So I had wanted a navel piercing for a long time, and my friend who was much more outgoing that I was convinced me that I should just do it. So we picked a shop that seemed like a high-quality place (Black Dragon) and headed there with her and my parents since I was underage.
At A Glance Author Bethany Contact Bethany@bme.anon When Two years ago Artist Don't remember Studio Black Dragon and then Knight Times Location Fayetteville, AR It was a Sunday afternoon that I got pierced. As we got to the shop, I was pretty nervous, since I'd only had my ears and upper cartilage on one ear pierced before. Not only that but I read a bunch of online horror stories about how painful and awful it was to have your navel pierced.
I filled out my paperwork and waiting for my piercer to come. My dad was making some jokes that really weren't helping me calm down. My piercing came to the waiting room for me. Since only one person could come into the piercing area with a customer, my friend came with me. I was really scared at this point.
The piercer turned out to be really friendly, moreso than I expected for sure. He told me to lay on the table and took a look at my belly button (which is an "innie.") He said, "Perfect belly button - just needs a hole through it." He sterilized my belly button and put the clamp on. My heart was beating about a million miles an hour, but he just told me to relax so I just laid back and tried to do so. He told me everything he was doing right before he did it. He pulled the needle through, and I was surprised that it really didn't hurt at all. Just a quick little sting but definitely not unbearable. I didn't bleed one bit. I was actually laughing at this point and my friend (who is big into taking pictures) photographed the piercer holding the needle that was still through my navel. "These kind of pictures usually make for good story-telling," he said. He finished screwing the ball on my hoop and reviewed the safety procedures to me and I was good to go. I believe the whole thing cost about $30-$40.
As with other piercings, this one felt hot and sensitive, but I took care of it best I could and cleaned it with Bactine daily just as my piercer recommended.
So the worst part after having this piercing is worrying about it getting pulled, especially when it is pretty new. I remember the next day at school one of my guy friends ran up behind me and picked up, arms right around my new piercing, bear-hug style. I was pissed, needless to say!
Eventually (and we're talking a couple years later) I noticed my jewelry seemed to be very close to the surface of my skin, which alarmed me. It looked like I was barely pierced. I was positive it was from it getting pulled multiple times and from wearing navel jewelry that was too big and really not convenient. I also wondered if it was partly the piercer's fault. Fearing it would just get worse, I took out my jewelry for a couple months until I decided that I missed having it pierced. I decided to get it re-done, this time at Knight Times.
I followed about the same procedure as I did at Black Dragon, except this time I was old enough to do it by myself (yay). My piercer again was extremely friendly. I showed him my old belly ring hole and he was shocked at how bad it was! He decided to pierce my navel this time from deeper in the belly button area. Anyway, the procedure went pretty much the same, same amount (or lack of) pain. The only difference this time was that I bled, a lot. It almost alarmed me, but by the end of the day it was done bleeding. This piercing cost me $30, I believe.
This piercing took longer to heal than my first time getting it done - lots of pussy grossness, girls. Be ready to face it and clean it, because it can get pretty nasty if it's neglected. I used Bactine (as I did the first time I had it done) on it twice daily, rotating the ring up and down to clean in the hole. Now it is completely healed. And you can still see where my old piercing was, unfortunately. It really isn't that noticeable though unless you are really up close.
I definitely recommend this piercing to anyone. It doesn't hurt, isn't too "out there" or visible if you have to hide it for you job or something, and it's really cute. Now I think my belly button looks weird without any jewelry in it. But for your own sake let everyone know you've been pierced and to not touch your belly in any way and don't wear huge, gaudy belly rings or anything that doesn't fit nicely into you belly button. You will be sorry you did if you have to get it re-done like I did!