I always liked the look of piercings, and had been itching to get one for some time. In February 2004 I was starting my second semester of college and felt like it was a good time to go get a 'real' piercing (I had two holes in each ear lobe already). Since I was still a minor I needed my mom's consent, which was the hardest part of the whole experience. She was vehemently opposed to anything that would be on my face, so we compromised with the navel. I could get pierced, and hardly anyone would see it.
At A Glance Author Kristine Contact Kristine@bme.anon When Two years ago Studio Mad Pup Tattooing Location Plattsburgh, NY We went down to Mad Pup Tattooing and they fit me right in. We signed all the paperwork and they got me set up. The place was clean and we were given friendly service. They also explained how the jewelry they used was high-quality surgical grade steel, not the cheap stuff that a lot of places use. I am eternally grateful to all the shops out there that use quality materials, as I've never had a single problem either during healing or afterwards with any sort of reaction or infection to the jewelry. I had friends who went to other shops and had terrible experiences because of cheap jewelry.
The piercer (whose name escapes me) had me lean back in the chair to get comfortable, and went over all the aftercare instructions. In retrospect I really liked this because it gave me a chance to make sure the aftercare wasn't too much where I would neglect it and end up with an infection and a rejected piercing. I figured I could handle washing with antibacterial soap twice a day, so we went ahead. He put on fresh gloves and took the needle out of its package in front of me. As he wiped me down with alcohol, he explained that I would feel a pinch (the clamp) and another pinch (the needle). I had been told that the clamp was the worst part by many of my friends, and they were mostly right. It felt like a clothespin, nothing serious. Then it was time for the actual piercing. I've jabbed myself sewing more than enough times to know that needles hurt, and I was really expecting some sort of pain. Instead, it was more like a mix of a pinch and a pop. I looked down and, when I saw the needle just poking through my tummy while he got the jewelry ready, I burst out laughing. I think it was a mix of the rush of adrenaline and the fact that I really, finally had a piercing. Putting the jewelry in was probably the worst part, because I could feel it sliding through. Not painful, just a foreign feeling and it made me a little nauseous. I didn't want anything cutesy, so he put in the 14g steel ring I had picked out and clamped in the ball.
Pain came after the actual piercing. We hung around looking at the tattoo artists' portfolios, and after about 5 minutes my new piercing was sore, like I had been punched in the stomach. I've found that for me the worst part of any piercing has been after, when the endorphins wear off and my body reacts to a new piece of metal that wasn't there before. But it's been totally worth it. My healing process went off without a hitch. It didn't bleed or ooze or cause me any problems. However, I was warned that navel piercings can take up to a year to completely heal, and I was told to keep the jewelry in for 6 months to give it adequate time to heal before I switched it out for something else. I never bothered to change the jewelry; I'm a minimalist, and most of the problems my friends have had with any of their piercings is that they handle them too much, or put cheap mall jewelry in their bodies. I like what I have, and I like the idea that the jewelry has been there long enough to become part of the piercing and part of me.
I got my bellybutton pierced because I wanted it for me, not because it was the cool piercing to get at the time. I think this is why I'm still satisfied with having it. It's become a part of me, so much so that I forget I even have it sometimes. Ultimately that's what body mods are about: altering your exterior so it more closely fits with how you see yourself. As long as you're getting a piercing for the right reason it will be a rewarding experience.
Anyone thinking about this piercing, especially as a first piercing, should go ahead and do it, as long as they are patient. It can take a while to heal, and changing the jewelry for something cute, pink and dangly before it's completely healed can cause a lot of problems. It's a lesson in responsibility as well. If you don't care for it diligently it will become irritated. Make sure you are comfortable with your piercer, get referrals from pierced friends, and don't be afraid of pain. When and if there is any, it's quick, the healing process is more annoying than painful, and although this piercing is well-known for being a royal pain, good aftercare will keep it less fussy. Happy piercing!