Hi, i'm Emma and i'm 14. I got my navel piercing done about 7 weeks ago. Up until my best friend, Amy had her navel pierced, I always thought that it looked pretty but disgusting that people could have needles rammed through their navels. But after Amy had had hers done and she reassured me that it didn't hurt I thought 'what the hell'!
At A Glance Author Emma Contact gozza66667@hotmail.com When A month ago Artist Emma Studio Blue Banana Location Doncaster My mum has always been a bit funny about the whole 'body modification' thing and she was reluctant to let me get my ear lobes done so I needed a miracle if she was going to let me have this done, so one night I plucked up the courage and asked her if I could get my navel pierced. Her reaction surprised me. She actually said yes! But naturally with parents their is always a catch and mine was I had to wait about 8 weeks until I was 14 to get it done. I couldn't wait that long but I didn't have much choice in the matter. God knows how many times I went into Blue Banana(the studio) and picked my bar.
Anyway, 7 weeks came and went and I'd persuaded my mum to let me get it done on the 29th of November which is about 3 or 4 days before my 14th birthday, so bravely I set off to pick up my aunty and my cousin who were going to come in with me while I was mutilated. When we actually set off I wasn't nervous but as soon as we got near the studio I was a bag of nerves.
All this was despite my secret weapon. You may be wondering how the hell you can have a secret weapon when you are getting a piercing but as my mum works at the local hospital she got her hands on some numbing cream. Now with this magical stuff you just squirt loads onto the area you want to numb then cover it with this see through plaster, leave it for at least an hour then wipe it off. You are numbed. Simple!
So I walked into the studio accompanied by my mum, aunty and my cousin and I walked over to the counter at the back of the shop where you sign for piercings and choose your bars ect. The woman asked what I wanted doing and my mum said that I wanted my navel piercing. She said ok then got me this sheet, explained what I had to do and then me and my mum signed it. I don't think my signature was actually readable because I was shaking that much. After I had chosen my bar, which was purple with a dark purple stone, I went into the waiting room to wait while my jewellery was sterilised in the autoclave and she got the room prepared ect. My mum watched all this being done and when she was satisfied my big moment had come.
I shakily walked into the piercing room which was absolutely immaculate, the clean smell was enough to knock you out! She told me to face away from the bench where the equipment was set out but it was to late - I had seen the needle! It wasn't very nice but I thought it's now or never. She cleaned the area with a sterile swab and then made an entry and exit hole with a pen. She never asked me if it was ok but I'm glad she didn't because I would have said no to delay her! Next she told me to lay on this bed and shuffle right down so my feet were touching the bottom. She sprayed my navel with numbing spray and then got on with it. Unfortunately if you've read my experience with some hope of finding out what the pain is like I cannot help you. I didn't feel anything, not even the clamps on my skin because of the numbing cream.
When she had finished she told me to slowly get up and showed me my new piercing in the mirror. I fell in love instantly. Before I went she told me the aftercare instructions and gave me this little leaflet incase I forgot anything she told me.
I don't want to be patronising but i'll run through the aftercare incase anyone is unsure. It is only what my piercer told me and yours may have told you different. First prepare a salt water solution with about half a teaspoon of rock salt and 100ml of preboiled water. It's best to make it a cup beforehand then pour some into an eggcup. Place the eggcup over the navel(make sure its COOL!) and leave on for 10 minutes. When times up rinse it with clean water as the salt may suck out all the moisture if its left. Then apply 2 or 3 drops of 5% tea tree oil to the holes and leave for 2 minutes.
If anyone lives in the Doncaster area, I would seriously recommend Blue Banana. Its safe and sterile and I wouldn't get pierced anywhere else. I recently had a cartilage piercing done there- that was quite painful and i'm looking into getting my tragus done next. If anyone is thinking about a navel piercing just go for it! E-mail me if anyone has any questions!
Good luck and happy piercing :-)
Emma XxX