When I turned 18, I wanted my navel pierced. It wasn't because it was the 'in' thing to do, or because all the popular chicks at school had it, it was simply because I wanted it. After months of begging, I finally convinced my mom to take me to get it pierced. I could go into a lot more detail about the whens, whats, wheres, whens, whys, and hows, but this story isn't about that piercing. This story focuses on my second navel piercing.
At A Glance Author Toby Contact Toby@bme.anon IAM thespiffyone When A month ago Studio Tribal Rites Location Boulder, CO After that piercing had healed, and I had my ear cartilage pierced, and I got inked for the first time, my attention again turned to my navel. My one navel piercing had grown a little boring by itself, I had had it for almost a year. I had just started college and most of the girls in my dorm hall had their navels pierced as well, and frankly, I was tired of people assuming I got it pierced just 'to be like everyone else.'
I was torn between two different second piercings I wanted. Either a bottom navel piercing, or a horizontal surface piercing just below my belly button. I spent some time drawing on myself to see which I liked better, and holding up extra pieces of jewelry to it, just to get an idea. My itch for a piercing was making me ancy, so finally I grabbed my boyfriend and we went to Tribal Rites in Boulder. I decided on the bottom - inverse - navel.
We got to the studio, which is only a few minutes from my dorm, and wandered in. It is a very clean place, with a lot visually going on. To the right are two tattoo areas, and to the left is all the jewelry behind glass and flash on the wall. Two very pierced and inked up people were playing cards at a small table, and they both got up when we walked in.
I told them exactly what I wanted. They took my license, gave me the paper to sign, and I was off to get pierced. My top navel was crooked (I'm not sure if it was pierced that way or if it migrated), so she took a few minutes trying to line up the dots with the top hole of my current piercing. Its just barely crooked, but enough to notice the two piercings aren't exactly lined up.
She dotted my navel and asked me to look in the mirror. It looked great so, with a goofy smile on my face, I laid down - on that chair that everybody knows so well - and with nervous excitement watched her get ready. She asked how I had cared for my other piercings, which had been Bactine for the first navel, and sea salts for my ear. (I know now that Bactine is a bad idea). She explained that sea salts would do fine.
Then came the magical moment! She gently clamped my navel - I was a little upset that I couldn't watch - and had me take a deep breath in and out. On the exhale, in went the needle. It took its sweet time going through my skin, and I flinched more than I thought I would. My boyfriend laughed at me for it. It seemed as if she really had to use some muscle power to get the needle through my flesh.
The jewelry was uncomfortable going in, more so than my other piercings. I never noticed the jewelry before, but for some reason I really felt it that time. She screwed on the little balls and said it looked great. She then mentioned that "oh, by the way, the tissue on the bottom of your navel is a lot tougher than the tissue on top." Well, no wonder it hurt a lot more, and was harder to get the needle through!
The jewelry that I had in my top piercing at the time was perfect. If you get this piercing, don't wear a dangly piece of jewelry in your top hole. I wore a simple barbell with wings on the top. You don't want anything that isn't stainless steel touching your new piercing until its healed.
She made me sit for a few minutes while she went over aftercare. Ten minute sea salt soaks twice a day for two weeks, and once a day after that. After I paid and we left, I cleaned it. It was pretty sore for a couple weeks, I couldn't sleep on my stomach.
In the coming weeks...
I religiously took care of it. After two weeks, I went down to once a day, and a week after that, it went down again to every other day. Then, it started to get angry with me. It got red and irritated, and hurt when the water hit it in the shower. I couldn't lay down on my stomach either. I started cleaning it again everyday. So far, the bottom hole looks a lot better than the top hole. The top hole is usually a little red, and a lot more crusty than the bottom.
For now, I'm being patient. Its taking its time healing up, as does any piercing. It is a very beautiful piercing though, especially with the top one to go with it. If you want this done, I would say go for it! The little extra pain is worth it. I do keep a close eye on the top hole though - the one inside my navel, as its harder to keep clean than the bottom hole for some reason.
Also, after cleaning, I was told to push the jewelry into my navel as much as possible, to avoid it catching on anything, like clothing, or seat belts (which I discovered hurt a lot). Avoid bending over in the car at all costs!
Another piece of advice, if you have a powerful shower, cover your navel with one hand when its in the water's path. I was told not to change the jewelry for six months, because the inverse navel is a little tougher to heal than the top.
Presently...
I've been taking good care of it and its doing well. A good combination of warm sea salt soaks and leaving it alone is the perfect healing method I believe!