Ever since it became popular to have a belly button piercing a few years ago, I wanted it done but was always too scared. I had my ears pierced a few times, and had fainted during one of the experiences so I just figured that I'd faint or feel ill when having anything else pierced - so I decided it was better not to.
At A Glance Author Sarah When N/A Studio Hepcat Location Essex, England However, a lot of friends have been getting new piercings recently and I decided that I still wanted my belly button pierced. One of my friends got two piercings at the bottom of her belly button and I thought it looked nice, and was different, so I decided I'd prefer an inverse navel piercing to a normal one.
I plucked up the courage and went into town with my boyfriend and then spent 10 minutes freaking out outside the shop. Eventually I decided I did want it done, and I went in.
The woman was really nice, and told me that she would numb it and it was one of the least painful piercings that I could get and that she'd talk me through each step. I signed all the forms, and paid for it - only £15 including jewellery, which was cheaper than I expected it to be.
I chose the jewellery - a silver bar with small balls on each end (rather than one small ball and one big one, like 'normal' belly bars), followed her to the room and she marked where she was going to put the needle through.
By this time I was shaking loads and was feel really scared.
I laid down on the bed, and she sprayed my belly button with the numbing liquid. She said it might sting a bit and when she blew on it (presumably to make it dry faster) it did feel a bit weird but definitely not painful.
Then she said she was going to clamp the skin, and I didn't feel a thing. She asked if I was feeling okay and if I still wanted it done and I said that I felt a bit weird but I'd be okay, and that I definitely still wanted it done!
She told me to remember to keep breathing - I'd been holding my breath without realising! - and then I felt a tug on my belly button, and she told me that it was all done!
I couldn't believe it, I really didn't think it would be that quick and easy and painless.
She put the jewellery in and covered it with a patch, and then I lay there for about 5 minutes and drank some water and ate some chocolate because I felt a bit light headed.
It hurt for about half an hour afterwards mostly when I bent over or walked, but that went away. She did say that if it hurt badly I should take some ibuprofen but luckily I didn't need to.
6 hours later I took the patch off and was scared to look at it, because my friends belly button piercings had bled quite alot, but it was absolutely fine. No blood at all! It was a bit tender and slightly bruised but I expected that, after all - a sharp needle had been shoved through my skin!
It's now almost 3 weeks since I had it done, and it's still fine. There's been no blood or pus, and it only hurts slightly when I catch it on my trousers waist band but it hurts less and less each time. For the first few weeks I washed it with sea salt (apparantly table salt has added chemicals in it that can irritate the piercing) water twice a day, and Savlon antiseptic spray once a day, but now I just use Savlon once a day. I've recently been told that Savlon is bad for piercings as it kills new cells, but I have had no trouble with it.
The thing you have to remember is to wash off any solution with clean water, or the piercing will get irritated.
It's so cute and I can't wait for the 8 weeks to be over (she said it would take 6-8 weeks to heal, I'm playing it safe!) so I can change the jewellery. I'm a bit nervous about doing it, but I think I can go back to the piercing place and get the piercer to do it for me the first time anyway.
In conclusion; I'm a big wimp when it comes to needles and piercing but if I can do it - anyone can! It really didn't hurt, in fact I think that my 2nd holes in my ears hurt more! There's no way it's put me off piercing, in fact it's made me want to get more done - I think I'm going for a tongue piercing next!
Good luck :)