge hole in my stomach." I also spent a year (no kidding) pointing out every single girl I saw with a navel piercing. I researched tons of stories on BME and hoped for the best. Finally, for Christmas, my mom agreed to let me have it, even though my dad still saw it as a sleazy piercing.
At A Glance Author katie Contact katie@bme.anon When A year ago Artist Brian Studio Exotix Location Brick, NJ My mom had gone to Hot Topic one day and asked a girl there with several piercings where she went to get her jobs done and she recommended this place in Brick, New Jersey called Exotix. The place was about 30 minutes away from my house so it seemed like a good place rather than all the tattoo parlors within ten minutes of my house.
When we arrived my adrenaline was running rapid. I had wanted it for so long and I was so anxious to how it would feel. The piercer, Brian, was a nice guy with only one visible, large gauge piercing in his ear. They had a nice receptionist who showed me to the available barbells. I opted for a pink gemmed curved barbell, rather than the ring only because I prefer the way they look, and they also noted that they healed faster. I had to show my birth certificate and my mom had to show her license. It cost about $60 for everything. I had to wait for a girl to get her cartilage done, then it was my turn.
He called me back into a small, bright room. I sat on that "doctor like" chair everyone always talked about. All his tools, needles and supplies were prepackaged and neatly next to him, of course he worse plastic gloves. My mother had to be in the room because I was only 16 at the time. All that legal mumbo-jumbo. The thing that kept me preoccupied was her face slowly turning purple as it happened. She hates anyone talking/touching/poking belly buttons so watching a needle poke through one was not her idea of a fun time. I have a high tolerance for pain, so the whole process didn't seem to phase me. If you know what a monkey bite is, it felt like that. A tight pinch. I had definitely been hit harder by my brother. Besides, I was on such an adrenaline rush I didn't really notice any pain.
After I tried to sit up to see it but he said to stop and lay for a minute and gave me a cup of water. He didn't want me to pass out. He commented that I had a nice shape for the ring (which was nice) and explained aftercare with a bunch of sheets he gave me. He also supplied me with some medical-grade soap and told me not to use any Bactine, Neosporin or other similar product. After I showed my ring off to the receptionist who also agreed it looked very nice on my body ( I guess you could say I felt very confident after getting it done) and that was that.
My mom and I then drove to the Walgreens across the street to pick up Sea Salt , Dial soap, and something to drink. Her face was still red from having to view that piercing (haha). I couldn't stop thinking that I actually had it done. I couldn't stop looking at it. When I got home and showed my dad he didn't like it one bit.
I followed the aftercare instructions diligently. A few things caught me off guard for the first weeks when you have it:
* Be careful when putting on tight shirts. I got my top ball caught a few times that way (ouch).
* The first time you clean it by rotating the bar feels so strange! But I got used to it quickly.
* DO NOT let people play with it. First it's just a bad idea and it allows bacteria towards it, but it WILL hurt.
* My piercing did get dry at times, a little bruised looking around the whole at the beginning, but I made sure not to pick, ever. I did everything to a "t" and a year later, the piercing is wonderfully healed.
* I was able to work out within days of the piercing. I am really into running and was kind of worried about it, but I just made sure I showered afterwards.
*Sea salt soaks work wonders.
I finally changed the ring a year later. I guess I just never got around to it. It's a little strange because the whole is bigger than a standard lobe piercing and you can see straight through! I was able to do it myself although I recommend that the squeamish have their piercer do it the first time.
I recommend this piercing to anyone. It was my first needle piercing but it definitely won't be my last. I turn 18 in May so I will be returning to Exotix for a few more piercings. I recommend the piercer and the place so check it out if you're ever in Brick, NJ!