My navel piercing.
At A Glance Author Bikmonster Contact Bikmonster@bme.anon When Five years ago Artist Unknown Studio Salamander Location Derby, UK As I write this the 8mm 14 gauge bar sits in a piercing that is nearly 6 years old, I got it when I was 16. I thought it would be nice for people to read an experience based upon a time period of healing and aftercare. I find that the majority of experiences list what it was like to wait for the piercing, what it felt like and then how it looked afterward... overuse of the word 'perfect' and finishing sentiments of "It's 4 hours old and looks and feels great" mean nothing really to someone wanting to know how the piercing is in the very important stage – the lengthy healing process!
So, here's my experience.
Preamble:
I'm sure from what you've already read, if you're considering a navel piercing you know you'll get to the studio, feel nervous, then you'll have your turn; you will observe (hopefully) how the piercer take items from autoclaved packets etc. In my experience the studio autoclaved the tools and used a fresh needle, but the bar which eventually got stuck into me, a 14mm 14gauge surgical steel banana bar with a blue stone, was simply taken from the cabinet in the shop and sprayed with something antibacterial prior to the procedure. I didn't get asked for ID either, and was not accompanied by anyone... But then the studio I picked was operating out of a back room of a skater/goth clothes shop, and considering Derby it was about all that was on offer.
There was the usual that you will have read in other experiences – clamp on, I closed my eyes, sharp pain, wipe and – done. I got a plaster stuck over it in case it bled for the first few hours, and went on my merry way. Oh, I fainted in the street just outside... but I was fine and it got me a free drink at a local café!
For the first few weeks it was sore, especially when I wore trousers which fastened and sat on my waist – hipsters quickly became the staple of my wardrobe! I was recommended to bathe it with salt water twice daily, but personally from past experience with my earlobes, surgical spirit worked a treat. Plus it's less lengthy and annoying to mix up morning and night. I rather like the smell... but that's beside the point(!)
I'm one of those people who religiously cleans and cares for their piercings (or tries to!). I washed it in the shower or bath every day (I wasn't warned off bathing by the studio, not even for the first few weeks, and to be honest I didn't even think it might be a risk). I didn't fiddle with it, and I cleaned it using cotton wool and surgical spirit morning and night.
Aside from a little redness and swelling if I wore the wrong style of trousers to school or knocked it (which is thankfully quite hard to do with where it is), it did fairly well for the first few months. There was always some lymph oozing/crusted around the holes during this time, but nothing a gentle clean wouldn't remove, and it was pain and pus free.
I left it for 3 months before I changed the bar - I was told to leave 2 months, and I like to be safe not sorry with something so closely attached to me!
Being 16, my budget wasn't huge, so I got a few steel banana bars from the local market. I.e. cheap shit jewellery. I had no problems however with the bars I bought, the piercing was a little fiddly to change, since the skin was tender and the hole not rigid. No huge problems though.
Now comes my cautionary tale of a cheap piece of jewellery. I bought a titanium bar from Argos (I'm sure most of you from the UK are aware how they have a pitiful rep. For tacky and cheap jewellery which causes a skin reaction in all but the most tough of neds/chavs). After an evening of wearing it I was in a lot of pain, the piercing site swollen and red, one unhappy navel. Pulling that bar out and all but forcing my old long bar from the initial piercing back in was so painful, but I wasn't losing my 'baby'!
There followed a night of lieing on my back with surgical spirit soaked cotton wool resting gently on my navel. It was tender for a few days, but the longer bar and tlc meant it was fine within the week. The cheap Argos bar was thrown far, far away and a possible allergy to titanium was mused over.
After that, there were no major crises, but the piercing still lymphed and had sore days for the first 2 years. After that it seemed totally healed, and 6 years later it's fine, I forget it's there quite often, but I still look down and smile and am very fond of it. Oh, and I still avoid titanium, just in case.
So, wanting your navel pierced? It's your choice, I'd say it's an enjoyable piercing to have, once healed. But bear in mind it may be a long haul healing process.