I got my navel pierced on 31 December 2002. I hadn't intentionally planned on getting pierced on New Years Eve however my friend was getting her nose pierced and asked me to tag along. No sooner had we arrived in the studio, I decided I was getting my navel pierced. I had previously toyed with the idea but never thought I would actually go through with it.
At A Glance Author sheena_is_a_punk_rocker Contact sheena_is_a_punk_rocker@bme.anon When Two years ago Studio Hairlines Piercing Studio Location Bury, Lancs
The piercing studio was located above a hairdressers and I'd had previous piercings done there so I knew it was 100% legit and hygienic. My friend decided she was going to have her nose pierced first, I watched her go into a small room whilst I sat waiting on the chairs outside. I began to feel anxious, I was worried it would hurt yet I the same time I was buzzing off adrenaline and desperate to have it done.
My friend appeared a few minutes later with a beautiful stud in her nose. The piercer asked if I wanted my friend to come in with me, I wasn't too bothered but my friend was eager to see how the process was done so followed me into the piercing room. My piercer also asked would I mind a trainee standing in the room and watching how she worked her magic. I felt a bit like a guinea pig but didn't mind sharing my experience and after all doesn't everybody need to learn at some point?
I was shown a selection of navel bars of varying costs. I went for one of the most expensive bars (I feel the cost shouldn't be an issue if you want a good piercing). It was made from titanium and had a clear jewel on each end. Soon enough I was asked to lie down, lift my top to my bra and lower my jeans to just below my hips. Ink marks were made to show where the piercing would go. My piercer was lovely she kept talking to me throughout and double checked that I was happy on where she'd made the marks.
I thought I would burst with anticipation as I focused on the coolness of the clamps gripping my skin. I switched off from the outside world and concentrated on what was about to happen. I took a deep breath and as I exhaled, felt the needle enter my flesh and that was it, it was all over it a couple of minutes. I felt high, my piercer asked me if I was okay mainly because she had struggled to put the needle through (it appeared my stomach was firm and the skin was tough to break) but I hadn't really felt a thing. I bled slightly and was made to stay lying down for 5 minutes afterwards (I was told this was because people can sometimes feel dizzy after a piercing due to the rise in adrenaline and lowering in blood sugar levels). My piercer showed me my navel via a mirror she placed above my stomach, it was gorgeous she then covered it and told me how to look after it. Ten minutes later, I was up on my feet grinning widely, I paid and then left.
I left the studios feeling proud yet was disappointed that I had been told I had to keep the piercing covered with an antiseptic bandage for 24 hours especially since I was going to a New Years Eve party and wanted to show it off. In all honesty I removed the bandage after about 6-7 hours for that particular reason, now I've had more body mods I realize how stupid that was and how it could have become infected, luckily for me it didn't. However I was worried about somebody bumping into it / knocking it at the party as it was still a little tender and sore. Therefore I do not recommend getting a navel piercing straight before a party!
I couldn't sleep on my piercing for about a week afterwards and two months down the line it began leaking a yellowy substance and became quite crusty, although it looked painful it didn't actually hurt and I realized it was my body's way of healing itself. I cleaned it up as best as I could, twice a day with salty water and it cleared itself up.
It has now been three years since I had my piercing. It took 4-6 months to properly heal and it looks as gorgeous now as it did then. Navel piercings have become a lot more popular and common since I was pierced however this doesn't bother me, I got the navel piercing for me not anybody else and if people enjoy the experience as much as I did then why shouldn't they get it done?