At A Glance Author Kinky Reggae Contact Kinky Reggae@bme.anon IAM Kinky Reggae When Three months ago Artist Self Done Location California
In 2003 during Spring Break I decided I was going to get my Navel pierced. I went to my piercer and got a good vibe from the place and went along with getting the piercing. I cleaned it everyday two to three times a day until it was completely healed. This also took about 2 months to heal. After 2 years of jewelry decisions I decided that I was going to start stretching my Navel. At the time I didn't know what I was getting myself into.In early 2005 I took my Navel from a 12ga to an 8ga. I didn't want to get an infection or irritation of any sort so I washed my hands with Hibiclens and cleaned the Jewelry with Alcohol. After the stretch I cleaned my Navel with Sea Salt and Dial soap twice a day. For the next few weeks I had very little swelling or redness around the area of the piercing. I did however continue to wait a while before the next stretch.
I swapped the jewelry out a few times and it wasn't until two months ago that I attempted the next stretch. I used a 4ga taper to further stretch my navel. I put the taper in and go it down to a 6ga and stopped, I used the rubber backings to hold the Taper at a 6ga and allow it to stretch on it's own. I DO NOT RECOMMEND DOING THIS. Because the Navel and area around it has so much movement the Taper eventually by the end of the night pushed all the way down to the 4ga. I left the Taper in at a 4ga, which wasn't as uncomfortable as it sounds.
My decision to keep the 4ga in was because I had prior success with an 8ga taper. I felt comfortable using it and up until this point had no problems with it. A few days went by and it was still swollen and red. I was soaking it in sea salt and dial soap as I did with all of my other piercing's. However this time something was wrong, and at the time I thought it was the jewelry. I only had 4ga eyelets and in order to put it in I had to stretch my navel a little more. So using a 2ga spiral I further stretched an already irritated Navel to get the 4ga eyelet in. Again, I stress (DO NOT MAKE THE SAME MISTAKE I DID) Downsize if you have to, but don't force an already swollen and irritated piercing into further problems.
After I got the 4ga eyelet in I cleaned it as much as possible. Three times a day with sea salt and dial soap but an infection had already occurred and my Navel became very swollen and infected around the 4ga. The eyelet was pushing away from my Navel which started to cause a rejection. I didn't take out the 4ga in fear I was going to lose the size, again. (Do not make this mistake) take it out and let it heal, and then attempt a re-stretch. I started to panic and felt I should use something other than Sea Salt and Dial Soap to clean it and started using Bactine. I don't recommend this because it didn't help my piercing at all. In fact my Navel started turning even more of a deep red and in front of the eyelet an infection formed that eventually had to be drained. I started using Povidone Iodine Swabs. (NOT RECOMMENDED) it wasn't until later that I was told not to use them because it prolongs the healing process.
If it's not bad enough that I was using Bactine but then to start using Povidone Iodine swabs and gauze to in the very least limit the infection. Ironically, I never took out the eyelet. After about 2 weeks of a fight with my Navel it started thinning and eventually rejected. I wasn't even aware of the rejection rate for the Navel Stretching until recently when I was researching surface piercing. Having known the what I know now, I would have taken the Taper out and replaced it with a 4ga CBR. I wouldn't have forced an eyelet in and stretched an already irritated piercing. I also would have never used Bactine or Povidone Iodine swabs. It's been almost two months since I retired my Navel it is scarred and I don't think I'm able to pierce it again due to the rejection.
My recommendation before a Navel stretch is having the proper jewelry for your Navel and taking proper aftercare precautions. Although, we do learn from our mistakes and I know that I sure have. Be safe, be cautious and do your research. Don't end up like me with a retired Navel. So the Moral of this story is, things take time forcing the 4ga to fit the eyelet was worst decision. I don't plan on doing that again with any other piercing's so I hope this helps someone else from making the same mistake.