I first wanted to get my navel pierced after my best friend's mother had gotten hers done. I loved how it looked, and the fact that it was almost a "secret" piercing...you could walk around and no one would know you had your belly button pierced if you weren't at the beach or something. Although it was "the trendy thing to do", especially here in Southern California,(I got my navel pierced in 2006) it didn't really matter to me if everyone else was doing it too. I was getting my navel pierced for me, not because there was something of a fad going around with all the teenage girls.
At A Glance Author Amanda Contact Amanda@bme.anon When Six months ago Studio Liberty Tattoo Location Southern California I asked my mother about it when I was 15, and she said that when I turned 16 I could get it done. She was a little concerned because I already had 3 lobe piercings in each ear, and she thought I would turn into a "metal queen". My parents have always been judgemental about piercings, especially my dad. Regardless, she allowed me to get it done after I convinced her I knew safe procedures and aftercare.
We drove down to Liberty Tattoo in Gardena after calling and confirming that there was a piercer in. I had been to that location before, when I got my earlobes pierced the third time. They are nice and sterile, and the piercers are knowledgeable and friendly. When we got there, my mother and I both showed our ID's. I thought it was great that they checked both ID's to confirm that your parent was who they said they were, etc. I know of some places that will just take the money without really caring about proper ages, parental consent, etc. I was led to a jewelery stand where we had a discussion about jewelery. I could pick either a curved barbell or a CBR, and I chose the barbell because I thought a CBR might snag more easily or get ripped out.
The piercer (I think his name was James) and I went into the back piercing room and he set up all the equipment. I was a little nervous, but nothing too extreme. I laid down in the piercing chair, which reminded me of a dentist's chair. There were lots of posters and such on the walls to look at, and I thought this was a nice touch because a completely white-walled, hospital-like atmosphere would have made me more nervous. After sterilizing everything, the piercer clamped my navel skin. I've heard that the clamp hurts, but it felt like a little pressure to me and that was all. I inhaled, and on the exhale the needle went through. It barely hurt at all, in fact, my third lobe piercings hurt worse. My navel was done at 14g.
I was instructed to soak my navel in sea salt twice a day, and not to go swimming or take baths. I paid the piercer and left. On the way home I started to feel it. Maybe the adrenaline had numbed the pain before, but now my navel was starting to feel a little sore and painful.
All the aftercare went fine, and I never had any trouble with it until a few months after I got the piercing. The skin between the two holes kept getting smaller, and I took it out before it got worse. I think the way I sat may have put pressure on the barbell, causing it to migrate. I went back to Liberty, and a female piercer helped me this time. I asked her what I should do, and she said she could put a small CBR in the piercing to see if it helped any but that it was migrating and if it got any worse to just take it out and let it heal.
I'll definitely try to get it re-pierced behind the scar tissue after losing a bit of weight. I miss my navel piercing, it made me feel a little more sexy. I was never very confident about my stomach, and the navel piercing made me feel a little better about it. I think piercings can do that for most areas of the body. :-)
To anyone wanting to get their navel pierced, I say go for it. I can't promise that it won't hurt, pain is subjective of course. However, navel piercings are fun, beautiful (to me, anyway), and there is a wide variety of fun jewelery, just be sure to buy from a reputable piercer! If you want a nice place to get pierced and you're in SoCal, I would recommend Liberty Tattoo in Gardena. The people there are nice, and they put you at ease. They also run a very clean and safe environment. Have fun with your new metal, and happy healing! :-)